Summer Whites
When we moved to Arizona last month, I promised myself I wouldn’t complain about the weather.
Yes, it’s hot.
But when it’s not summer, you get fantastic weather most of the year.
The cost of housing is super affordable here, and since we originally planned to move to Silicon Valley instead of Arizona, we are ultra aware of how much we would have been spending there. (Hint: At least two of our children).
We’re closer to our families than we’ve been in the last nine years with my parents only four hours away in Las Vegas and Merrick just a couple more in California. We’ve never been within driving distance of our family, aside from the blissful two years when Landen and Adam lived in our same apartment complex, so this feels like such a luxury to us.
Plus, we live in a great neighborhood with a pool, there’s a lot going on in the area, and Ella attends a top-rated school that is within walking distance.
Also, because it’s more of a desert-y climate, it cools down pretty quickly once the sun goes.
So I’m not going to complain because the temperature is hitting 105 on the regular right now.
And, really, the weather has been much less terrible than I expected. The last month or so that we were in Durham, I kept commenting to Bart, “Once it’s above about 90 degrees, you don’t want to be outside anyway. So whether it’s 92 or 112, either way you’re basically staying indoors or in the pool.”
Plus, in dry heat, I can wear jeans in the summer and not have them pooling around ankles after fifteen minutes thanks to the humidity.
It also means I get a lot of great parking spots when I got out because many people choose their parking spots based on shade (or the possibility of shade) rather than proximity to the building.
And I am far more lazy than I am afraid of a little sunshine.
So all in all, Arizona is working out just fine for me.
Top: Forever 21
Jeans: Aeropostale
Clutch: Lulu’s (similar with free shipping!)
Watch: c/o JORD
Nail Polish: Forever 21
You park in the sun in Phoenix? Brave woman. But yes, I can see how it would make it much easier to get those closer, sunny spots when herding children. I didn't have children when I lived there, so that aspect of it never occurred to me.
P.S. Your hair looks really good in these photos. Is it the Arizona dryness or your fancy new shampoo? Who cares, right?
You look SO much like Merrick in that second picture!
I thought the same thing!
This is weird, but I just thought to myself last night, "I love Janssen's outfit posts and she hasn't done one in a while." Ha! Wish granted. 🙂 I love this look and I'm jealous of your dry heat. Humidity is my Lord Voldemort at this stage of pregnancy.
What?! We almost got you in the Bay? Why would you dangle the dream and then take it away? The weather here is amazing… even if you have to sell your children 😉
I love your clutch! This outfit overall is a perfect rendition of summer whites! Good for you for seeing the positive in your situation. I am not a fan of the weather where I live and I always focus on that instead of looking for the good that comes from living where I do. Thanks for the pick-me-up I didn't know I needed!
I don't know how you can prioritize parking close over parking in the shade. I grew up in Scottsdale, and I can remember feeling the skin on my face tighten from the heat when I got into the car. And learning how to drive without touching the steering wheel. We were there visiting family in May and I felt like I couldn't go anywhere because I was afraid the kids would die from the heat in the car. Or at least burn themselves on the seatbelt. I'm glad you're loving it though. My sister just moved back and she loves it too. They go golfing every day after work, even when it's over 100!
Derek randomly interviewed for a job in Vegas last week (we don't know the result yet), but he idea of swapping humidity for dryness has been such a pretty little idea floating in my head the last week 😉
You look so awesome! I bet you can do things like wear eyeshadow when it's not 89% humidity too. Glad to know things are going well! And yes, white is seriously the best.
Good for you for making the most of Phoenix! I try my hardest not to complain about the pretty much opposite weather in Seattle too. The rain really isn't as bad as I thought it would be. I grew up in Houston, but since its in the 70s all summer here, I never even have to take about parking in the shade.
Good attitude! I couldn't handle it. And I am so impressed you wear pants in the heat. I just cannot handle any length, except occasionally my loose linen pants.