A&A

dress LC lauren conrad for kohl's; purse j.crew; wedges (last seen here, here & here)

awkward:

-- the case of the missing arm. sometimes it just happens when you take pictures. and sometimes you gotta post um...ya win some, ya lose some. no pun intended.

--  to the awkward boy swimming laps in the community pool at my friends apartment complex. please stop. you are not michael phelps.

-- to doug on the bachelor: did em finally give you those "give me a kiss eyes" that you were looking for? something tells me that they may have been more like "i'm sending you home eyes" but i applaud your effort as i painfully watched it all unfold.

-- ever try to blow your nose while your nails are drying from a fresh coat of paint? i did. and thanks to mother dearest we have photographic proof of how awkward it is. even more akward, that i'm sharing the lovely proof with you:

awesome:

-- mamma mia! mom and i went to see the wonderful show tuesday night and were singing (or at least i was) along with every song (and still am!). i mean honestly i was practically dancing in my seat. and giddy as a school girl. check #5 off of my "summer bucket list" please and thanks. and go listen to the soundtrack on youtube. i know i will be the next week or so.

-- dresses. i think i have an addictive relationship with them. and this little kelly green number that i wore for the show tuesday night was by far one of my favorite purchases yet.
-- to the wind: thanks for giving me a sultry windblown look in the above pictures. good timeing since my wind machine broke down that day.

you can talk the talk, but can you walk the walk?

whole fam, circa 2009

after much deliberation (and a third of the summer already gone), i decided that it was about time that i stopped simply talking about all of the things that i want to do this summer and actually start doing them. now, i'm putting my money..err blog..where my mouth is..

summer 2012 "bucket list"

1. read 10 books.

2. go to a philadelphia phillies baseball game adorned in jersey and team specific attire.
(really, any baseball game is acceptable for this one.)

3. take a spontaneous day trip - location to be determined.

4. go on a wine tasting.

5. go see a broadway show! (on broadway or a touring production)

6. ride bike on the trail by my house every sunday with my father. make it twice a week if possible.

7. finally see the hunger games. now that i have finished the trilogy i'm ready to view the first installment via big screen (or small screen). even better yet, do this with my sister and have a good old fashioned girls night with her.

8. all those diy projects i pin and am inspired by - do one!

now, let's get to doing!

join in the fun and link up with big sisters blog over here!.



i-spy with my little eye

life lately according to my instagram photos.

 

 

 

 
 

bright maxi skirts for rainy brunch dates.

we like taking photos in parking lots.

poolside and girl talk.

homemade tie-dye, the beginning.

homemade tie-dye, the ending.

chocolate oreo cookie dough milkshakes & some liam hemsworth.

visiting friends and laying by the pool.

the way friends help friends pack: wine.
lazy sunday afternoons consisting of the following: sex&the city, blogging, coffee and kindle.

outfit of the day, mirror shot courtesy of homegoods.

a wandering mind without caffeine

what does one do when they are addicted to coffee and there is no coffee to be found? well, first, they realize they are addicted to coffee. i mean, i didn't get the shakes or go in to a state of hysteria so maybe addicted is the wrong term. but "highly in need of it to function properly" comes in as a close second so we will go with that.

second, hello zac efron. or the dream-boat-crush of your choice. but really...

third, they begin to allow their mind to wander (and sadly it mainly thinks of coffee). but yesterday my mind thought of such wonderful things and as i sit and enjoy my cup of coffee the little tidbits i wrote in the notepad app of my phone make no sense to my fully-caffeinated brain today, the only thought that remains is this:

source

and as a twenty-two year old, this is the most exciting thing that my brain can finally stumble upon. my brain that so often loves to worry and plan and analyze finally waved a white flag on that non-caffeinated day and surrended to the idea that the whole world is at my finger-tips and whatever plans i seem to try and make, what is meant to happen will ultimately happen. and the best is yet to come.

olive you berry much

(from left to right: aunt jan, momma, aunt joni, sista - circa 2010)

do you ever have one of those moments where everything just sort of (for lack of better words) hits you. you sort of take a step back and realize "wow, i am lucky." and not in the arrogant way. in the way that you just cannot believe the blessings that have been placed within your life. you cannot find the words to express the gratitude, the thanks, towards those who have held your hand, who have wiped your tears, who have shared your joys, and have believed in you - all these years. for all of that crazy, crazy unconditional love (in all of its strangest forms). one of those moments where you become so overjoyed and overwhelmed with the way life is at that exact moment you might even shed a tear? have you ever had one of those moments?

"the Lord watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another."

source

A&A

awkward:

-- the fact that i have had 4 cups of coffee today and i still am having that whole head-bobbing-fighting-to-keep-my-eyes-open-about-to-fall-asleep feeling.
-- falling as i'm trying to get out of a skirt in the dressing room. how would anyone know right? oh i just happened to loudly thud against the dressing room wall.

-- that awkward moment when you realize that you and friend have been standing in the outlet parking lot for fifteen minutes staring at this lady getting her car searched by 4 police officers as she is screaming "i'd like for you to tell me what i stole!" at the 5th officer.

--  it's only what time? and i'm ready for bed? just call me grandma.
-- when running in to someone that one of your parents knows and the first question out of their mouth is "what grade are you in now?" "ninth?". and the shock that registers across their face when you tell them that you are out of college. and even better the dumb-founded "nooooo" response they always give followed hand in hand with the "someday you will appreciate how young you look". someday. i'm still waiting for that day...

awesome:

-- that dear old emily finally had the balls (yup, i said it) to not give ryan that rose. and as much as i sat there on the edge of my seat...err couch...with steam spewing from my ears as ryan went on and on for about ten minutes thinking he was going to "manipulate" (i'm pretty sure he referenced himself as someone who can "manipulate the situation") emily in to giving him the rose...i even managed a full out giggle when she sent mr. turquoise suede shoes packing.

can i get an amen?

-- that this week has been spent at breakfasts with one best friend, lunches with other best friend, and the weekend is about to be spent with yet another best friend. i've managed to jam-pack my week with as much girl talk, hazelnut coffees, giggles, sunshine by the pool and best friends as possible and i.freakin'.love.it.

-- camp creepy crawlers, bug expert extraordinaire. five and six year olds. love. sums it all up.

i-spy with my little eye

take a gander at the last week (ish) via instagram.

 

                 

new dainty ring and a hint of yellow.

guess who finally took the plunge and bought herself a kindle?

just call me miss creeper crawler expert

strawberry pancakes

great quote.

prettiest packaging ever.

sugar free mango-peach gelati = acceptable lunch.

when discussing what book to choose for the kindle.

 mom circa kindergarten.

they see him rollin', they hatin'.

cherry red deliciousness, in pant form.

leopard + hot pink = love.

i'm really bad at documenting my adventures with my best friend. by the time i think to get my phone out and snap a pic i'm already parting ways. why do i do this?

the dad files

lets just face the facts here: parents almost always seem to be right, one way or another. and you can fight me on this by saying that "my mom is always right but my dad isn't" or vice versa, but really, when you lay it all out there, they are right. give it a few years if you don't believe me. 19 year old me wouldn't believe 22 year old me if it hit me like a brick in the face. heck, i don't think 21 year old me would've either. but i have a point here.

i've got to give it to my dad. my mom usually gets the rants and raves, the insides and outs of the day to day events in my life. (called her 4 times at least a day in college? i know - total weirdo.) but lately, dad's been in tune. at least in tune to the point where he asks my mom after the appropriate amount of time has passed "what that was all about". so, a las, we embark on the dad files.

dad advice numero uno: if you go to a bar order a soda.

when dad first said this to me (after he went on and on about when "he was my age", dads and their stories about "when i was your age", got to love them) i didn't pass too much judgement. i'm not one of those girls that aims to leave the bar looking as so:



that's not my plan. a glass of wine, you got it, and that sucker can last me all night long. and to be frank, i usually always order a water when i'm out at dinner because i'm a cheapo recent college graduate and can't afford $5000 $8 cocktails. so i nodded and went on my way thinking, "i don't intend on meeting someone at a bar", and tucked that little tid-bit of information in the back of my noggin for later consideration.

now, i give my old man credit. because when one just so happened to find herself in the position of going with a girlfriend to a bar and ordered herself a water, i didn't even have dear old dad's advice on my mind. and when an acquaintance i made months ago approached me and sat and talked to me for a good, oh i don't know - twenty minutes, that water sat idly in the wings. and when (attractive) acquaintance offered to buy me a drink (and i already knew i was getting ready to head out) i declined and told him maybe next time. completely not even remembering what dad said about ordering a soda at the bar instead of a drink.

it was not until i got acquaintance's number, after my first dinner with said acquaintance and after dad asked me how it went and how i managed to meet this guy did the "water theory" finally make an appearance from that dusty old shelf it was previously tucked away on for later referencing.  so - dad made himself a valid point here. coincidence or not. i was approached with water in my hand and managed to snag myself a date (followed by a second) as well.

touche dad, touche.

happy father's day

to my father.

i am, in every way, your daughter.

from every last goofy quality and worrying bone in my body.

i could never be more proud, to be just like you.

i'm so proud and blessed to have you as my father

i love you.

good news!

tank h&m ($4!); jeans (last seen here); sandals (last seen here & here); bracelet c/o blank pages; sunnies h&m

it is friday!

nutella and strawberries are in full stock in this household.

the sweetest little package arrived in the mail from the blank pages' amy from the (very first) giveaway i won. hello sweet little bracelet (really, say hello, because she is making a guest apperance up there in the first picture!).

perfect temperatures have finally arrived for sitting outside in the sun on the swing and reading, reading, reading.

getting a letter in the mail confirming the best news ever: that i am officially going to be a first grade, long-term substitute teacher come august 21st.

God is good.



pssstt...probably one of thee most darling bags is being give away over here. go check it out!

i was reunited with my best friend and all i got was this t-shirt

i didn't get a t-shirt.
but when i was little i always adored the t-shirts that said stuff like "my parents went to hawaii and all i got was this t-shirt" or "somebody in idaho loves me". i'm not sure why, but i just wanted one with all my little 10-year-old heart.
anywho..to begin a girls night we had to have an outfit:

blouse h&m (similar here & here); jeans elle from kohl's (for $10 here); sandals (last seen here); sunnies h&m; ring francesca's; ID bracelet (old)

and then we had to have ourselves a dinner complete with ordering three types of appetizers to share between the two of us, martinis & mohitos (because we are legal babes and all) and had ourselves a whole lot of fun catching each other up on the ins and outs of our lives. lets face it, when we do this over the phone (and e-mail, and text messages) it just isn't the same as her sitting right there with me.
all day long i sat around like a child on christmas eve just waiting and anticipating the moment that would mean christmas has arrived. you know the feeling of being filled to the tips of your fingers and toes with happiness and joy and warm fuzzies.

which got me thinking of all of the wonderful things we will do over these next few weeks while she is home. which led me to think back on all of the hours and hours i spent with her day in and night out at our little dance studio where we first became friends and how i would give anything in this world to be 12 and with her every day of my life. the girl is practically my sister. she knows me better then i know myself. it makes me believe sometimes that maybe we have two soulmates, the male version and the female version. this girl would be it. i'd die without her. (no joke).

so as i drove home and contemplated this post right down to the very last point of how i didn't know how i could make it anything short of a novel, i thought back to everything that a friendship means to one's soul. one's being. how there are so many people that walk in and out of our lives so freely that it takes you a few minutes to even realize that they may be gone. how at each point of my life i can point out people that were there and people that were gone the next but how heavy of an impact they may have left behind. and i realized that amongst all of those faces, some i can still see and some that have gotten blurred over the years, she is the one friend i have had that has stood the test of time and now distance. she is a friend that i have had throughout each milestone in my life. and i love her, and its as simple as that.