WIWW: {Americana}

Wednesday is my favorite day, because Wednesday is my Friday and my short day, which means that it's an 8-hour day (yes, that's like a regular day in a regular 9-5) instead of a 12-hour day, and it doesn't actually start until 10pm which makes 6am come a lot faster which ushers in my official weekend that actually starts on Thursday and lasts through Sunday which is actually my Monday.

Confused? Yes.
It's a little hairy to keep track of it all, but nonetheless, I really like Wednesdays even when it's not the FOURTH OF JULY!! {hello!?}

{an afternoon hike through the hills before the 4th of July BBQ feast}

After a myriad of computer work, picture editing, gardening, and dog walking I finally made it out of the house declaring on Facebook "Gurl done left the house looking like Old Glory, you betta believe!"

{Old Glory, Red Tahoe, all-America}

I packed up my new yellow bag (Nine West find from Ross for $26.99, score!!) and set out for a couple of BBQ pit stops before I went in to handle business on the front end of a long night under my headset. 

{friend Mel: homegrown, red/white chevron dress: Old Navy, blue shirt: Charlotte Russe}

I am 5'5" and in a long standing love affair with maxi dresses.
I suspect my 40-hours a week in a uniform and boots has fueled my like for these free & easy dresses "off-duty" even more.
I hate pants..it's a running joke, the friends know about it…Lauren hates pants.
Cue: Lauren loves dresses. :)

When I'm out at any clothing store, they draw me in like a moth to a flame…

like Spock to the Starship Enterprise.
I am futile to resist their long, flowy charms.

{Confession: my name is Lauren, I bought 4 dresses and 1 maxi skirt last week}

{purse charm: gift, bangles: Forever 21,  Nine West purse: Ross, necklace: Mark.}

{I wish I was a little bit taller, I wish I was a baller'...}

I eyed this dress at Old Navy a few weeks ago, sent a few of my BFFS and my sister a picture from the dressing room
"Red chevrons? Yay or nay?"
Yay, they sent unaimously..and so my new dress went home with me and hung from the closet for the last few weeks staring me down, waving at me {hello, like a flag!!} just waiting to be worn.
I cannot lie. I put it on last week one night and danced around my house in it to break it in.

It swooshes. It's sashays. It sweeps.

It pools (?)…yes in a small fabric puddle around my feet.

Tell me I'm not the only one who has this problem, #shortgirls where you at?!
Back a sista up here!

It causes me to think that there should be some kind of dress clip, similar to a purse clip that you put on the table edge to keep your bags from sitting on the floor, but this clip would be to free up your second hand from holding your dress so you don't trip to your death or end up face first in the lawn while your plate full of food floats in the swimming pool and everyone puts downt their hot-dogs to stop and stare at you
{THAT didn't happen but it's riiiight there one wrong step away}.
{note to self: invent & patent the dress clip}

{Ode to Pinterest: flag cake, fruit kabobs, shrimp and roasted corn salsa, and American rice cripie treats}

This day is one of my favorite holidays ever - a midsummer holiday, full of: fireworks, warm weather, good food, red dye, blue dye, good music, friends, family, &sparklers! Oh my!

(Yeah, yeah, even if in my line of work, that translates to drunken arguments, traffic jams, fires, explosions, injuries, pursuuuuuuits, shots fired…)

Still…this is a GREAT holiday.
Celebrate America.
Celebrate Freedom.
Thank those who keep us safe and secure, here and abroad.

I ended up Downtown at a friend's house and then walked over to Main St to visit another,

 as I wandered through the crowd, {this song} was playing by Lee Greenwood:

And I proudly {STAND UP} next to you and defend her still today, cause there ain't no doubt, I love this land, God bless the USA.

I smiled, I whispered the song in a hum along with the lyrics, I felt the breeze, as I sashayed through the crowd in my flag patterned duds, and as the sky lit up I said a thank you to the Heavens for all that I have in my life - the people, the things, the awareness.

A final reminder, as it always has been, as it always should be, as it was founded:

God Bless America

Land of the Free, because of the Brave.

I hope you all had a HAPPY {and safe} FOURTH OF JULY!!!

~ Lauren