Two Purple Balloons

Ships in the Night

2012-02-09T07:26:00.000-08:00

Loving this song lately

Insight

2012-01-25T09:03:00.000-08:00

I recently stumbled across Tiny Buddha blog and loved the quotes and articles.
(I am a sucker for quotes).

I really liked the Top 10 insights for 2011

(and yes, I realize the first month of 2012 is almost over).

I think I am trying to work on all 10 every single day of my life

(in between watching Jersey Shore, of course).

Anybody out there have insights for 2012?

Game Changer: Pantene Beautiful Lengths Replenishing Mask

2012-01-23T11:24:00.000-08:00

As somebody who routinely stresses her to hair the max,

I can't rave hard or loud enough about this mask.

I cut, blow dry, straighten, curl, high-light, low-light, and all over color like there's no tomorrow.

Due to my intense hair routine, I realize I have a very high potential of split ends and frizzy hair.

Did I mention that I also have the hardest water ever (even WITH a soft water tank)?

I am also on the look out for products that make my skin/hair soft, sleek, and silky and I found a GAME CHANGER by accident.

As I was cruising the end caps at Target for nothing (let's be honest, I just like a good sale), I found Pantene Beautiful Lengths Replenishing Mask.

It is a amazing!

Left my hair smooth!

And sleek!

I made my friends touch my hair (don't you want to be my friend?) and they all agreed that it felt fabulous.

It was on sale for $3.89 and worth EVERY penny.

Stress

2012-01-23T10:48:00.000-08:00

Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths.

~Etty Hillesum

{via enduredesign}

Bah (plus Guilty Pleasure Wednesday)

2012-01-18T09:57:00.000-08:00

(Bah is my word when you are frustrated and having nothing to say but you need to say something [because, obviously, you have to say SOMETHING]. BAH.)

Got news that I was expecting to hear but thought, secretly I wouldn't hear.

It's okay but it's still frustrating.

So.

BAH.

In other news, can we discuss guilty pleasures?

I have written about them before but maybe I should start a feature .

(I will TRY and commit to every Wednesday but seeing how my picture a day went, I can't promise).

In honor of Guilty Pleasure Wednesday, here are mine!


I recently bought out the Bottle Cap supply at Big Lots

Confession: I love Train! Which means, I'm very white and very suburban.
However,

I can no longer listen to Train without thinking of the the episode of Up All Night where Christina Applegate and Will Arnett try to be the cool neighbors but get outed by their love of Train.

Baby It's Cold Outside

2012-01-18T07:19:00.000-08:00

After weeks of the mildest winter I can remember, finally it's COOLLLD out.

Bone chattering. Feet tingling. Stay inside and snuggle cold.

A reminder of warmer days

Little Things: Life Update

2012-01-16T13:21:00.000-08:00

I've been bad about posting pictures... 30 day challenges are hard!

I should really just start randomly posting pictures I like.

I'm excited; I leave for Vegas in a couple weeks!

It's for work but I will take what I can get around here.

Girls weekend coming up!

Northern MN won't know what it 'em.

Checking things off my 28 while I'm 28 list: Snowshoeing and Power Tool Class.

It was my Grandmas birthday last week and I got her a Groupon.

I forgot that she would have no idea what a Groupon was

("I think they spelled Coupon wrong on this piece of paper")

I've been working like a fiend lately: hustling, hustling, hustling.

Dreaming of a day where random part time craigslist gigs are no longer something I search for a on daily basis.

Relationships are messy and hard.

Sometimes amazing though.

What do you when the person you love doesn't hear you?

And all you want to do is shake them and say "wake up! this is really freaking important to me. something I NEED. I am NOT a crazy person. My wants/needs are reasonable."

Life is difficult when needs run parallel in a (poorly formed) metaphor-like road.

All you want do is shake them.

Shake them into believing you.

Shake them into understanding you.

Shaking hurts the head though.
Funny
people don't always do what you want, tell you what you want, give you what you need.

Oh, and I forgot to add: I love my mother
(because she always complains I don't say I love her on my blog enough).

Whoops! Forgot Day 6

2012-01-09T07:10:00.000-08:00

Something That Makes You Smile

This sign is, at once, awful and amazing.

Photo A Day: Day 8

2012-01-09T07:04:00.000-08:00

Your Sky

Photo A Day: Day 7

2012-01-09T07:01:00.000-08:00

Favorite

My favorite fortune

Fill in the Blank Friday

2012-01-06T09:44:00.000-08:00

I've been slacking on this but yay! here is my next installment of Fill in the Blank Friday

1. One of my favorite things to do when I have free time is putz around. Lazily clean and declutter with many TV and interruptions are how I normally spend my unscheduled days. I also love watching TV and being on the internet (as the people in my life know) .

2. When I have free time I tend to feel lazy; like I should be doing something. I mean I love it, but it tends to get me a little anxious .

3. If I had an entire day completely to myself I would putz around. Seriously, I'm like a little old lady who loves to putter around her house, watching TV, taking cat naps, cuddling with her cat, reading magazines and blogs. .

4. I would prefer to spend my free time (alone or with others...) both. I love the people in my life but I am an introvert at heart and need my alone time .

5. Most of my free time happens after work/weekends. Although usually I'm so mentally dead from work, I like to have my Friday nights to relax and do nothing.

6. The best thing about free time is the chance to do your own thing .

7. The next time I have free time I should probably clean my house (I feel like I'm always cleaning. And it never looks clean... I'm a clutterer) but instead, I'll probably half-ass the cleaning and cuddly with KITTY!!!!

Photo A Day Challenge: Day 5

2012-01-05T19:55:00.000-08:00

(totally skipped Day 4; after reading the Wikipedia article I decided it was too complicated)

Something I Wore

I wore this hat during the summer. I don't know why I bought it (since I only wore it twice) but I love this pic

Photo A Day Challenge: Day 3

2012-01-03T06:45:00.001-08:00

Something You Adore

Fluffy Tail. Also, hello. I'm obsessed with my cat.

Photo A Day Challange: Day 2

2012-01-03T06:37:00.001-08:00

Breakfast

My normal work weekday breakfast, which includes my one pop of the day.

Photo A Day Challange: Day 1

2012-01-03T06:33:00.001-08:00

You

Me, as a baby. And one of my favorite men of all time (my grandfather). Not quite comfortable showing a recent photo of me yet. Maybe by the end of the challenge???

Photo A Day Challenge

2012-01-03T06:28:00.000-08:00

I found the following challange from fat mum slim by way of little things we do

i love it! and hope I can stick with it for the 31 days

Why, hello there 2012

2012-01-01T19:23:00.000-08:00

28 while I'm 28

2011-12-15T13:29:00.000-08:00

I tend to get bored quickly. Restless, high energy, always wanting MORE.

I've decided to create a list of 28 while I'm 28

28 things to work towards

28 things to look forward to

28 things things that will test me, push myself, and allow my energy to flow

28 things is a lot of things

(not to mention that everything on my list costs some sort of money)

but at least I have my jumping off point.

What about YOU? What do you want to do in 2012?

1. ~~Buy a new car~~ (done! a car accident made me complete this one two days before I turned 28. Look at this. I'm ahead of the game!)

2. Budoir shoot (inspired by Weird Girl Blog.)

3. Sky Dive (ack! Hands are getting clammy already)

4. Run 5 miles. WITHOUT STOPPING (I hate running. Ugh, this one will be hard)

5. Compete in Tough Mudder

6. Take a REAL cooking class

7. Try Hot Hoga (maybe I won't get so bored in Yoga if I can add extreme heat to it?)

8. Go to the Beach for a vacation (this may not happen unless I can count Lake Minnetonka)

9. Buy another kitty for KITTY!!!! (two kitties are better than one)

10. Garden/plant something and keep the damn thing alive

11. Go snowshoeing

12. Go on a trip with my mom (even if it's a day trip)

13. Plan my OH MY GOD I'm 30 trip with my BFF

14. Take a wine tasting class/tour

15. Go horseback riding!

16. Finally teach my Grandma how to use a cell phone (it's a hard fought war between her and the cell phone)

17. Do the Warrior Dash

18. Re-do my spare bedroom (or at least clean it up)

19. Finally add some art to my walls

20. Decorate my house! Change the light fixtures, add curtains, and whatever that constitutes deocorating

21. Go to the gym in the MORNING (Not evening. Makes a huge difference. God, I used to be great with this).

22. Cut down on internet time in inappropriate places (work, driving, etc)

23. Take a community ed class and learn something brand new (knitting, carpentry, plumbing...)

24. Learn to touch my hands to my toes. I have NEVER EVER been able to do this

25. Bike ride around the lakes/trails in an homage to 9th Grade (also, it's really pretty in the summer)

26. Save at least 2 months mortgage payment (that's not a fun one... can you tell I'm an adult now?)

27. Read a book a month

28. Volunteer once a month (at least).

I've just started my year and I'm exhausted. I need a nap.

Birthday!!

2011-12-15T06:35:00.000-08:00

Life is about

celebrating the moments

believing in dreams

listening to your heart

It's my Birthday today!

I am excited for a new year

The possibilites

The changes

the wonder and amazement that a brand new year can bring

Bring it 2012.

Your obligation

2011-12-05T06:25:00.001-08:00

My favorite advice columnist Sugar had this lovely treatise on student loans and circumstance and one thing she wrote resonated with me above all else:

You don’t have a right to the cards you believe you should have been dealt. You have an obligation to play the hell out of the ones you’re holding.

Fill in The Blank Friday

2011-12-02T10:13:00.001-08:00

From the Little Things We Do

1. The holiday season is is fun! Who doesn't love Christmas lights?!!? I wish I had the inclination to decorate. I always say I WANT to but my execution is never quite there .

2. Snow makes me crabby. I don't mind it from Thanksgiving to New Years but when we start heading into April and there is still snow on the ground...I'm OVER IT! .

3. The best comfort food to eat when it's cold out is Mac and Cheese. .

4. Winter is the best time for wool socks, movies, snuggling, reality TV, and driving around looking at Christmas lights .

5. I can hardly wait for Getting my car situation figured out (it's actually a good story and not my fault! However, until the insurance piece is complete I figure I better not blog about it) .

6. When it comes to holiday gifts I prefer to GiVE! I love giving gifts. But, let's be honest... a girl would never turn down a pair of shoes .

7. If I were to rate my excitement about the holiday season on a scale from 1-10, I would say I am at about a Christmas? maybe a 4... Birthday?? a 10. I love birthdays! .

When I Grow Up

2011-11-27T15:05:00.001-08:00

I am on the precipice,

trying to decide where to go from here. A burning question that I am wrestling with is

Should I Go To Grad School?

Part of me feels like I should...

many of my friends and work colleagues are (well... many is about 3 but still! Feels like a lot. And this doesn't include Facebook; where everybody seems to be a doctor)

and I feel like if I don't go now, I might never go.

But

if I am honest with myself I have no interest in getting my MBA (ugh, basic accounting was boring/hard enough).

Should I spend the money something on I, if I am being truthful, have no interest in doing? And I would only do because I feel like I should?

So, if I don't get an MBA what else is there?

And as for student loan debt... if I am not guaranteed a job when I graduate, I wouldn't be able to pay it back.

This grown up career stuff is hard.

{via}

I like blogs, reality TV, trashy magazines, and cats... is there a graduate program for that?

Fill In The Blank Friday

2011-11-25T20:37:00.001-08:00

Happy Friday!

I had a relaxing Thanksgiving..

started at 6am with the Turkey Trot


Random Monsters we saw on the race

Then a Turkey Dinner

and then Black Friday (sorry for all the tweets... I had been up for 23 hours. I was delirious)

Now, Fill In The Blank Friday!

1. Waking up at the break of dawn to go shopping is my idea waking (or in my case: staying up through the night) was fun! Since I didn't need anything, I enjoyed the crazy good weather and the late night camaraderie of the other shoppers .

2. If I were to go shopping today I would be on the hunt for Shoes (which I bought!)

3. The best thing I ate yesterday was Ambrosia salad (fruit and marshmallow mix). It is my absolute fave and only in the Midwest is it that combination considered "salad" .

4. Something I've been learning lately is not to compare myself to others. Its hard when I feel others are more successful however, I am realizing their sucess that doesn't diminish my success .

5. I cannot start my day without coffee and water and my one diet soda of the day. I think I have a morning liquid problem

6. My nighttime attire consists of sweats, wool socks, a long sleeve shirt. Oh and a cat who tends to snuggle up right by your legs.

7. I am looking forward to seeing my bff from Wedgewood Modern when she comes and visits! I'm thinking lots of Target Trips, reality TV, also I'm enlisting her help in finding a desk from Craigslist.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T03:00:00.000-08:00

I assume, eventually, I will have a post up about Thanksgiving and my 5k and my Black Friday Shopping. However, until then enjoy these hilarious cards from Somee.com

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hopefully you get to spend it with those you love!

I'm BLANK because...

2011-11-23T06:38:00.001-08:00

I read this on Why Girls are Weird and I thought it was a fun fill in the blank. Also, I'm getting over the flu and original thought is very hard for me today (it's only 8:30am and I already need a nap).

I'm weird because...

I keep my shoes out in the open (as opposed to in a closet) because they are so pretty that I like to look at them
I am a firm believer in astrology and psychics
I chair/car dance
I miss my cat when I'm away from her
I need a lot of stimulation not to get bored in relationships, love, life, friendships... however, I also need downtime by myself to recharge.

I'm a bad friend because...

Sometimes I tend to wall myself away.
I can be a a know it all (even when I don't know-it-all)
I say "yes" to doing things (which I swear! at the time, I really want to do!!) and then, when it comes to actually doing them I change my mind

I'm a good friend because...

I listen well.
I'm a great gift giver.
I've been through enough that I don't care or judge, I just want you to be happy.
I think all my friends are, hands down, the most amazing people I know.
I'll never turn down a trip to Target with you.

I'm sad because...

Sometimes I wonder if I made the right decisions
I'm stressed to the max about money (and the eventuality I will need a new car [really soon] and I can't afford one)
I wonder if the psychics are right (or wrong or even real).
I don't trust myself always.
I can't let go to past hurt

I'm happy because...

I have an adorable cat
and people that love me
and a house to live in
a job that "allows" me to blog during the day (granted allows is a relative term)
and two legs to stand on

I'm excited for...
My Birthday (I'm planning my first adult party for myself. I'm secretly scared nobody will come).
Vegas (even if it's for work, should still be fun)
Black Friday Shopping (first time ever I'm going with a girlfriend at 4am. Pray for us)
My 28 while I'm 28 list
The future (whatever it may be)