i may be back, but summer is gone

hello old friend!
it's been so long since i've stopped by.
the summer is already such a distant and hazy memory.
i have lots of it to post here so that i don't forget anymore that i already have.

a trip to NYC in may with my mom.
sampson's first birthday!
trips to the lake over long summer weekends.
lots of calligraphy orders.
concerts.
a fantastic california vacation.
my 28th birthday.
our new patio.
baby showers for friends.

it was a great summer that went by oh-so-quickly.
i have to admit, i'm not quite ready for fall.
i need a few more boat rides with a cold margarita in hand.
a couple more chances to wear my brightly colored clothes.
a few more opportunities to wear wedges and flip-flops.
another day with those warm rays of sun adding to my tan.

for now, and for the next few posts, let's pretend summer isn't already over.
please and thank you.

{photo: in huntington beach, cali on my 28th birthday. quite the perfect view.}

celebrating

tomorrow night we're celebrating the 27th birthday of a friend of ours.

my husband's friend's fiancee. {got that?!}

we met in 2007 when my husband & his friend lived together.

she was {is} gorgeous & i was intimidated.

until about 3 years ago when we discovered our shared love for country music.

summer country concerts & trips to nashville {love!} followed.

as did "girl's night out" & dinner dates with the guys.

this past month she asked me to be a bridesmaid in their wedding.

she has become one of my close friends.

i always thought that my "close friends" would be the girls from my sorority/college.

those 9 girls mean the world to me.

i was fine {& blessed} with those 9 friends.

and now another has come along.

another girl & i made plans to celebrate her our friend's birthday.

dinner w/ 12 people, drinks at a bar & then hanging out at after.

my husband commented the other day, essentially,

that it's silly to want to get everyone together to celebrate a birthday @ our age.

{unless, of course, it's your 30th & your friends are surprising you in vegas}

i've thought that over for a bit. here are my thoughts:

there are too many scary & lonely times in life.

why not take the chance to celebrate when you can?

celebrate friendships. celebrate anything. celebrate the small things.

just celebrate. together.

so, tomorrow night i'm doing just that.

cheers to new{er} friends, good food, laughter, a night on the town

& a slice of birthday cake!

balloon bench via this pinterest pin from yatzer

...smile when it's raining...

in my last post(s) i mentioned the start of my own little happiness project.

3 new goals to focus on each month & every month thereafter.
starting with my attitude in january.
continuing with my marriage in february.

i can really see a change coming with my attitude.
& starting now I'm cutting out the unnecessary negatives too.
"it's so cold/hot outside!" "the internet is too slow."
"my margarita has too much salt on the rim."
i'm really wanting to say, think & project a positive attitude.
really excited about this & where its going.

february's goals for working on our marriage were itty bitty goals.
being present. using pleasant tones & expressions. giving proofs of love.

some are harder than others to do. all are so important.

i did really well with "being present"

by not turning on my computer @ home after work {to blog, read blogs, etc}.

by joining my husband for a round of golf on a saturday {brrr 40 degrees}.

& by doing the "little things" together {eating, errands, laundry}.

i'm actually really excited for the habits that i have set out for march.
centering around giving/goodwill/good cheer.

smile. give daily. be grateful.

i know for a fact that i don't smile enough.

this changes today.

i want to give give give.

my time, my attention, my love, my friendship, my knowledge, etc.

to my husband, dog, family, friends, community, strangers.

too many of us never take the time to give back,

even in the simplest way to the simplest cause or the smallest person.

this changes today.

i know this sounds cliche, but i have so much to be grateful for.

a husband that cooks, a dog that cuddles {sometimes}, a supportive family,

a quaint house, a boat to cruise on, no debt(!!!!), a supply of wine, a job,

a fantastic education, fun friends, a memorable childhood

& one heck of an amazing college experience.

"feeling gratitude & not expressing it

is like wrapping a present & not giving it." -w.a. ward

i'm ready to be grateful. to give. & to smile.

image via tonicoward

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)

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

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

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.

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

{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

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

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

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

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

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

pop, pour & flow

happy new year!
for the record, my four {favorite number} resolutions for this year are as follows:
shop at target no more than two times a week.
drink at last a glass of water a day.
take more pride in my appearance:
{new clothes, more manicures, wearing make up for errands, etc.}
text a friend a day.

fairly confident i can keep these resolutions.
the first one will be the hardest.
here's to 2011, what will hopefully be a year full of peace & personal growth.