When in Canada: West Edmonton Mall.

All right, so it's taken me a few weeks to sit down and write this post. In that time, my hubs and I switched hotels, and I've switched jobs.

So, without further ado and excuses, here is a collection of photos from West Edmonton Mall, North America's largest mall. Enjoy!

 John, trying to read our fashionable map.

 Arrr! We be shoppin', matey!

 Hands down, the fanciest cosmetics aisle in a grocery store. 

 I wanted to take this little lady bird home!

 Who knew pet products were so trendy?

 I love how Flare, Canada's fashion magazine, rips off Elle.

 Camera Flask.

 Outside Anthropologie.
Handbag: Mod Cloth. Shirt Dress: Silver. Jeans: Lucky.

 The mall was neatly landscaped, and also supported recycling.

 H&M Display.

 I loved how much natural light was in the mall!

 I like how you could see inside the entire store without having to go in. Talk about window shopping!

 You can totes tell that this side of the mall is the old section...a lot of local shops filled this wing!

 The idea of the "pin-up" was pushed in nearly every store.

 John and I didn't sport ice skates, but it was to watch others fall!

 As shown, many girls were wearing the nautical trend.

 Skeleton Dolls...is this a real thing now?

 At every turn, there was something new to see!

John and I didn't go to the water park, either, but it had many slides & a timed tidal wave!

 I loved how this window put their nail colors in the window. 

 Why look at a menu when there's a fashion map?

On The Road: from Austin, TX, to Anchorage, AK.

It's barely been a month since I've said so long to my life in Austin, and already so much has happened! John and I have both started working again, and we already have a house on base to move into next month. Slowly but surely, John and I are adjusting to life in Anchorage, and soon, we'll be ready for the winter...I hope! To help myself along, I recently splurged on a new peacoat.

Double Breasted Pleated Peacoat from Steve Madden.

I told John that it's the first new winter coat of the season--not the last! He scoffed at this, asking, "How many coats does a girl need?"

I have yet to determine the exact number, but I'm thinking four, at least. I want one with a vibrant and loud pattern, as well as a black one...and red! I've always wanted a red winter coat. I think the contrast with the snow will make it stand out. And of course, I will also need a coat with double-lining, for when the weather is severely cold out. 

What type of winter wear do you prefer? The coat I am wearing is a short wool, and it's very cozy. In Austin, however I could get away with just wearing a sweater or light jacket all winter long.  

Speaking of Austin, I finalized my photos from the Great North American Adventure I took last month. What I have posted are just a sample of what I saw, and I hope y'all enjoy them!

Goodbye, Austin.

Between Austin & Amarillo: "Anyone home?"

Wind Power: we saw fields of windmills in every state we crossed.

A wind propellor, at the Amtrak Station in Lamar, CO.

Back to the state where John & I first met...awww!

Couldn't resist this photo, as John is a long-distance relative of General George Custer.

General George Custer died at Battle of the Little Bighorn, in 1876.

With Biscuit in Garryowen, MT, edge of where Battle of the Little Bighorn took place.

In Bozeman, home of the Montana State Bobcats.

At the Clark Fork River in downtown Missoula, MT.

The "M" on the hillside is for "University of Montana".

With my sister/actress/singer/songwriter, Alyssa.

Wildlife Land Bridge--I wonder if the woodland creatures know of its existence.

Flathead Lake: the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River.

The resort town of Bigfork, on Flathead Lake, where John & I met in high-school.

The goofiest brother-sister portrait, ever!

(Everything I'm wearing is from Target.)

On our way through Canada, with our trusty Milespost & prayer quilt.

Leaving Edmonton, Alberta; home of the world's 5th largest shopping mall.

Enjoying ice-cream in my new H&M sweater & Simply Vera Vera Wang jeans, in British Columbia.

Headband & Sunglasses: Target. Crossover Bag: ModCloth.

At Mile O of the Alaska Highway in Dawson Creek, B.C.

So close, and yet so far away! from our destination.

Buffalo, napping, in the Yukon.

Lunch/Construction Break in the Yukon.

Finally in Alaska!

The only moose John & I saw the entire trip, outside of Anchorage.

Come back later this week for my post on West Edmonton Mall, North America's largest mall!

P.S. Are we still not following one another on Pinterest or Instagram?
If so, my handle on both is thatchelseagirl--leave yours in the comments!

From Anchorage, With Love...

Hi, everyone! I deserve a slap on the hand for not keeping y'all informed with my adventures since leaving Austin, but to be honest...I haven't had too many. Well, too many that were fashionable, anyway.

Let me begin by telling you how I arrived to Anchorage:

The day after I resigned from my position at Liquidation Channel, John and I hit the road. The trip took us from the heart of Texas to the panhandle of Oklahoma, then through Colorado and up to Montana by way of Wyoming. From Montana, my home state, we passed through Alberta, where we stayed in Edmonton for two nights. 

Edmonton is home of the world's 5th largest shopping mall. It was the world's largest mall until 2004--having grown up in Montana, my family used to frequent it in the nineties. The West Edmonton Mall is still the largest in North America, and while I didn't shop at the WEM like one would expect me to, John and I did cover a lot of ground in our 8-hour visit (I smell a blog post dedicated to the WEM). 

From Edmonton, John and I made our way through British Columbia and into the Yukon Territory, and onward to our Alaskan destination of Anchorage. 

We've been in temporary housing on base for two weeks, and I am not sure when we will have a housing offer. But don't fret for me, as I am making friends and having fun, as well as applying for jobs. Wish me luck?

Actually, I don't need your luck--I saw a double rainbow on my FIRST ALASKAN HIKE EVER.

Taken on Labor Day, 2012, from Flattop Mountain Trail.

Double rainbows are lucky, right?

I digress. By the end of this week, I should have all of my photos edited. Perhaps a post will pop out from them. I wish you all a fab & fashionable weekend!

Just below the summit on Flattop Mountain.

P.S. What do ya think of the new look?! 

Something Old, Something New...

I finally have a legitimate reason for why I have not been updating...
I GOT MARRIED!

Dress: Wet Seal, circa 2009.

Peep-Toe Heels: Worthington, circa 2010.

You read that right, readers; John and I eloped last month! Crazy bananas, right? How is a long-distance marriage supposed to work, anyway? Don't fret--my thoughts were along those same lines. I was mentally preparing myself to only see my husband, the love of my life, once a month...and then a bigger announcement came...

Image Credit: Google Maps.

We are moving to Anchorage, Alaska, next month! In a few weeks, I am trading in my flip-flops for a pair of snow boots, y'all! Okay, so the weather change won't be that dramatic...at first. But going from subtropic to subarctic is going to be an adjustment. I can say that I'm ready to buy winter accessories without looking completely ridiculous. I am not ready to leave behind this amazing city, this place that I have called home for the past four years. And my awesome job at Liquidation Channel...I've learned an overwhelming amount in such a short time; I wish I could stay longer.

To be honest, I am terrible with good-byes, and it's been hard to find time to even say a proper farewell to friends. 

New wedding band & an old fortune.

But I don't want to think about that now. I want to think about this opportunity that will allow me to (1. experience all four seasons again, (2. learn about a new place, and (3. live with my husband, rather than being 6 hours apart. Anchorage is not known for its fashion sense, but for its outdoor activities, natural beauties, and is in close proximity to Denali National Park. I've been to Anchorage several times, and I have this bubbling excitement about my future there. 

B.V. will, naturally, document my Alaskan adventures, as well as my last moments in Austin. 

Until then...

  "Mawwage is what bwings us here togwether today." -- Princess Bride.