Speaking Of...

View from my iphone..

2013-02-25T19:25:00.001-06:00

Decisions

2013-02-25T06:18:00.000-06:00

Most people like to have choices. Lots of options on the table so that chances of picking the right one, or at least a good one, are a little higher. Me? Forget it. I would like for you to please tell me exactly what I should do or give me two choices and the go ahead to eenie-meenie-miney-moe the hell out of them. But for the love of god don't make me decide on my own. Okay, getting dramatic...but seriously. Big decisions can be hard and scary. Whenever I'm faced with one I inevitably question whether or not I've gotten it right or if I might regret not picking the other one. This is precisely why I pick my food at a restaurant based on what it looks like when placed in front of the guy at the table next to me because I want to know what I'm in for (and because food regret is the absolute WORST...especially at brunch...my brain says omelet but my gut always, always says blueberry pancakes). But I'm working on turning over a new leaf or two as I consider some bigger decisions in my life these days and instead of feeling the need to be absolutely certain about what I'm getting before I get it, I'm planning on listening to my heart and going with my gut. Because I NEVER regret blueberry pancakes.

Sorry About the Crickets

2013-02-22T14:18:00.000-06:00

So I've been at this blog thing for a while now. Okay, well not recently but in the grand scheme of things I think my sticktoitiveness in keeping up this space for the past three years and one month is kind of cool, right? Especially with my tendency to get bored of things (Mom, remember that time I took horseback riding lessons for 3 months because I was just BORED?! Yeah, sorry about that). But lately I've been doing a half-assed job when I stop in to say hi and I'm not exactly sure why. Maybe it's because I'm not in grad school anymore and as a result am not chained to an IV which pumps me full of caffeine and convinces me that I have really important things to tell you all or maybe it's because I'm a pinterest addict and fall into the trap of just mooching off of other people's creativity instead of relying on my own. But regardless of the reason, it's something that I'm gonna work on, promise. Though I still think it's imperative to post an obnoxious number of pictures of my dog in costume and won't hesitate to show you a bathing suit I've been lusting over every now and then, my goal is to get back to the heart of this little blog...you know, the good stuff (like this or this). So there it is...putting it out into the universe. And since clearly my Lenten declarations that I'm giving up plain goldfish and jcrew.com have already bitten the dust, maybe there's hope for this one? Here's hoping!

Sometimes I'm Moody

2013-01-23T17:12:00.000-06:00

"They say it's better to be poor and happy than rich and miserable, but how about a compromise like moderately rich and just moody?" ~ Princess Diana

Hi!

2013-01-19T14:06:00.000-06:00

Just stopping by to say a quick hi this afternoon and then I'm headed out to soak up some rare January sunshine which showed up today along with temperatures in the 50's. I'm usually not this month's biggest fan but hey, if this is what January is gonna look like then I guess it can stick around for a little while. Not too much new happening around these parts except for a quick trip down to North Carolina for work this week. I have to say, as much as I adore living in D.C. there is just something about North Carolina. Maybe it's nostalgia for my glory days at WFU or the fact that a sweet old man called me darlin and held the door for me when I arrived at my hotel. But either way, I loved having an excuse to head a little further south for a few days.

And now since I'm antsy to get out of my house and I have a whiney pup at my side, I'll leave you with a quick iphone dump but promise to be back with more soon!

New sneaks for me...

and for the Coop...

(can't wait for the commentary on these babies from my brothers who are convinced that my goal in life is to emasculate my poor dog)

A sister date at Red Rocks...

And a couple of days in here...

And a rainy/snowy afternoon in Raleigh which put me right here...

And now I'm off to enjoy a four day weekend thanks to Dr. MLK, Mr. Obama, and jury duty.

Hope you're having a happy one!

A Few Things

2013-01-10T06:52:00.000-06:00

Just some things I want to wear...

And some pups I want to snuggle...

And some deliciousness I want to eat...

(recipes: here, here, and here)

And some words I want to live by...

Still Kicking

2013-01-09T20:05:00.000-06:00

Hey sweet stalkers. Bet you thought this little blog had gone belly up over the holidays from an overdose on eggnog or something...and you would almost be right. But to be honest, I just haven't really been in the blogging mood lately and as you know, never want anything that I write on here to be forced or artificial so I wanted to wait until I was really in the mood. And now that the blog bug has bitten me once again I can assure you that I won't pull another disappearing act anytime in the near future.
And since I've been off the grid for over a month now (gasp) I have lots to share beginning with some pictures from the holidays in DC and our family vacation out west to Jackson Hole, Wyoming over Christmas.

White Christmas at the Kennedy Center...cause your girl loves herself a musical

A very happy door to come home to

And then we headed west...

So I was a little nervous after nearly every person I talked to about JH told me how intimidating the mountain is but as it turns out, even after three years sans skis, I can still hang...and when I can't I can at least manage a semi-graceful face plant/mogul-cling.

A little apres ski at the Mangy Moose

Hey Dad!

Cheers!

It was such a fun trip and despite the waybelowfreezing temperatures, I cannot wait to go back. But now that I've thawed and made my way back to the district, my friends and I are doing our best to beat the winter blues by planning lots of fun for the next few weeks. Since my instinct is really just to do this until May...

Hope you had a wonderful holiday season and that your 2013 is off to a stellar start. And to those of you who continued to stop by despite the radio silence on my end...I'm sending you a big fat virtual kiss on the mouth. I love ya.

In Pictures

2012-11-27T21:08:00.000-06:00

It has been a busy few weeks around here which partially explains my measly presence on the blog...my bad! But to make up for it I have a little iphone photo dump for you. Complete with puppies and sunsets and Christmas trees just in case you're in need of some cheering up on this chilly Tuesday night. Because let's face it...there are not many blues that that triple threat can't chase away. Am I right? Thought so.

weekend getaway

a chilly but gorgeous wedding in Georgia

catching up with some favorite friends to celebrate Leslie and Atticus

oh hey little Sadie

early morning at the park with my main man

a new girlfriend for Cooper

fox point for Thanksgiving

a little bay bridge sunrise heading back to reality

mini high school reunion...missed these clowns

And as much as I wave my holiday freak flag for the months of September, October, and November for all of their Fall goodness, you better believe that I can get down with Christmas too.

Merry merry sweet friends!

Pretty Much

2012-11-20T21:11:00.002-06:00

Just squeeze in a trip to the dog park and you've got life around here these days. Looking forward to a little break filled with sweet potatoes and sibling hugs and breakfast with sisterfriends on the Main Line. Happy almost turkey day and safe travels to those of you hitting the road

(or the air!) over the next few days!

Things Making Me Smile

2012-11-14T19:28:00.000-06:00

Celebrating the second birthday of this sweet boy...

this...

the return of these babies...

flannel and vests and Barbour jackets and other delicious chilly weather fashion...

fun party ideas for the most festive time of the year...

and anticipation for upcoming getaways here...

and here...

Here hoping there's lots making you smile where ever you are.

Update

2012-10-29T16:49:00.000-05:00

A half day of work, a diet of red wine and Halloween candy, lots of couch time, and a marathon of Breaking Bad are making this whole Sandy waiting game a lot more bearable. Plus, at the moment we still have light and heat and water so we're knocking on wood and charging our iphones while we have the chance!

I think this guy could use a glass or two of that red wine...or a xanax. Poor guy is stressed.

See ya soon, Sandy!

Frankenstorm

2012-10-28T21:06:00.001-05:00

This was what the past week looked like around here...

But not for long. Hurricane Sandy is about to have her way with the district so in anticipation of a lengthy loss of power I thought I'd sneak in some pictures from a very fun Halloween party this weekend plus a little glimpse of what the nation's capital looks like in full on panic mode.

The ghost town that is the Glover Park Safeway

At this point, I'm pretty sure I am the only person I know who doesn't have at least one day off as a result of the quickly approaching Frankenstorm but I'm trying to keep a positive attitude and not get too depressed that I'm missing all of the hurricane parties and snuggle fests that will be happening while I'm running around the hospital like a maniac. At least I won't be in the dark and will have a place to charge my iphone? It's the little things, people.

And now for a peek at Halloween part one...

Tutus and champagne...recipe for a good night.

Can't wait for the real thing on Wednesday night when the Cooper-saurus can make his debut...

But in the meantime, stay safe and dry everybody!

Much Needed Weekend

2012-10-20T11:37:00.002-05:00

This weekend was needed badly. The first week at my new job has been exciting but also utterly exhausting and I am so looking forward to not using my brain for the next 24 hours. I am, however, looking forward to a gorgeous fall Saturday with temperatures just cool enough to require flannel and leaves that are looking more red and orange than green. And now for some silly little things taking up space on my Pinterest boards as of late...

Vintage Makeout

These fall leaves

Halloween brown bag lunch

ƒ√

and a cozy fall scarf

Happy Weekend!

Fox Point Birthday

2012-10-17T20:09:00.002-05:00

As promised...

Sorry for the poor quality pictures...apparently my iphone had a rough weekend. But despite the blurriness, the weekend was a very, very happy one!

And for your viewing pleasure...

Why You Must Follow Your Dreams

2012-10-10T20:17:00.001-05:00

Why You Must Follow Your Dreams

BY Ryan O'Connell

"Okay, I just puked in my mouth a little bit from writing “WHY YOU MUST FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS.” Who do I think I am? Michelle Pfeiffer in Dangerous Minds? Bear with me though because I promise to not be so cheesy. I’ll pretend you’re all lactose intolerant and, thus, can’t handle too much cheese in your writing.

So, yes, what I wrote is true albeit cliche: you must follow your dreams. In my mind, there should be no other alternative. I mean what do you do if you don’t follow your dreams? Chase after your nightmares? No, it’s imperative that you go out into the world and get what’s yours. Your dreams could be anything ranging from anthropologist to hot dog eating contest champion of the world to being a writer! (That’s me, I write!) Growing up I couldn’t imagine doing anything else, which I think is true of most writers. Because, besides putting words down on a page, we’re pretty much a defective bunch. We can’t do anything besides feel things intensely and then try to write about such feelings in an articulate manner! If a writer has a valid plan B for their career, they might just be doing it wrong.

No one is where they want to be after college. That’s pretty much a given. Even the ones who seemingly luck out with an amazing job and brag to Facebook about it aren’t exactly content. But here’s where the whole “following your dreams” thing comes into play. You can’t be afraid to go after what you want. You can’t be shy or bashful or insecure. Sure, you can be that on the inside but externally you need to project confidence. You need to pretend that you know what you’re doing until you actually do. The only way anyone learns anything is by pretending that they knew how to do it in the first place.

Human beings like to do this thing where they complain about their life but then take no steps to change it. I do it. You do it. Mariah Carey probably even does it. But when it comes to pursuing the career of your choice, it’s necessary for you not to fall into the usual traps. If someone isn’t where they want to be in their life, chances are a big part of that is because of fear. People are legitimately afraid to pursue their dreams, which is strange because it’s what would make them happy. Why are they cock-blocking themselves from potential joy? Is it because they’re afraid to fail? Here’s how I look at it: the fear of not getting your dream job should outweigh the fear of actually putting yourself out there to get it. The fear of being stuck in something you hate should trump your fear of looking like a fool. Because, honestly, what do you think makes you look more stupid: being at a job everyone knows you hate or becoming a tenacious diva and going balls to the wall with what you REALLY want to do?

Anxiety often works in two ways. You have the kind that leaves you debilitated in bed and feeling paralyzed OR you have the anxiety that acts as a stimulant and lights a fire under your ass. Always shoot for the latter and pray that you don’t contract the former. Instead of getting angry that someone you know is doing what you want to do, use it as motivation. I feel like everyone’s success is rooted in a little bit of pettiness, a little bit of “Look at me now, bitch!” There’s no shame in that though. Do whatever you need to do, babe! If revenge is fueling your drive, just let it take you to where you need to go.

It takes real courage to follow your dreams. (Ew, I just puked again! Sorry for the cheesiness!) That’s why I hate the internet sometimes. It seems to exist with the sole intention of trashing anything that’s ever created. But you know what? Kudos to ANYONE for having the balls to contribute something, especially knowing that there’ll be a million people who DON’T have the balls, waiting to tear it down. Kudos to anyone who believes that they have something worthwhile to add to the conversation. If they fail, it’s not embarrassing. What is embarrassing are the people who stayed silent and only opened their mouths to criticize. They have so much inside of them that they’re letting go to waste. Anger and insecurity is winning.

So just do it. Stop being a scaredy-cat and set some concrete plans in motion. Think of yourself at 60 years old and living in a sea of regret because you didn’t take advantage of the opportunities being offered to you. This is your time. This is your life. (LE TIGRE LYRIC). If you aren’t going to pursue something now, when the hell are you?"

Come On Pretty Mama

2012-10-10T19:59:00.002-05:00

I'm back on the blog after a whirlwind of two weeks and there is a lot to catch up on! First of all, thank you to all of you for your sweet birthday wishes and for those of you who celebrated with me, well, you made me feel extra special and for that I'm sending you a big fat virtual kiss on the face. Before I get into all of the goodness that was a birthday weekend at my heaven on earth, let's backtrack a little so I can tell you all about my fabulous weekend getaway to Bermuda.

My friend Tyler, a native Bermudian (lucky guy), invited some friends and me to his house on the island for a little end of summer sendoff. We had such a great time. The weekend was filled with boat rides, paddle boarding, beach lounging, sandcastle building, an excessively long game of Things (my new favorite pregame activity), and nights out on the town with some extra fun friends. Oh, I can't forget our new friend Donna's birthday party. Yeah, that was fun too.

After the weekend was over, we dragged our slightly tanner selves back to the city for a few days in the working world before skipping town once again to celebrate October 8th in the best way I know how. Stay tuned for a massive birthday photo post with all of my favorites from the weekend.

Almost forgot this one...Donna wasn't mad at all when we crashed her invite only party. See?

Happy Hump Day!

Around Here

2012-09-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

It's been a full-on Fall freak show around here complete with baked goods, excessive candy corn consumption (Mom, how bad is your stomach ache right now? Yeah, mine too.), and the purchasing of the most adorable and hilariously funny dinosaur Halloween costume in all the land. For the Cooper baby of course.

What it's looked like according to my iphone...

To-die-for candy corn pretzel bark...recipe found here.

And now if you'll excuse me I'm off to jump in a pile of leaves on this gorgeous Fall Friday...and then to pack for next weeks Bermudian getaway...and a weekend at Fox Point after that. And after that I'll jump on my unicorn and fly over that giant rainbow over there. Ok, ok that last part was a stretch but things are pretty happy around here these days.

Just this...

2012-09-17T19:38:00.001-05:00

Sending you some puppy kisses on this Monday night.

Fall

2012-09-17T05:45:00.001-05:00

Right now, I'm holding my breath. Why? Because I don't want to miss it. And I don't want it to slip away and all of a sudden we're left with month of cold and gray that is a D.C. winter. And I'm guessing that since the Old Man was relatively kind to us last year, this winter is going to be a doozey. But enough with that winter talk. Let's get back to talking Fall. I believe I can say that it has officially arrived and I am loving it. Opening the windows first thing in the morning and leaving them that way until bedtime...just trying to breathe in as much of that Fall air as I can. Putting nutmeg and cinnamon in my coffee because it finally feels like that time of year again (ok, so I really could put that stuff in my coffee in the middle of a July heat wave but that just feels kind of sacrilegious, no?). Watching eagerly for that first hint of red and orange in the trees around my neighborhood. And anticipating a weekend with friends at my favorite place at the height of the season. Oh man, this is gonna be good.

via

I Need This

2012-09-11T19:38:00.000-05:00

I make a living dissecting other people's speech so it only makes sense that I would find proper use of I, me, and their/there/they're all kinds of sexy. Find these little syntactically correct babies right here.

P.S. I would also like to add a t-shirt that says "Helmets are hot" to this collection. They are, okay?

It's Here! (well, almost)

2012-09-07T08:44:00.000-05:00

With the last official weekend of summer behind us it is about time for me to start gushing about my obsession with Fall, dontcha think? Nevermind that I still sleep with a fan on in my room and last night my roommates and I hosted an impromptu backyard BBQ, Fall is a-coming and I am counting the days. I cannot wait for cozy sweaters, cool breezes, changing colors, and my own version of back to school with an exciting fresh start (details to come soon!) in October.

Here are a few things I'm currently lusting after for fall...

Fall denim

Crock pot baked apples

Apple butter

Cozy poncho

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Gorgeous Fall Home

Hope you're having the happiest Friday...I'm off to buy some Mums!

Things I Loved About Charleston

2012-08-28T13:01:00.003-05:00

I think that pictures tell a better story of my weekend than words so I'll let them do the talking. I love love loved catching up with girlfriends I hadn't seen in way too long, drinking beach-y cocktails and wine before 5pm, eating pure powdered sugar for breakfast, having a coffee date atop the Ravenel Bridge, and enjoying a sun-soaked day on Sullivan's Island. It was very tough to come back to reality! But, I'm squeezing one more weekend out of summer with a trip to Dewey Beach before finally surrendering to my inner Fall freak who is just waiting in the wings, nubby sweater on and pumpkin spiced latte in hand. I mean, have you seen my pinterest boards lately? Fall obsessed.

P.S. In case you were wondering, while I have been galavanting and using up the last few bits of August, Cooper has been enjoying some quality time with the grandparents. I miss the little man something awful but he is being sufficiently spoiled on the Mainline. Mama Ball texted me a picture of Cooper and my dad eating ice cream cones together at Baskin Robbins last night...yeah, I'd say he's doing just fine :-)

Thought for a Wednesday

2012-08-22T20:03:00.000-05:00

You are not a tree.

Yum!

2012-08-19T13:31:00.001-05:00

This past week was Restaurant Week in D.C. I love an excuse to try out a new restaurant and I had been eyeing Ping Pong Dim Sum for a few weeks now so I was very excited to check it out. It was delicious and a really fun first dim sum experience...though I think my favorite part of the meal was the raspberry/balsamic vinegar cocktail before dinner, followed closely by the banana and Nutella egg rolls for dessert. Yeah. That happened.

If you're looking for something a little bit different than the usual sushi or Chinese food, definitely check out this swanky little spot in Dupont! Happy snuggly, rainy Sunday to you!

Water Baby

2012-08-18T11:15:00.001-05:00

Having grown up spending my summers on the Eastern Shore, there is nothing I love more than being out on the water on a hot July day. Put me on a boat in the sunshine and I'm a happy girl. And being a city dweller these days I have missed all that (with the exception of my vacay time last week). Which is why I was SO excited for a paddle boarding adventure at Jack's Boathouse last weekend. I had always wanted to check out the boathouse that is tucked away under the Key Bridge and when I found out that they had stand up paddle boards...it was happening. It was such a fun way to spend an afternoon and though I was not always the most graceful paddler on the Potomac, I loved every second of it...even the second when my board got stuck on a sand bar and I had to do a very unattractive, bikini-clad wiggle maneuver to unstick myself while a boat full of drunk men laughed at me. Awkward. But all embarrassment aside, I would highly recommend an afternoon at Jack's to anyone looking for an escape from a very sweaty, tourist-filled summer in D.C.