december?!

i'm not exactly sure how it happened,
but i barely had a chance to celebrate fall this year!

we didn't carve pumpkins or decorate our front porch w/ hay bales.
we didn't go to a haunted house or see a scary movie.
unless you count hocus pocus.
we didn't decorate inside the house for fall either,
unless you count the four orange dish towels that i got out.

i did manage to celebrate fall in a few small ways.
by consuming my fair share of salted carmel mochas.
by taking in the turning leaves on morning & evening walks with the pup.
by attending the college homecoming football games of both of our alma maters.
by taking my cowboy boots out for a fall weekend in nashville w/ the girls.
by restocking & then consuming my supply of red wines.
by wearing skinny jeans & aldo boots every chance I could.
& by dressing up Sampson for halloween as a shark, for all of three minutes.

here's to hoping that i fully celebrate winter for all that it's worth!
peppermint mochas. hats & gloves. warm fireplace. cozy blankets.
twinkling lights. more red wine. baked goods. puppy's first romp in the snow.

photo is a print as seen on the raceytay etsy shop

homecoming

this weekend i'm headed home.
home to my alma mater.
home to the butler bulldogs.
home to my sorority house.
home to the place of some of my favorite memories.

cheers to a fantastic education.
cheers to the place where i met my best friends.
cheers to my old stompping grounds.
cheers to the nostalgia & the memories.
cheers to some of the best days of my life.
cheers to butler u.
image via kelseys wanderlust

excitement

sometimes i feel that i don't have too much to blog about.
life isn't that exciting around these parts these days.
wake up. walk dog. get ready. go to work.
work. work. eat lunch {read blogs}. work. work. go home.
eat dinner {prepared by husband}. walk dog. watch tv. go to bed.

but there was a time, back in the day, where life was a little more exciting.
day drinking, spring breaks, sorority socials & bar hopping in broadripple.
blind dates, break-ups, road trips & the hilarity {& innocence} of freshman year.
& other things that cannot and should not be mentioned.
most of which my mother, who reads this blog, doesn't & shouldn't know about.

but someday, i hope our kids ask me about those days.
& i might refuse to tell them until they are out of college, but i hope they ask.
because i was young & wild & free once, and i had a blast.

just don't ask about the motorcycle.

lucky september

september has come & gone in the blink of an eye.
it was filled with trips to the lake for labor day
& to nashville for a girls weekend in the finest honky tonks.

it was a month where sampson discovered his love for
hotdogs, the fall breeze & the stuffing inside any and all toys.
he perfected the act of stealing socks from the hamper.
he got yelled at by a neighbor for something he didn't do.
& he was upgraded to bigger water and food bowls
which, for me, was a sad milestone to mark.
most importantly, september 27th was our 3rd wedding anniversary.
we went out to a nice dinner, just the two of us.
i even tried the bang bang shrimp.
we've been talking a lot lately about what direction we're taking our lives.
personally, professionally & as a couple.
there's a few unknowns at the moment, but one thing is for sure.
we're looking together in the same direction.

tied the knot & lucky in love.
picture via mary ruffle (orig­i­nal source eliz­a­beth demos via design sponge)

out with my boots on

it's been a while since i've been to nashville.
there's something about that place that makes me feel alive {& young}.
maybe it's the neon lights.
maybe it's the plethora of cowboy boots tapping to live music.
maybe it's singing at the top of my lungs in a honky tonk with my girlfriends.
whatever it is, i have determined that it's good for the soul.

i'm going to miss out on sharing this fall weekend with the husband & the pup
but the bright lights on broadway are calling my name.
be back sunday. xoxo

image above by aron wright via design sponge.

rural sights & rural sounds

this past weekend we ventured out of the city limits to a farm.
a farm with chickens, goats, cows, pigs, llamas, turkeys, horses
& lots of other little creatures.

we were there for a company get together, of sorts,
& were allowed to roam & explore the property.
we held the chicks, watched kids chase the goats & gobbled at the turkeys.
we mingled with co-workers, enjoyed the potluck food & drank a few beers.
we laughed while watching the egg toss competition & the sack races.
& there were a few moments, even in the midst of the 300+ people nearby,
that i was able to take in every morsel of the farm.
the breeze through the trees. the dirt paths. the old red barns.
the roaming farm dog. the old farm equipment. the shade of the trees.
the chirping crickets. the hard work of generations of a family.


even living in the suburbs, moments like those are hard to come by.
moments of reflection. of deep breaths. of appreciation of the simple life.
did i mention that it was 70 degrees and partly cloudy?
there are worse ways to spend a Sunday.

photo by: max wanger: oh my leftovers

puppy class

yesterday sampson started an 8 week puppy obedience class.
& i have to brag, for a second.
because sampson is clearly the smartest puppy in the class.
{the smartest out of a total of 3 dogs, but that's beside the point}

the instructor noticed right away that he could already:
walk properly on a leash, sit & recognize his name.
to say that i was basking in the compliment would be an understatement.
proud momma.
there's really no point to this blog post.
other than to brag about my puppy. i just can't help it.
sure, he has his moments. but, to be honest, he's pretty much the perfect pup.
for example, as i type this {while finishing my glass of wine @ 11pm}
he's snuggled atop a pile of his daddy's clothes on the bedroom floor.
he hasn't moved an inch or made a peep in the last hour and a half.
neither has his daddy, who is snuggled up next to him.

they are both so precious there on the bedroom floor.
well behaved and snuggly, just the way i like them.

picture above is of sampson on the bed in our guest room at some point in august.
he has since doubled in size.
so there's that.

it's safe to say

let's be honest.
labor day has come and gone. it's safe to say that summer is over.
it's getting darker earlier & there's a cooler breeze in the air.
& as giddy as i am that fall is quickly approaching, i already miss summer.
80+ degree days. frozen drinks. freshly cut grass. days at the lake.
fireworks. ice cream. bright colors. tanned skin. colorful totes.
my birthday. boating. flip flops & sperrys. grilling out. vacations.
hours upon hours of daylight. outdoor concerts. long weekends.

this past summer was capped off by a fabulous labor day weekend.
boating to & watching the sailboat races with my mom.
teaching our puppy, sampson, to swim.
finishing a great book.
time with family.
hours spent on the boat.
cheers to a great summer & here's too a fantastic fall!

photo via photo by matthew banks via snippetandink

each day

it's hard to believe that labor day, the end of summer, is already here.
i am off to enjoy a fantastic weekend at the lake my mom lives on.
sipping on as many frozen fruity drinks as i can handle.
dipping my toes in the still warm water.
wearing my favorite white pants one last time.
enjoying sunsets watched from the pier.
taking our pup out on the speedboat & teaching him to swim.
enjoying the 2nd annual corn-off {who can eat the most ears of corn} w/ family.
and gleefully untying the ribbons of these last few days of summer.

photo of lake wawasee via a family friend.

the summer night

to me, memories of summer as a kid (age 8 to 18) revolved around the lake.
a four stop light town in the middle of northern indiana.
sail boat races. long white piers. star-filled skys. a small supermarket.
diving in the water. swimming to the ladder & out. repeating 100 times.
hours spent cruising the lake with my parents on our old speedboat.
a one theatre movie cinema with showings at 7pm & 9pm of the same movie.
sun kissed skin, fireflies, cute guys, back roads & fresh air off of the lake.
such a simple place where i made so many simple memories.
a place where summer days that seemed to last forever
& summer nights that were a perfection of thought.
during the summers, my heart will always be at the lake.
so long, august. looking forward to september
& one more weekend at the lake to celebrate summer.

photo {not of the town at my lake} by hula seventy. love love love her work.

life is a festival only to the wise

sometimes summer fades by so quickly that i forget how great it was.
{you know, in the rush to get to autumn}
this summer was an interesting one. filled but not hectic. long but short.
& it lived up to all of my expectations.
summer started slowly. more tank tops & less jeans.
trips to home depot to buy flowers for the pots out front.
camping & boating with friends.
a 10 day vacation to florida & alabama with friends .
memorial day & fourth of july spent at the lake.
golfing {driving the cart} with chris for the first time.
witnessing my mom get re-married.
getting a puppy.
celebrating my 27th birthday
lots of calligraphy orders.
evening boat rides.
jason aldean, keith urban & kenny chesney concerts.

yes, this summer was filled with just about everything.
attending a festival is the only thing i haven't checked off my summer checklist.
& i have juuust enough time left in the summer to squeeze one in.

it was a perfect day

i'm quite a fan of country music. there's a lady antebellum song that goes:
it was the perfect day/what I'd give if I could find a way to stay/
lost in this moment now/ain't worried about tomorrow
when you're busy living in a perfect day.

yesterday {& today} was that perfect day.
the puppy let us sleep in.
we rewarded him with a 4 hour boat ride.
complete with a free boat-in country concert that we stumbled upon.
sampson loves being on the boat.
he stands up on the bow of the boat. looking so handsome. king of the world.
we camped out & spent the night at the state park.
it was sampson's first camp out, but he was too tied to experience it all.
passed out by 10pm. we weren't far behind him though.
we had a few beers by the fire & admired the stars before calling it a night.
a whole day with my 2 faves - boating and camping.
it was a perfect day.

after packing up camp the next morning we were back out on the water.
we pulled our boat up on a shore & coerced sampson into swimming a bit.
the weather was perfect & the sun was shinning.
it was a perfect day.

sampson: puppy to pup

our little sampson is no longer little.
not so much a puppy anymore & even pup is stretching it.
every morning he crawls out of his crate i swear he's an inch taller & longer.

he can now sit, shake, lay down, get his hedgehog, fetch, come & stay.
he's had a few baths & doesn't mind them too much. as long as treats are involved.
he's gone on long walks with us @ the park & loves the extra pats on the head & treats.
he's even gone on a few rides with us on our speedboat. loves it.
he sleeps through the night {amen}.
he has huge paws. huge.
he's getting so big.

so, a few weeks ago nicole captured photos of us with little 12 week old sampson.
he is very very very loved.

and he is getting very very big very fast.

holding on to my little puppy as long as i can.

one of those perfect summer nights

the other night was one of those perfect summer nights.
there have been a few of them recently, actually.
in which a few hours are spent on a lake with my husband & puppy.
on a speedboat from my childhood with the sun setting on the lake.
there’s something so soothing about those nights.

a happy puppy letting the wind blow in his face while demolishing a bone.
a happy husband driving us around & playing our favorite songs from his ipod.

and a happy me.
sprawled across the bow of the boat listening to the waves lap up against its side.
remembering back to my childhood
& all of those hours I spent on that same spot on the same boat.
soaking up the sun. reading my favorite books.
daydreaming about the years to come & how life would be.

life is good.

a boat. the sun at sunset. a puppy. a husband. good health.
& a good beverage. yes, life is good.

photo by Jennifer Hogan of Ever Whim Photography
from this amazing wedding feature on grey likes weddings.

how you look at it

you know, it's funny how easy it is to lose sight of the little things in life.
the morning cup of coffee.
the scent of a favorite candle floating thru the house.
the comfort of a soft blanket.
toothpaste. wine. {but not in that order}
a full cart from the grocery store.
a night out at a great country concert with a close girl friend.
all small things. all little things.
all vital to my daily happiness.

all things that i can easily afford to purchase at the drop of a hat.
& i'm so lucky and so blessed to be able to do so.
trying not to take that for granted.
taking in all the little things with a new appreciation.

starting with a glass of wine.

27.

almost two weekends ago my 27th birthday surfaced.
if it sounds like i'm describing a pimple, that's pretty much how i looked at it.
the dreaded 27th birthday.

to be honest, it lived up to it's hype.
my husband golfed all day {not necessarily a bad thing}
& after i dropped him off at the course the back tire on my car blew out.
as in, i could have died.
my little dog & i sat on the shoulder of the interstate for 15 minutes.

the best gift i received was the man who stopped to help me change the tire.
you know, so that my husband didn't have to stop golfing. even though he offered.

the rest of the day was spent running around cincinnati on a 90 degree day
planning & attending someone else's birthday party.
from which i had a hangover from the next day.

now that the day itself has passed, i wish i would have done it differently.
i should have bought myself a present.
ordered a glass of champagne at our friend's party.
wished myself a happy birthday.
celebrated my life myself.

next year, on my birthday, i'm going to do just that.
order myself a cupcake from a local bakery & chase it with a margarita.
celebrating & being thankful for my life.

photo by Sweetapolita via the sweetest occasion
quote as seen on my revelment

meet sampson

i have always wanted a puppy.
for years on my christmas list to santa i had the same top 2 requests:
1. a dog.
2. a cash register {i am a nerd}.

i never received either from my parents or santa claus.
from the day chris & i started dating, our lives became busy.
traveling to see eachother. traveling to see friends. traveling to see family.
camping. partying at the lake. summer vacations. weekends of non-stop fun.
always on the road & having fun together.

almost 6 years later we're still living the life.
& on july 4th our lives got a whole lot more exciting.
meet sampson. our 8 week old goldendoodle.
the day we picked him up he endured a 3 hour car ride & a petsmart trip.
on day 2 {at 4am} he had mastered the "sit" command.
by day 3 he learned to respond to "sampson, come."
by day 4 he was getting the hang of "go get your ball."
day 5 he endured his first thunderstorm.
day 6 brought his first visit to the vet. he was a champ through it all.

he loves to be held but doesn't love his leash.
he loves to play with his monkey, hedgehog & pheasant.
he devours peanut butter.
he is cute when he plays, sleeps & walks. he is cute all the time.
he has chris & i wrapped around all four of his paws.

he is a perfect little pup.

{more} happiness {the beginning}

as I mentioned before, i'm terrified to turn 27.
to me, 27 means that it's time to be accomplished & fulfilled.
i'll be turning 27 in 17 days.

i am happily married & live in a perfect little ranch house.
i {we} have nice cars & good friends, inherited a boat, don't work weekends,
have money in the bank & some left over that I spend regularly at target.
i am blessed.

but some days i find myself dragging & a tiny bit unsatisfied.
why, i don't know. i cannot put my finger on it. & it bothers me so.

what i do know is that i want to be happier {more fulfilled} in my daily life.
& it's time to make it happen.

on our vacation i read the happiness project. & i'm starting my own.
i'm starting july 1st & considering it my birthday present to myself.
it's time to find/work on/do things that make me happy.

monthly i'll be documenting my resolutions & updating my progress here.
{in addition to my regular blogging}
i do hope that you'll follow along.
here's to finding {more} happiness!

photo via: amanda wilcher

a weekend of sunshine, freedom & flowers

this weekend, for the first time in more than a month & a half,
chris & i will be home for the entire weekend.
at first i wondered what we would do.
& then i realized we already have plans.
good plans.
friday i'll inevitably stop at the store to restock our fridge.
& i always love to pick up fresh flowers to enjoy over the weekend.
i'll head to my office & work on a calligraphy order til chris comes home.
if all goes according to plan, he'll cook me dinner & we'll enjoy a glass of wine.

saturday we'll take our boat out on a nearby lake & soak up the sun.
we'll enjoy a few beers and float freely for a few hours or anchor out.
we're happy either way.
we might even have a few friends join in the fun!
saturday night will be spent with old & new friends celebrating a birthday.

and sunday. sunday will be heavenly.
if i'm lucky we'll go to panera or dunkin donuts & target before
chris attempts to get in a round of golf.
& i'll do some reading, calligraphy & lounge in my sweatpants.
chris will cook dinner, i'll have some wine & then we'll cuddle.
what a perfect weekend. filled with sunshine, freedom, flowers
& so much more.

Tricia Foley for The New General Store via you are my fave

the day before my mom's wedding

chris & i are headed to indiana today!
saturday we'll be taking part in a very special wedding.
my mom's!
my mom is a giddy little school girl at this point
& quite ready for the big day.
after all, she has 3 dresses to wear {pictures, ceremony & reception},
a country club reception & a forecast of rain on her wedding day {good luck}
to look forward to!

most of all she is excited to tie the knot with a really sweet guy
that she met at the lake through her realtor in 2009.

chris & i couldn't be more happier for her.
we know firsthand that there is no cozier combination
than man & wife.

congrats mommy! i love you & am so happy for you.
p.s. my matron of honor speech is pretty fabulous. just wait.

summer checkist

summer is officially here!
we started celebrating a few weeks ago, with a camping & boating trip
& spent memorial day weekend at the lake boating, boozing & schmoozing.
& just returned from florida after our first summer vacay of the year.
is it just me or is summer slipping by too quickly already!?

here's what i'm setting out to accomplish before the chill of fall arrives:
1. attend country concerts.
2. put my happiness project in motion*.
3. go boating often.
4. continue the book reading spree i've been on.
5. never say "its too hot" as winter will be here soon enough.


6. focus on the simple pleasures in life.
7. attend a festival/carnival. eat funnel cake.
8. ride alongside my husband for a round of golf.
9. work out. even if it means getting up a half hour earlier.
10. drink more water.
11. do whatever it takes to hang out with our friends more often.
12. donate old summer clothes from 2002-2005 that i will never fit into again.
14. finish multiple DIY projects we attempted to start in the spring.
15. appreciate how good the summer sun rays feel!

cheers to summer!

* coming soon to this very blog!
p.s. i am happy to say that i have accomplished most of my winter 2011 to do list and spring 2011 to do list! high fives!
p.p.s. photo via bippityboppityboo on tumblr

pcb 8 years later

june. already.
not that i'm complaining.
just getting a little concerned that summer is already slipping away.
that's a different story for a different day.

right now its time to live in the present & enjoy a frozen cocktail.
we're off to the sunshine state for a multitude of days.
a little vitamin d & time spent on the beach with friends.
you know, partaking in the good stuff in life.

i will say that I hope this trip to PCB florida is a little tamer than my last...
freshman year spring break. oh my.
what innaoropriate but fond memories i have of that trip.
that too is a different story for a different day.
a story that my future children should never hear.

its my hope that this trip will provide a little more relaxation.
a few moments to read a chapter or two of a book at the beach.
just the right daily intake of alcohol and greasy food.
not a single tan line out of place.
long walks on the beach, multiple times a day.

& god forbid there would be any 'bacardi o.'
had a little too much last time in PCB.
still can't stand the smell/taste 8 years later.

cheers!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/54521962/beach-umbrella-5x5-original-signed-fine

indiana camping

some of my favorite childhood memories are times spent camping with my dad.
spring tent camping and fall & winter cabin camping.
campfires, games, sing-a-longs & flashlights skipping here and there.
too many snacks, comfy sleeping bags, hot chocolate, & star-gazing.
laughter, late nights, fresh air & staying up late into the night.

twenty-some {!!!} years later i still love everything about camping.
although i now substitute an air mattress for a sleeping bag & beer for hot chocolate.

this weekend we'll celebrate the start of summer by going camping in indiana.

friends will come. campfires will be built. food cooked over the fire & beers drank.
stories will be told & we'll stay up way too late. too many snacks will be had.
& i'm sure we'll sing-a-long when our favorite country song comes on the radio.

when i'm camping, it's like all is right in the world.
the beer is colder. the night lingers longer. the stars are brighter.
marshmallows are for dessert.
life just automatically slows to an enjoyable pace.
sounds like a perfect way to welcome the start of summer.

picture by: simply bloom photography

adventures

over the past few weeks we've had quite a few adventures together.

training for & running {& finishing!} a half marathon.
painting the shutters & front door of our house{what a difference!}.
spending hours in menards gathering supplies for late spring diy projects.
watching our grill attempt to set our house on fire.
switching things up & having breakfast for dinner.
celebrating a 30th birthday in vegas.
betting on horsies at keeneland in the pouring rain.

little adventures. bigger adventures.
adventures all the same each with it's own set of memories.

i want to have adventures with you. because it isn't one without you.
via bippity boppity boo

children, marriages & flower gardens

i always look forward to spring.
warmer weather, green grass, peeks of sunshine, chirping birds
& a reason, almost every week, to wear my cute rain boots.

more so i eagerly anticipate seeing that first tulip sprout out of the ground.
seeing the buds on tree branches & the leaves on the perennials start to appear.
i get a little too giddy going to the garden center & picking out our annuals.
one day i want to have a fabulous garden.
my parents had three. one for vegetables and two for flowers.
my mom was always out in the gardens in the summer.
tending to the flowers and plucking fresh tomatoes & lettuce.

so much care went into those gardens.
& the result was beautiful.

one day i want a garden like that for myself.
to care for & cultivate. to enjoy. to keep me busy. to make life more beautiful.
one day i want children.
to care for & cultivate. to enjoy. to keep me busy. to make life more beautiful.
but until all of that happens, i have my marriage.
to care for & cultivate. to enjoy. to keep me busy. to make life more beautiful.

photo via revelment

arranged friendships

this weekend we headed to keeneland to celebrate a friend's birthday.

friends are quite spectacular things, aren't they?

i have a few good friends that i hope will stick around.

we've celebrated college graduations, engagements & weddings together

& someday {not any time too soon for me!}, the birth of our children.

as arranged marriages aren't too popular in the States these days.

i'll take an arranged friendship between our child & the child of our friends.

i would hope that they are a dynamic little duo. like batman & superman.

both little superheroes on their own accord but more powerful together.

resulting in lots of adventures & only a few broken bones.

lots of memories & plenty of belly laughs.

more so, a friendship that spans years & years covering graduations, weddings,

& witnessing friendships form between the little superheroes of their own.

via bippity boppity boo

important

there are times where one has to pause for a hot second

& remember that there are only a few important things in life.

in the end, working that extra hour won't matter.

neither will the time spent fretting about the appearance of gray hairs.

all of the hours spent watching shows on bravo won't do you any good either.

conversation over coffee & breakfast on a sunday morning. important.

its when you talk about the upcoming week with sprinkles of hopes & dreams.

weekend breakfast/lunch & dinner convos are my favorite.

put down the blackberry. turn off the tv. engage.

sharing {& indulging} in each other's interests. important.

for my husband this means going to target with me. every weekend.

for me, it's letting the husband golf often & gamble occasionally.

hence, vegas & why i'm going to join him on the links this summer.

play together you stay together.

helping others. important.

everyone you meet is fighting some sort of battle.

be kind. hold your tongue. help. give. smile. love.

spend time with family. important.

hence making sure chris' family was invited {& came!} to vegas.

hence taking some vacation days to help my mom plan her june wedding.

and address her invitation envelopes. and write a moh speech.

love. express your love. spend time together. take pictures.

make new friends but keep the old. important.

i have 7 close friends.

you know, the ones that come to your dad's funeral no matter the distance.

the ones that you can always pick-up with right where you left off.

the ones that mean more than they know. call, text, twitter. keep up.

few things matter in the end.

here's to hoping that i continue to realize what they are.

and work towards making the things that matter...matter.

a slight gentleman via mary ruffle

more stories to tell

i have officially crossed vegas off my list of places that i want to see.

it was , in a word, a blur. and three and a half days was enough.

i think i am still dehydrated from the sun & the drinks. there are other places that i want to travel to. the sooner the better.

texas. california. hawaii. massachusetts. north carolina.

&, naturally, overseas. multiple times. as soon as possible.

i want more stories to tell.

via coqueterias tumblr

a 30th. celebrated.

within the last few years one thing has be come apparent to me.

life is short but sweet for certain.

in thinking about my husband's 30th i knew i wanted to celebrate.

more importantly celebrate him, his life & everything he loves.

which are, in no order: me, family, friends, gambling, captain & sprite.

so, i planned a surprise 4-day trip for his birthday.

on the day of our departure, we arrived at the airport.

he still had no idea where we were headed {except that it might be warm}!

i led him aimlessly around the airport, before letting him know

that we were headed for vegas! as we walked to our gate, each with a huge grin on our face,

his childhood friend & girlfriend appeared & told him they were coming too!

we made it to the hotel {caesars!} in vegas & proceeded to live it up.

later that night, after several drinks, another surprise came:

his whole family appeared from behind him at the roulette table.

and that wasn't all. four more of our friends {old & new} followed hours later.

all in all, 16 people flew to vegas to celebrate his birthday.

the girls spent time by the pool and the guys at the sports book.

we went to a club {vip!} & a delicious steak dinner.

but mainly enjoyed each others company.

even if it was around an electronic roulette table.

it was a short trip, but sweet for certain. time {& money} well spent celebrating someone special. i love you chris.

to celebrate a 30th

my husband is turning 30 in just a few short days.
last night i gave him an early birthday card.
letting him in on a secret that i have been keeping for months.

i've planned a little getaway to celebrate. we leave tomorrow morning.
he won't find out where we're going til we arrive at the gate.
until then, the possibilities are endless.
planning this trip {& keeping it a secret} has been a labor of love.
but i did it all because i love him & i want to show him just how much.
cross your little fingers:

that this surprise goes off without a hitch & that it's well received.
that we have a ball, celebrate & enjoy this birthday for all it's worth.
and that, when all is said & done, when chris asks, "how much do you love me?"
i can say, "remember your 30th birthday...."

15 things to do this spring

i put together a pretty killer to-do list for this past winter.
i achieved roughly 7.5 out of 15 of them.
let's see if i can do any better this spring. 15 more.

1. help my mom plan her upcoming summer wedding!
2. resist the urge to buy 14 new swimsuits this season.
3. continue my streak of working out {a whole} three times a week.
4. read a book, on a blanket, under the shade of a tree.
5. plant flowers in our garden that i can cut & bring indoors.

6. drive to/from work with the windows down & enjoy the fresh air.
7. flawlessly execute the plans that are in motion for husbands 30th birthday.
8. cheer on the butler bulldogs & uc bearcats in the ncaa tournament!
9. grow my calligraphy business by offering a new product, perhaps.
10. eat at more local restaurants instead of the larger chains.
11. continue to take pride in my appearance.
12. send more handwritten correspondence.
13. as it gets warmer, wear more dresses.
14. turn off the tv & enjoy the nice evenings outside. with a glass of wine.
15. donate winter clothes not worn in 2+ years to charity before next winter.

spring is sure to follow

this week holds {what i hope is} the last threat of snowfall.
this makes me very happy.
don't get me wrong, there are times that i enjoy a snowfall:
usually the first white & fluffy snow of the year is always magical
& i welcome snow around the holidays with open arms.
but that's about where my love for the white precipitation ends.

& so, as much as i love cuddling up with a thick blanket, i am ready for spring.
warmth. hours upon hours of daylight. fresh grass. dinner cooked on the grill.
the beginning of lake season. open toe shoes. capri's. margaritas. new-ness.

i did pretty well on my list of 15 things to do this winter .
perhaps i'll make a spring list.
photo via the brides cafe

a hundred hearts

the last few weeks i've unplugged myself from my computer {after work}.
i blogged & twittered less & put my blackberry {& love for people.com} aside.
i relaxed more, read locally published magazines & worked out 3 times a week.

more importantly, i spent more time with my husband.

it's been fabulous. just doing more "little" things together.
joining him on a run, meeting for dinner after a long day of work,
being present {not on a computer} when watching our fave thurs night shows,
giving {& getting} more hugs and making more attempts to laugh a little more.

and i feel as though my heart has grown by a 100, just recently. love.
art by sarah and bendrix via turn up the rad

messy hair

i've always had great hair.
as a little one i had thick curls that glistened with a hint of red.
one time {in college} i obtained blonde highlights to appease a boyfriend.
i'm now happily holding steady at a light brown hue.
although i do miss those hints of red that somehow disappeared over time.


i've put my hair thru the ringer over the years. beyond just changing it's color.
straighteners, diffusers, hot rollers, bobby pins & elastic for pony tails.
worst of all, i have a bad habit of twisting & twirling a particular strand.
poor thing. i've twirled & twisted inches off of it.
i mess with my hair when i am nervous, tired, bored, or comfortable.
{which is pretty much 16 hours of the day}


my hair starts the day off straight & down. & progresses thru various stages.
twist & twirl. up & down. half-up, in a bun, back down. twist & twirl.
it ends the day piled atop my head in a perfectly messy knot.
i don't know why i mess with it all the time.


but i do know this:
at the end of the day, i'm proud of that little knot atop my head.
twisted & twirled and put thru ups & downs throughout the day...
consistently messed with, but always with the potential to appear
chic, pulled together, and purposeful.


one day i will be old & my hair will no longer be blonde, red or brown.
i'll no longer be able to twist it, twirl it and throw it up & down.
but i hope that, even when i'm old, i'll still appear
chic, pulled together, and purposeful.


photo by cali vintage via bippity boppity boo

glittery love

today is valentine's day.
and while my wonderful husband is certainly my valentine...
there are a few more people that deserve a mention today.

my parents.
for supporting me in everything that i set out to do. always.
for always telling me how proud i made them.
for giving me a remarkable education and lots of love.
i love you, happy valentines day.

my friends.
for those crazy nights we shared, back in the day.
for staying in touch.
for never failing to share embarrassing stories over drinks when we reunite.
for loving my husband as much as you love me.
i love you, happy valentines day.

and to my husband.
for making me laugh, everyday. for cooking me delicious meals every night.
for making my friends your own. for the "just because gifts."
for sticking with me. for being yourself & letting me be me.
for not banning me from target.
for loving my family. and putting up with my obsession with peppermint.
for letting me be right every once & a while.
i love you, happy valentines day.

i love you garland via the sweetest occasion

15 things to do this winter

well my friends, winter is here!
it's my hope & belief that spring is right around the corner.
here are just a few things i'd like to accomplish this winter.
15 to be exact.

1. bake something. cupcakes, preferably. {check!}
2. host a fantastic new year's eve party. toast to a new year. {check!}
3. build a snowman. decorate with scarf, stick arms, etc.
4. keep a few of my new year's resolutions. {in process}
5. go to a butler & university of cincinnati basketball game.
6. wear every scarf in my repertoire at least once.
7. go sledding, ice skating or skiing. breathe in the fresh cold air.

8. pretend bathing suit season will never arrive. {in process}
9. get snowed in for a day. turn on the fire & sip cocoa. snuggle
10. start buying gifts for next christmas. even for oneself.
11. curl up on the couch with a book. read it.
12. have our nieces & nephews over for a sleepover. giggle with them.
13. plan husband's 30th b-day party. succeed. {in process}
14. see a movie at the movie theatre. eat buttery popcorn. {check!}
15. make it thru busy season at work. toast to that.

i once had a darling little sled like the one in the photo above.
i would hop on it & soar down my childhood sledding hill.
which now, to my 26 year old eyes, resembles an ant hill.
those were the days.
as mentioned in this post, i only have a few more months to live up my youth.
so, where's the nearest sledding hill & where can i find such an adorable sled?

this year: turning twenty-seven

something really odd happened today after it started to sink in that it's 2011.
i realized that this is the year that i turn 27.
and i had a mild panic attack.

twenty. seven. already!? for some reason i imagined that i would be so much more {something} by 27.

more sophisticated.
more in love with my career.
more into lipstick... & less into sweatpants.
more ready to be a mother.
more able to cook.
more into politics.

i am honestly terrified to turn 27 in july as i always equated 27 with "old."
i have 6ish months until the big day & i'll be living up the rest of my youth by:

continuing to shop @ forever 21. banana republic can wait.
working for the weekend at my day job. ceo status can wait.
wearing chap stick & sweatpants. lipstick & frilly dresses can wait.
appreciating my freedom. children will {god-willing} come along. later.
enjoying my husband's cooking. let's be honest - i'll never be as good as he is.
& watching bravo tv instead of c-span/cnn/fox news. politics can wait.

27 isn't going to wait. here's to living up the last of my youth! xo.

photo by Jennifer Hogan of Ever Whim Photography from
this amazing wedding feature on grey likes weddings.

the world is a book

i was born in indiana & now live in ohio.
i took trips with my parents to colorado & florida.
i've seen phoenix, nashville, omaha, new york city, hilton head & chicago.
i've been in new orleans & a few cities in the northeast, but only for a few hours.
but they'll be time later in life {knock on wood} to visit the rest of the usa.
outside of the usa i've only been to st. lucia {our honeymoon}.

i've made it clear to the husband -
prior to starting a family, we will be going overseas for a 7+ day vacation.
he's already been to italy, greece & turkey.
clearly, all signs point to a trip to portugal, spain & france.
husband is pushing for australia.

regardless if its europe: castles, wine & architecture
or australia: the outback & coral reefs.
let's just go while we're young & beautiful.

photo via bippityboppityboo