Lux Domes

I hope you are all hanging in there, as we coast through the rest of the holiday season. I know the two of us are looking forward to a mostly low-key New Years Eve. We always prefer to try and stay off the roads and spend time with close friends for this holiday. Maybe because we are just tired because we both typically have to work that day. It could also be that we just aren’t into the crowded expensive NYE bar scene. However, we did get out a little bit last weekend for some fun and a very unique experience.

I think we have mentioned a few times now that our family is migrating away from copious amounts of gifts, and more towards quality time and experiences. I am personally so down for this. After the last few years of consuming, buying, overspending, and over receiving; it just started to feel excessive and the joy of the true meaning of Christmas was wearing off.

For the most part we have switched to going on a trip as a family. Which if you ask me, is a win win. We get some warm weather, family time, and some great memories. This year in addition to this we added in a fun smaller experience in Milwaukee with our entire family as well as Jenilee’s in-laws.

As Jenilee and I were perusing the web, we stumbled upon a link that seemed to keep popping up in our feeds. It was for Lux Domes at a restaurant downtown that we like. This is new to Milwaukee this year and we were pumped to see it! To begin with we don’t have that many rooftop bars or restaurants to enjoy throughout the summers in Milwaukee. To see a winter attraction on top of the limited options was so fun! They are private heated domes that seat eight people. They then allow for you to choose certain drink packages and appetizer packages.

The two of us kind of booked one on a whim. You have to put down a bit of a hefty deposit in order to reserve one. We were reassured to  read that you can cancel if needed, so we figured why not? We locked in our date and time and then inquired with our 6 guests. We found out shortly after we booked ours they had sold out extremely fast! They are now releasing a few more time slots after their initial great response. It made us even more pumped to have one locked down once we heard that.

I was especially excited for this night, for a couple of reasons.  It provided an opportunity to have my family over for some drinks, apps, and to see my Christmas decorations. Being the only one in a duplex rather than a house it doesn’t usually make sense for me to be the host for evenings. Luckily, my place is the closest to our destination, and everyone was happy to meet there.

After a few hours of hanging out we headed downtown. Typically i wouldn’t include minute details like this in a blog but I need to paint a picture. Rather than calling an Uber, eight of us (with me at 5’11 being the shortest) piled into one mid-size SUV. We were laughing so hard seeing people walk past doubletake as people just kept piling out and unfolding themselves. We’re not the ideal group to be cramming into cars-but we make do!

They have you arrive fifteen minutes early to assure they can stay on schedule and make sure people are getting their money’s worth and full experience. We waited in the bar area for a bit before and got to soak in a plethora of “I feel so short” comments as people walked by. It really never gets old! We headed up to our dome and settled in. They made them so cozy with lights strung, blankets and faux furs laid on the chairs and an extra basket of blankets for use as well. However, the little heaters they had inside worked wonders! I didn’t even wear my coat inside.

Our waitress (I use that term loosely) stopped by to explain the food and drinks that had already been set out and explain when she would be back again to see if we would want to add anything on and then again with a 15 minute warning as to when we would have to exit the dome. She also pointed out some of the games they had under the tables which we all thought was an awesome touch. We sipped and noshed and then grabbed for cards against humanity pretty quickly. Many laughs later our waitress told us we needed to start winding down. All in all this was an extremely fun experience and if you have the opportunity I highly recommend checking it out!

Also peep these outfit details below if you would like! I absolutely recommend layering the green turtle neck if you get itchy and it is the perfect fit to wear with jeans or leggings!

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That 70s Dress

I saw this dress a few times as I was doing my daily scroll through Asos. Every time I spotted it, I was captivated by the colors. There is something about the color combination and the front tie kept bring me back to it. Or I look at my saved items on Asos too often which is where this dress was then living. I, however, was not loving the price point of this main line find. I am typically willing to pay a little bit more for a tall item that I know will fit me right but for a main line find….eh.

As my browsing continued a few days later, they just happened to discount it. So I figured why not give it a try. The colors are even better in person in my opinion. Although you may want to note that your stripes and the ties in the front can vary vastly from the picture they show, depending on what cut of the fabric you get.

Per usual I tossed it on and snapped a pic to Jenilee to see if we were keeping it. I told her the sleeves weren’t quite long enough but I still really like the length, colors and I just felt like the tie on the front was flattering. She mentioned it could be a bracelet length dress. “A what,” I said? Essentially a sleeve length that is just long or short enough to showcase your arm candy. This is a new term to me but if it could be an excuse to make this dress work, then I am here for it.

I want to touch on the above statement a little bit more. Jenilee and I have spoke many times on how we are making an effort to shop more mindfully – not buying items that aren’t the right fit on our body, items we don’t feel comfortable in, items that aren’t of quality. And we really are doing our best but I think sometimes there are exceptions.

Yes, I did stretch this dress a little bit in the sleeve length area. I also know that this is a dress I can wear year round to work, church, casual events etc. I am explaining this partially to inspire all of you to do the same. We all should stop buying items that find their way to the back of the closet and stay there. And also to keep holding myself accountable to do the same.

My mom, Jenilee, and I have all made a conscious effort to stop shopping at TJ Maxx (for clothing). We have shopped there for years, and loved snapping up great deals. The quality has definitely taken a nosedive in my opinion. It also seems as though they took the fun out of shopping there. I used to love finding a diamond in the rough there, like a single pair of Express shorts that were $10 or something else similar from a brand I love. Now it appears that they primarily have brands make clothing for them and it’s just not for me. I will continue to snag their workout tanks and gear from my favorite sports teams but other than that, we are all done sacrificing the fit and quality.

Now that I have hopped off my soapbox back to this 70s striped dress. I will note that the dress is semi sheer which always makes me nervous especially in the workplace. I ended up wearing a nude tank and a slip just to make sure no one was seeing more than they wanted. I tossed on some of my favorite Sam Edelman booties and couldn’t have been more comfortable.

I am going to link a few other striped dresses that we are loving below. They are a great addition to any closet and will transition with you through so many seasons! If you have any other suggestions on places you find mainline wins or just dresses you have been loving drop them below!

P.S. This dress also comes in Curve- it is also linked below!

The RBF Real Reel…

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Teddy Bear Teddy Bear Turn Around – So Everyone Can See This Coat!

I would like to formally apologize if that song is now stuck in your head like it is mine. But in all honestly that is all I can think of when I wear this beautifully cozy coat and you will want to spin around in it as well to show it off.

I don’t often treat myself to on trend coats because, well, they’re expensive and I try to ball on a budget. And also because, in the depths of winter I am usually forced to wear my down Patagonia Jacket. I also alternate with my favorite dressier coat that Jenilee got me from Asos for Christmas a few years back.

There are so many coats I have lusted after, but I can never seem to pull the trigger on my own. So when the winter lookbook came out for Long Tall Sally and this Teddy Bear Faux Fur Coat revealed itself; it had to be mine. So as I do with most items I told Jenilee I had to have that one. Unsurprisingly, she just happened to also need it. Before we had the coat in our hands, we saw our fellow tall friend Lindsey wearing it, and became even more excited when we saw the sleeve length on her.

When the coat actually arrived, I was so pleased with how comfy, cozy and warm it was while also not being extremely bulky. It’s definitely thick but in a good way.  If you’re looking for the perfect warm, trendy, versatile coat look no further. And hurry up because this one won’t stay in stock forever!

Anyways I will digress and move on from my love affair with this coat to talk about the feels from this chenille turtleneck sweater. I won’t lie, chenille coming back was a weird blast from the past for me and I definitely wasn’t here for it. I very clearly remember a lavender cardigan I wore in our church family photos as a child. For some reason I just felt like I should leave chenille there.

However the color of this LTS turtleneck was undeniably gorgeous so I gave it a shot and now I live permanently inside of it. Seriously – it is that soft, that I never want to take it off. I wore it to Thanksgiving dinner and couldn’t have been more comfortable all day. It felt like I was wearing a blanket the entire time. Which, if you know me in real life you know that this is pretty much what I strive for. You could also say that I am officially on the chenille bandwagon now!

As we continue down the outfit, that would lead us to these jeans! I have never given straight leg a shot but with a little bit of encouragement from Jenilee, I figured why not try to hop a little bit outside the ole comfort zone.

I also wore these to Thanksgiving dinner and I have to tell you they felt nearly the same as leggings with comfort. These have so much stretch! I do have to say, I may have been better off ordering a size down, but like my mom said it’s good to have a comfortable pair of pants! I liked them better rolled with these specific boots but since then I have worn them unrolled to show up the cute raw hem. The other amazing thing, is the inseam length options. I ordered these in a 34′ inch, but they also do 36′ and 38′. They’ve got us all covered ladies!

Lastly, these beautiful fur boots! If you haven’t picked up that we require a lot of warm weather clothing and shoes here – this is me telling you. We need oodles and oodles of coats, boots, wool socks, etc. because winter is long, cold, and scary. I saw that these were not only a cute pair of booties, but would also keep my feet warm, while also having an outdoor style tread. I was ecstatic!

I have reached for these so many times already. For Thanksgiving, for an outdoor Christmas Market, for wearing them to and from work, and multiple other errand days. They are so comfortable and unbelievably warm. When we went into a tent at the Christmas Market I had to unzip them because my feet got too hot! That rarely happens in Wisconsin winters.

In conclusion – you need everything I am wearing. Totally kidding, except not really. But truly each of these items is made so well that I would recommend each of them -together or separate.  Also if you read the post we wrote here and here about the Karl Lagerfeld Paris collection at Long Tall Sally or prefer the newer items from the #MerryEverything campaign, click here so you don’t miss this giveaway!

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Small Business Saturday-Midwest Style

How many of y’all have heard about Small Business Saturday? Well if you haven’t-Surprise, it’s tomorrow! And we are here to share possibly one of our favorite Holiday Guides since it hits so close to home. Literally. All of these business are local, unique, and don’t just pertain to us in the Midwest.

Lake Effect

We are both especially excited about this company. We have been following along with these lake inspired items for quite some time now since we love lake life and going up north is a huge part of our lives. We reached out to the owner of this company and honestly couldn’t be happier that we did. We ended up grabbing drinks and can’t wait to keep working with her and showing y’all these killer items. We also have to mention that we love that she is always a fellow tall lady, and this reflects the fit of her shirts! No sizing snafus on her site.

We own a handful of shirts from Lake Effect and love them all. Jenilee has this long sleeve (and the sleeves are long enough!), Caitlin has this shirt and this shirt and the quality, softness and fit couldn’t be better. These will be shirts you grab for again and again because they’re timeless, high quality, and comfortable. Another perk is the shipping was so incredible fast for us!

She is running a special for Small Business Saturday tomorrow with 25% off orders over $50 using code: THANKS25. Orders over $150 receive a limited edition Carhartt x Lake Effect Co winter knit hat (your choice of black, gray, or navy) using code: CARHARTT150. And all orders will enjoy free shipping, automatically. Be sure to snag some of these wonderful pieces for yourself, for your friends, for whoever! Find this lovely company at lakeeffectco.com or @lakeeffectco on instagram!

Milwaukee Home/Waxwing

If you’re not from Milwaukee this one might not be for you. But if you are, listen up! These shirts are pretty iconic by now and we are certain you have seen them on someone. Even if you’re not from Wisconsin we are sure you have seen “Your State” Home shirts. Maybe Milwaukee Home specifically won’t work for you, but the same type of company in your hometown will make for a great gift idea for you or a friend.

They are also running a sale tomorrow so be sure to check it out. They also have some goodies packed into swag bags if you are the one of the first 100 people through the door (Open at 8:00 am). This basic shirt is one of our favorites, Jenilee loves this hat, and Caitlin may just need to get herself this cup for Christmas.

Waxwing also has some incredible products-candles, bags, bath&body, other clothing, jewelry, hats, office, etc.

Taylor Wolfe Shop

Caitlin stumbled upon Taylor (@thedailytay)’s blog a few years ago and became pretty invested in the shenanigans of Taylor and Harlow. It also helped that she is in the midwest and it makes her even that much more relatable to us. For Oktoberfest a few years ago, Caitlin and Sarah ordered her Lets Day Drink shirts and people loved them! One thing we recommend though is if you are one of the tall gals here order the unisex size if possible or size up multiple sizes for the right fit.

We are big Christmas people here, so when we saw the Stay Merry sweatshirt we knew one of us had to have it! It is going to get so much use this holiday season. We also really like this sweatshirt and this shirt for the holidays. She has so many other hilarious, relatable, fun Tees and sweatshirts to choose from. These are the perfect gift for your bestie, husband, mom, siblings, the animal lover in your life, etc.  

Check out her site here, her blog here if you would like, and browse her goods! And if you don’t find anything you like at least you can admire her beautiful boy Harlow.

VoYourself

We found this company through the above mentioned Taylor’s blog. She was wearing the crescent necklace in many of her stories and we needed to know where it was from. Turns out her friend owns her own small business of some amazing Jewelry! Caitlin owns the crescent necklace and wears it on a daily rotation-by itself or as you can see below it is amazing for layering. You can see all of her goodies here and also on Instagram @voyorself. Or if you are local in Chicago you can find her cruising around all summer

If you’re into super versatile, high quality, everyday jewelry girl (or guy), treat yo self! She is running some killer Small Business Saturday sales but make sure you are timely with this one!

10am – 2pm: 30% off

2pm-6pm: 25% off

6pm-midnight: 15% off

Brew City Brand

Brew City Brand is a company we fell in love with through visiting the Milwaukee Public Market. They have the most fun Milwaukee/Wisconsin themed shirts for a reasonable price. We love that they are unique and so accurately describe so many of our beloved Wisconsinisms. You have seen us post in some instagram stories in one of their sweatshirts but we own many other items as well.

Well for Small Business Saturday they have 40% off EVERYTHING until 11/25/18. That is huge! You can visit their instagram here or stop by thesite here. 

Summerfest

This is applicable to anyone who has had any interest in visiting Milwaukee. Or if you already live here there is zero chance you haven’t heard of Summerfest. It is the world’s largest music festival and their musical offerings are for EVERYONE. You’d be hard pressed to find a better value than this festival, and Milwaukee in the summer is vibrant and beautiful. They have a Power Pass on sale which is entry for all 11 days of the festival for only $85. This is the perfect gift for the music lover in your life. If you don’t want to spend that much, they have gift cards as well which can be used towards entry or merchandise.

Do you have any local shops that are close to your heart? Or if you are local with us–what are we missing in Milwaukee?

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30 Years and 30 Things about Jenilee

A post written for Jenilee (and all of you!) from our family. I am not going to specify who wrote what but I am sure some will be decipherable between our mom, dad, her twin brother, Tim (Her husband, our Grandma and I. I hope you enjoy learning some fun tidbits about this beautiful birthday gal! You’ll notice a few similar ones because I gave no direction, but she is who she is and has some very well known traits that we love her for!

As a big sister Jenilee is always quick and willing to bend to put me first. I am not sure if it’s an instinctual trait that comes with being a big sister but she is constantly selfless and protecting as a big sister.

You may hear(have heard) Jenilee referred to as any of the following: Jenilee, Jena, Jena-pie, Jelly, Jadger, Jelly-boo, Wife, Sister, T, BFFFL, etc. But NEVER EVER EVER call her Jen, Jenny, Jennylee, Janell-eeeee. And as a fun extra for anyone who may be wondering the correct pronunciation it is Jen-ih-lee.

Jenilee loves hugs! Whether it’s in greeting or saying goodbye, her family and loved ones always share a good hug. She always leaves a hug with a big smile on her face.

Huge popcorn fan. Sometimes she goes to a lame movie just for the popcorn…

Doggy lover. Silly little doggies make her heart melt. And medium sized doggies… and big sized doggies.

Sushi fan! Maybe not the most graceful eater of sushi, but she loves to keep using chopsticks and eat all her favorite rolls.

Jenilee can be an extremely easy-going person sometime to her own detriment!  She can chill like no other~ wish I had some of that in myself.

Although I am the runner in our family- there have been many races where my little girl has trained and out did her old mom – Her determination for being fit and competing in anything is appreciated and respected.  Even if she thinks I did the swing move to beat her in a “Tough Mudder”

Jelly was a force to be reckoned with against the Wisconsin badgers.

Jelly read Harry Potter in one day.

Senior high school classmates thought it would be funny if we were crowned Winter Ball (King/Queen) and ended up #twinning and having to dance together.

10-year-old Jelly could put 30-year-old men to shame by putting away 2 Kopp’s cheeseburgers with a smile on her face (for reference this is a local burger/custard shop and the burgers are BIG!)

When entering the house, Jelly talks to the dogs like humans greeting them with “Bill, hello” and “Gypsy, hello”

Jelly can eat two full kopps burgers with fries (sequentially).

She is so quick to forgive. I think this primarily stems from your relationship with Christ but no matter the situation with family, friends, etc she is so understanding and willing to forgive and move forward-I genuinely strive to be like her in this way.

Her interests in life are contagious. She is a concert going, travel thirsty, food fanatic who is always looking for the next thing to go do, see, listen to and she spreads that to everyone in her life.

Speaking of movies, one of her favorite date nights is a movie night! Not sure if it’s because of the company… or maybe the popcorn?

I have never met anyone in my life who can eat as much popcorn as this lady. She even received a popcorn machine and SAM’s club size bag of popcorn for her birthday one year!

As a little girl, Jenilee had to have eaten giggle pills at meal time…the giggles that came from a little girl at our kitchen table were contagious and silly.  It was hard be mad at the interruption caused during meal time which typically caused her siblings to get into trouble.

Thirty years of names: Punkin, punkin pie, pie, pie pie, Jena pie, jelly, jellybadger, jadger

Jelly is all-time kanjam champ when teamed with her dad.  She can hit the can from anywhere on the course.

Jelly invented the wobble-bomb technique of throwing a frisbee quickly followed by “dad, no” or “dad, sorry”

When Jenilee and I used to play AAU Basketball together we would scrounge up any and all change on our way home so we would split a burger from McDonalds, we still laugh about it to this day!

This 30-year-old daughter has to be one of the most loyal people I have ever known.  Once she loves you~ you can be assured that she will always be there for you. I admire this trait and am honored to be loved by her.

When it comes to eating a meal, she is different than the rest of our family in that she cannot let any of the food on her plate touch and will only eat one thing at a time before moving on to the side dishes, she has been this way since she was little! etc.

Being a person who could get lost in the bottom of a paper bag, I could not be prouder of Jenilee’s confident navigation skills.  I can say I never worry of getting lost while traveling anywhere with Jenilee 🙂

Jenilee LOVES to read. And I mean loves. she may even live for it. Her husband and her have started a library in their house and she is constantly checking out/requesting new books from the library. You will always see a book nearby; in her purse, on a table, in her car, etc. So, if you are ever looking for a recommendation, she is your girl!

I’m most proud of Jenilee for following her heart and dream to create a blog with her sister; standing up (no pun intended) for tall women. Being a tall woman is not always the easiest as many, many people feel it their right to comment on height. They not only show the world that they are beautiful inside and out while keeping it ‘REAL’, but they are reaching other tall people and helping them feel good about themselves!   

Jelly is the queen of facial expressions (with a knack for throwing daggers if a call on the basketball court doesn’t go her way)

I will never forget a one year old grabbing for my 59 year old hand…and walking the halls of Children’s Hospital-doing lap after lap nearing the time for visitation…stopping at the elevators-waiting for mom and dad to come-when they did, her face would light up!

Hopefully y’all enjoyed learning some new random facts about her, now don’t forget to send her some birthday love on her actual birthday-tomorrow, November 22!

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