I've always been a big fan of Old Navy.  Their clothes are usually fairly priced, they stock a lot of classic pieces with a twist (which I love), and their clothes usually fit me well (which is kind of amazing for me).  With that in mind, I decided to create and outfit made of items entirely from Old Navy.  I wanted something fun, bright and summery, and when I saw this top, I knew I had to use it.

1.) Mossimo Venda Jeweled Ballet Flat in Pewter - $24.99 - Target

These are so pretty.  I love the color, and the jeweled embellishments take it up a notch from cute to classy.  They'd pair well with jeans to dress it up, or with a cocktail dress.  Flats are just so versatile!

2.) Sequined Floral Flats - $19.80 - Forever 21

These are just so adorable.  While I'm usually not a fan of floral clothing, I love floral shoes.  These are just so great for spring and summer, because they're light and fresh and colorful, yet the sequins add a major dose of glitz.

3.) Chinese Laundry Dress Up Ballet Flat in Nude - $59.95 - Endless

I'm for it.  One of my mom's dearest friends is gay, and I've called him my uncle my whole life.  He and his boyfriend have been together my whole life.  I know very few couples under the age of sixty who can say they've been together that long.  I am a Christian, so I know that my answer may tick off other Christians or seem odd to people who aren't Christians.  I don't think that banning gay marriage is going to make our country any more wholesome.  I'm also pretty sure that banning it would be unconstitutional.  

And if we're going for technicalities, the Bible condemns gay sex, not gay marriage.  And if you go by the classic media portrayals of marriages, the sex stops when you're married anyway, so gay marriage = no gay sex! (That part is a joke, obviously I know people have sex after marriage...I know I do).  

People are too quick to condemn others, which is the total opposite of what Jesus taught.  Jesus taught love.  Just because you might not love homosexuality doesn't mean you shouldn't care for the people who practice it, and I feel like people are constantly forgetting that.  Two gay people getting married isn't going to affect anyone but them...it does not make a heterosexual marriage less valid, it's not going to demoralize the country, it's not going to cause nuclear war...it's just going to result in two people being happy to be together.  I don't think any of us are in any place to tell someone else they can't be with who they love (unless it results in harm to others, like abusive people and child molesters, but that's gay or straight).

Your feelings on Uganda?
To be honest, I don't know much about what's going on in Uganda other than the fact that there have been several murders of gay citizens.  I think that's sickening and needs to be stopped.

If everyone you loved was going to die tomorrow, who would you visit?
Obviously, I'd spend time with Tom and Archie, but if we could only see one other person outside of our little family, I'd probably go see my grandma.  My grandma has always had my back from day 1.  She's probably been the biggest parental influence in my life, and I don't know what I'd do without her.

If you had only one day to live, how would you spend it?
It depends, I suppose.  If I had money, I'd travel somewhere I'd always wanted to go (Disney World, NYC, Hawaii, etc.) and spend the day there. If I didn't, then I think I would just want to spend it with Tom and Archie, reading books in a hammock and eating lots of cheesecake.

Do you have twitter?
I do.  @alliepants06

Are you pro-life or pro-choice?
This one is kind of difficult for me.  I'm a pretty liberal person, but I don't support abortion.  I was supposed to be aborted and I think that, in addition to my religious beliefs, has always affected my thoughts on the matter.  However, I think that we are all individual people and nobody has the right to tell us what to do with our bodies, so it's very conflicting for me. I personally would never get an abortion, and I don't think it's right, but I appreciate having a choice, if that makes any sense.

What is your favorite Shakespeare play?
I'm a big Shakespeare fan, my favorite has always been A Midsummer Night's Dream.  It's funny and magical and spellbinding.

Is the glass half empty or half full?
Half full.  Although I like Bill Cosby's answer about it depending on whether you're pouring or drinking.

What is your favorite season?
Spring.  It's always been spring.  My birthday is in the spring, the weather's pretty perfect, there's rain (which I love) and flowers (which I love).  Love is in the air, baby animals are born, everything is green...I've just always loved every bit of it.

What is your most prized possession?

Probably my grandpa's wedding band.  He and I were extremely close, but he died just before I turned seven.  I don't have a lot left to remember him by, but I have that.  He had really skinny fingers for a guy, and I have kind of chubby fingers for a girl, so I wear it on my right hand.

If not that, then probably my glow bunny, Stephanie (which I just now found out via Google search is actually a PJ Sparkles Sparklins Bunny).  I got it for my third birthday and I slept with it every night for years.  I actually still sleep with a bunny (but it's a different bunny that's bigger because I usually prop it between my arm and head as an extra pillow.  I've tried to keep Stephanie put out of the way since we got Archie because I didn't want him to think she was a toy.

Where did you go on your first date?
We had a picnic in the park and then went to my dad's to watch The Adventures of Pete and Pete.

Where is the farthest you have ever traveled?
Haiti.  I spent a week there on a mission trip a few years ago.  We stayed in a village called La Digue and spent a day in a nearby village called Barbancourt.  I'm not sure which one is farther (they don't really show up on Google maps).

What is the most magnificent sight you have ever seen?
Hmm...I haven't gotten to travel much, but I think I'm going to go with the Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal.  It's breathtakingly beautiful.

What is the best compliment you have ever received?
That I'll be a good mother.

What is the best gift you have ever received?
My mama divided up stuff she wanted to leave to my brother and me ahead of time because she 'didn't want us fighting over it' (not that I can see that happening, but eh bien).  She said I could have it after I'd moved out on my own, but held off for a bit.  After I got married, she let me have my inheritance box.  It has a lot of really cool family heirlooms and antiques inside, and I was really excited to finally be able to have it.  She's always instilled an appreciation for family history in me, so it means a lot to me to be able to have these mementos from our ancestors.

What is the strangest thing you have ever eaten?

Spicy crickets and cheese-flavored mealworms.  On a dare.  The cricket actually wasn't too bad...it was kind of like eating a tiny sunflower seed shell.

I've also eaten goat, which I thought was pretty weird.  I had it in Haiti.  It was tasty, but I felt really weird to be eating a goat, so I only had a couple of bites.

My brother and I also used to make up weird sandwiches and eat them.  He liked Cool Whip and Fruity Pebbles, while I favored peanut butter and Frosted Flakes.  We ate these on wheat bread.  It wasn't weird to us, but other people found it kind of odd.

What is your most precious memory?

It's really hard to pick one, but it would definitely be a memory of my grandpa.  I only have happy memories of him.

I remember helping him tend his strawberries and rhubarb, and making a rhubarb pie and taking it to my Aunt Ruby.

When I lived with him and my grandma when I was little, he took me to McDonald's for lunch pretty much every day.  I always got a chicken McNugget Happy Meal with honey.  He always took me to the McDonald's with the outdoor play area, and he'd let me play for hours while he whittled wood chips.

Also when I lived with my grandparents, he would always sleep in his chair in the living room so my grandma and I could have the bed (he always slept in a wife beater and underwear that had blue and yellow lines on the waistband, not that that's particularly relevant).  I would wake up and peer around the corner into the living room and shout 'BOO!', then hide behind the corner.  He would look around, pretending to be confused and say 'Who's there? Who said that?'.  This would go on for a few minutes.  I did this every day, and bless his heart, he always pretended not to know it was me.  Always. He was such a good grandpa.

Your answers are awesome.  How do you do it?
By just being awesome?

What music do you like?
I like SO many kinds of music. My favorite band is Weezer, and has been since I was six. Rounding out my top 5 would be Simon & Garfunkel, Fall Out Boy, The Beatles and Garth Brooks tied with Ben Folds. I've got a fondness for boy bands (I totally listen to the Jonas Brothers and have seen them in concert multiple times...feel free to judge me), and a love of pop music, but love punk/alternative probably more than anything. I ADORE 80s music, and love a lot of older songs as well.
I'll pretty much listen to anything, but I'm not into heavy metal and I'm not really into rap either, although I like Drake.

Do you like Bruce Hornsby?
I'm not really familiar with his solo work.

What is the last book you read?
Mockingjay.  I didn't read the Hunger Games trilogy until the end of February, and loved them so much that I read them again.  I haven't read anything in a month or so though :(

Where is your most favorite place in the world?
I love being at my Granny & Gramps's house more than anything, but outside of family, my favorite place is the Paramount Theatre in Anderson, Indiana.  It's one of the few atmospheric theaters in the country, and it's absolutely gorgeous.  The main auditorium is modeled after a Spanish courtyard at twilight; it's all very Romeo and Juliet (you know, if Verona was in Spain).  I've loved it since I was small.

Have you read the Twilight saga? If so, are you Team Edward or Team Jacob?
I haven't read the Twilight books.  I have seen the first three movies though.  Honestly, I found them kind of hard to take seriously (I apologize if this offends you).  But based on the movies, I think I'd be Team Jacob.  I find werewolves in general to be hotter than vampires (except for Eric from True Blood...Alexander Skarsgard is HAWT).

How old are you?
I'll be 24 on Monday.

Do you mind if I send you music?
I guess not?

What are your hobbies?
Reading, baking, and sewing, more than anything.  I also like listening to music movies, and watching marathons of Law & Order: SVU and Project Runway :)

Do you like to cook?  If so, what is your favorite meal to prepare?
I love to cook, though I'm more of a baker. My favorite meal to make is probably chicken and noodles with mashed potatoes.

Do you believe in ghosts?
No, but I believe in demons.

Do you believe in aliens?
I think other life forms may exist on other planets, but I don't know what form they take.  For all we know, aliens on other planets look like coral polyps.  I don't believe we're going to be invaded by superior beings, if that's what you mean.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!!  Hopefully you've enjoyed year 1 as much as I have, and I look forward to sharing year 2 with you!!!