I'd rather be swing dancing

Not gonna lie...I felt like swing dancing in this outfit.

But, alas, swing dancing was not on my schedule.  Instead, I went to class and took a test.  A long test.  Meaning I wrote for 2 hours and 20 minutes straight and experienced intense hand cramps.  All in the name of education, people.

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And comfort was its name-o

You might not be able to tell by my outfit posts, but I am an avid pajama lover.  Homework, cooking, cleaning, and general lounging around the house usually call for big t-shirts and a pair of cotton undies - pajama pants if I'm in the mood.  Comfort always takes the cake when I'm in the privacy of my own home.

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Scallops

I absolutely adore scallop details in clothes, and what's more fun than injecting some fun summer colors with pretty, feminine details?  I've never dared to wear a top and bottom that have scallops at the same time, but do you think it works?  Would you wear this kind of look?

Everybody, Everywear: I love me some thrift!

There are a lot of blogger-rallying, participatory-style thing-a-ma-bobs out there, and I'm careful not to jump on the bandwagon of too many.  I don't ever want to feel like I have to link up or be super committed - I like to participate when I feel like it.  That being said, when I saw that the newest rendition of Everybody, Everywear was featuring thrifted items, I decided to join in on the fun.

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Time in Florida

Most of my pictures from my time at Disney World and throughout Florida are of my niece, Keira.  To be honest, the last thing on my mind was taking outfit photos of myself - I was really just enjoying time with family.  The photo above is one of few pictures that I'm in - I had to get one in front of the castle with my Caleb!  We had a terrific time, and I know Keira made some great memories.  What better way to spend your fourth birthday?!

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Bloggers do it better: Maxi skirt...and a revelation

If you would have told me a year ago that I'd be wearing a maxi skirt, I would have politely told you that you were crazy.  I used to think that maxi skirts were reserved for the 5'11 girls of the world who had no worries of their hip sizes.  I'm 5'6 with an ample derriere and what people tend to refer to as child-bearing hips, so I would have left this trend to the tall and flawlessly-proportioned.

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Scarf swap

I'm officially back from vacation, and what better way to get back into the swing of things than with a swap?!

I participated in a blogger scarf swap put together by the ladies of The Concrete Catwalk, Kendi Everyday, My Edit, and Kansas Couture.  I was paired up with the lovely Meggy of Chasing Davies.  See which scarf I sent her and how she styled it here!

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I'm still on vacation, but I can assure you (even though I wrote this over a week ahead of time) that I'm probably so anxious to blog that I'm bursting at the seams!  In the meantime, here's an outfit post...just for you.

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A visit from A Texan Oddyssey

Tribal Chic by ValFox featuring sleeveless tank tops

Hi guys this is Val! For my ideal summer vacation outfit, I put together a look that would work for sightseeing at the coast or meandering through a theme park. A tribal tank paired with denim Bermuda shorts is both comfy and modest. (No booty shorts please! What is with those??) I went with mustard gladiator sandals for a pop of color, and a tooled leather cross body bag to keep your hands free for eating an ice cream cone or for holding on for dear life during a roller coaster ride. (You might want to eat that ice cream AFTER the ride if you're the queasy type though!) As for accessories I kept the earrings simple so as to not compete with the rest of the outfit, and chose a set of chunky bangles in complimentary colors for some arm candy. To finish off the outfit we have a cute pair of aviator sunglasses, which is a must have where I live under the bright Texas sun. Now I don't usually mix brown and black, or my metals, so this outfit would be pushing my fashion boundaries somewhat. I think I'm willing to try it though. How about you?

Val Fox

A Texan Oddyssey

Happy Independence Day everyone!  (And happy birthday to my niece Keira and my husband Caleb!  I'm enjoying time with them at Disney World right now!)

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Independence Day at Disney World

I am so excited to be spending Independence Day at Disney World!  We're going for my niece's birthday Golden Birthday - she'll be four on the fourth.  (Little bit of trivia: Caleb's birthday is also July 4, so he'll get to celebrate his birthday at the happiest place on earth, too!)

Independence Day at Disney World by jessicamarie626 featuring canvas slip on shoes

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Calling all readers!

source

A week from now, I'll be visiting the "happiest place on Earth" - Disney World!  My family is going for my niece's 4th birthday, and we're all so excited about it!  Caleb and my dad will be heading back to work after our Disney adventure, but my sisters, niece, mom, and I will be continuing our time in Florida with a visit to Tampa Bay and Miami, where my grandparents live.  It should be great fun!

Because I want to spend as much time with my family as possible (we're usually about 5 hours away), I don't plan on publishing any new posts while I'm gone.  However, I'd like to schedule some posts ahead of time so that I don't drop off the face of the planet (or at least the blogging world).

This is where you come in...

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Looking back: The day I became a Mrs.

One year of marriage!  Woohoo!  I can't believe today (June 26) marked our one year anniversary.  The time has flown by so quickly, and Caleb and I are so thankful for the past 12 months.  We can't wait to spend eternity together!

In true celebratory fashion, I'm reminiscing by sharing some of the photos from our wedding day.  (This post is going up kind of late tonight because I spent the entire day with mi amor.)  It was truly a spectacular, magical, stupendous day!  It was modest, but perfect; quaint, but filled with love - and I wouldn't change a thing about it.  These pictures will always remind me of the joy my wedding day brought me and the beautiful life I started with my Caleb.

*Disclaimer: You are about to enter picture overload.  Sappiness will ensue.  You've been warned.  :)

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Sometimes I'm cheesy

I wore this outfit on a date night with my husband, but let's cut to the chase.  There are few things I love more than date nights with my husband...especially date nights that involve chips and queso.

There.  I've admitted my weakness.  

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A charming blogger meetup

This past Saturday I attended a DFW blogger meetup put together by Julie of Rosy+Tart.  We started off at Charming Charlie for some accessories shopping, and the store was kind enough to provide us with drinks, snacks, and, best of all, a 20% discount!  (You know I love to save!)

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Neutrals and neons

Mixing neutrals with neons is not a trend that I would usually choose to take on.  In fact, a quick glimpse in my closet will reveal very little in the neon family...I've just never really thought it was my thing.  However, I was determined to pull something off for the most recent edition of Bloggers Do It Better, put together by Kristina of Pretty Shiny Sparkly.  I searched for the most neon-esque things I could find in my closet (neutrals definitely weren't a problem), and came up with this outfit.  I am so glad I was challenged to do something new with my wardrobe because I really love how the look turned out.

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Inexpensive summer outfits

Summer may not officially be here yet, but it certainly feels like it in Texas and in other parts of the country. Temperatures are rising, and shorts, tees, tanks, and sandals are making appearances in vast numbers. And summer is the perfect season for your most casual wear - after all, it is the season to visit theme parks, zoos, and other hot, outdoor places. You shouldn't have to pay an arm and a leg in order to bare your limbs and stay cool (or at least be as comfortable as possible), and, fortunately, you don't have to. Purchase a few basics for summer with a few personal touches. Just check out all these easy, casual summer looks - all priced at $50 or less. Accessorize with pieces already in your closet, and you can put your saved pennies toward your margarita fund...or whatever else floats your boat.

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Beach totes

As the temperatures get hotter and hotter this summer, more and more of us will be flocking to the beach.  There are so many necessities for a day in the sun - sunscreen, a towel, sunglasses, a book or magazine...the list goes on and on.  That's why no beach trip is complete without a beach tote.  Luckily, there is a plethora of fashionable options to suit any style, and, even better, you can find plenty that are reasonably priced and won't burn a whole in your pocket.  Just check out these totes, all priced under $50 each:

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A look back: Romania

Three years ago this month, I spent time in Romania while on a mission trip.  I have so many wonderful memories of the country, and I often think of it with fondness.  The primary reason for going there was to work with Romanian children at an orphanage in Tulcea, and the children placed such an imprint on my heart that my time in the country turned out to be my single most life-enriching experience to date.

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Missing something

Have you ever put together an outfit, realizing that something's missing before you even walk out the door, yet succumb to mediocrity and depart your home because you just don't have the time to fix it?  Loaded question?  Yes.  But that's pretty much what happened with this outfit.

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