Ciocia Kristen

Hello, internet! Did you miss me while I was gone? We had a lovely weekend away in Detroit (not an oxymoron LOL); we went for a family reunion picnic but I affectionately called the trip our Casino Tour Across Michigan. I hit big on our first night in New Buffalo, and that paid for the rest of the pitstops along the way and our stay in the Greektown Casino and Hotel in the city itself. Yay!

But more importantly, what did I wear? The weather was crazy, the kind where you over-pack with shorts for heat, jackets for bundling up, and shirts and sweaters of every weight, just to cover your bases. And I ended up wearing all of them.

This was Friday; wore it to work and then on the car ride across Illinois and Indiana that night. Gap Outlet purple and grey striped sweater, grey Lauren Conrad for Kohls embellished tee, black Gap skinny pants, red Target cutout flats. Those flats got quite a workout all weekend!






Saturday we drove the rest of the way across the state then met up with my sister-in-law and niece for lunch at Slows BBQ in the city of Detroit. It's a funny restaurant, funky and upscale like many restaurants found in the funky urban neighborhoods of Chicago, but because it's in Detroit it's pretty much surrounded by abandoned buildings. The food was ridiculously good; I had a brisket and onion marmalade sandwich that was amazingly tender and flavorful. Plus, I got to spend time with my niece! She's only two so she's like an amnesiac still; she doesn't remember me between the times that I see her, so I have to win her over all over again at each visit. But Ciocia Kristen (Aunt in Polish) is persistent, and by the end of the reunion on Sunday she was running into my arms and kissing me. :)











I love how fearless my sister-in-law is in taking her daughter through the city. They live there, after all, and it's good to teach her to enjoy the good and not to ignore the bad.


This was one of 3 outfits on Saturday. The WHBM striped sweater kept coming off and on as it heated up, so I was glad I had just gotten this Old Navy long sleeved ruched v-neck tee this week on sale. It's so soft, and the optic white looks good against my skin tone. I ended up getting even hotter and changing into a fuschia sleeveless ruched tee from LOFT for a while, then that night I wore my batwing black top when we went out drinking and gambling with my brother-in-law. (Also when we went for Coney dogs at 10:30 at night. It's a Detroit tradition!)





Sunday was the reunion out at a gorgeous park up by my brother-in-law. The sun was out but the wind was cool, so my new Old Navy striped sweater kept coming off and on as the temps changed. Underneath was another Old Navy ruched v-neck tee, this time in deep teal. My gold circle Nasri necklace and Old Navy Dreamer jeans finished off the outfit. No full-lengths shots, but here are a couple of closeups. I bought those aviators last year, and they were expensive from Ralph Lauren. But they look awesome, and they've lasted well. No regrets about buying them at all!






Me and my nieces (ages two and sixteen). Love both of these girls so much! The reunion was perfect because the adults were busy talking to their cousins and aunts, but since I don't know any of them I got to spend time with my nieces one on one. Usually at family parties their moms and grandmas hog their attention. :)



 
My husband proudly wore his new Made in Detroit shirt. LOL!





He also did some fishing with our niece. She loved it, and didn't want to stop even though it was time to go. They kept catching the line on lily pads and other assorted greenery in the water, and my husband joked that they were catching "salads". When we got her back with her mom, she proudly said, "I caught salads!" We have been repeating it to each other ever since.

Good thing they didn't actually catch a live fish; she might have freaked out.




The kids played games at the picnic, and one of the prizes were bubbles. That turned out to be the most fun of all, as the little ones chased the bubbles all over the field. I could have watched them for hours. So adorable.





By Monday, my flats-length Old Navy Dreamer jeans had completed bagged out, but I did not want to wear heels for the drive home. So I rolled up my heel-length Old Navy Dreamer jeans (why do the other pair bag out, but not these? It's a mystery) and added the white long-sleeved tee again, my grey asymmetrical sweater from Marshalls, red Target flats and my new crossbody from Nordstrom. This was definitely a remixing weekend! (And an Old Navy one, apparently; they are my go-to store for casual this year!)



And now I am back at work. Alas!