Grateful Wednesday

Alright, I know I am super duper tardy on this one so I am just going to have to post as is. :) It has been a busy busy week - but on Wednesday I started my grateful list, I just didn't complete with all my unnecessary commentary. so here goes nothin...

one.

work

I know it's strange but just go with it - not everyday do you hear someone say they are grateful for their job! note this, flag it, write it down - something because I am sure when i'm complaining about it you can point this out and be like "ha" "grateful for your job" "ha" "ha" "ha"!

 

 

 

two.

friends

this weekend we are having a semi party (you know like the one I wanted to have at the beginning of the summer in this post and this one too?!) and I am excited just to hang out with our friends. every weekend has been filled with everyone else's friends (I know I sound like a selfish whiny 5 year old but oh well - I can complain every once in a while, right?) so I am excited to just have a good time with OUR friends.

 

three.

 happy days

ya know, those days that are just happy...yeah I am having one of those!

yay happy little elephant...slight recent obsession with elephants :)

image via pinterest

four.

our little old house I assume this goes with my lower grateful item - but I love our little house, especially with all of these blogs that show you a million and one ways to decorate, design and fix it up! 

five.

when I read a blog and it hits home 

people out there are going through the same stuff that we are going through and its comforting and beautiful to see how different people handle things. Honestly I feel like it makes me a bit more sane. My three favorite posts this week include the following:

1. All of Erin's, from Elements of Style, posts re her new house purchase. I love it - sometimes I feel like the same exact words have come out of my mouth (of course a lot less witty"er" than hers but you know what I'm sayin!)

2. on a light hearted note Cupcakes and Cashmere's post about her closet makes me want to clean mine SO bad and organize and make it my own and so on and so forth blah blah - but no seriously I've always wanted to personalize my closet - and like wallpaper the inside - HOW COOL WOULD THAT BE? (so COOL I know!). I secretly love wallpaper but know that's the only place that it will be allowed to go. :)

3. finally a cup of jo's posts - so many of them hit home. Here are a few that I find so honest, inspiring, interesting and fun (my favorites are the comments on this post).

 

Alright, well, Happy Friday! Have a fabulous LONG weekend!



some randoms...

...on my wish list...

 

How about DESIGN LOVE FEST blog post about typography? There is something to be said for amazing handwriting, beautiful prints, and calligraphy...I'm just sayin...so beautiful...

maybe one day I too shall take a class - it seems so useful!

(I am pretty sure I have posted this before...but I just love calligraphy)

and what about these prints from Crate & Barrel?

my husband and I attempt to go on a minivacay for our anniversary, I like to think it's kinda "our" thing. How cool would it be to have a print from our different trips?

we would need this one of course...

and then this for last year...

and *hopefully* this one this year ;)

I am also obsessed with Sheridan French's new collection (sneak peek!) -

everything is absolutely to. DIE. for.

Here are a few of my favorites.

 

(love love love these..that skirt is bbeeaautiful and the hot pink up against the leopard - holy smokes!)

(and I will take very single one of these outfits please and thank you!)

images via The Southern Eclectic

in the meantime I am attempting to budget, price and plan for a trip to san fran/napa in november and I ran across this handy little site:

Fathom

and

Daily Candy also has a little vacay guide for Napa! :)

(cough cough dear husband of mine...)

Alright, well happy tuesday!

and happy feast of St. Augustine!

“Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee.”

- St. Augustine of Hippo -  

Weekend Recap

This weekend was the last of the saga of out of town weekends - yay!

and we ended the saga with a successful bang - YAY!

here are just a few:

friday night

the bachelorette!

anna's stage excursion

and I thought these were a success - everyone loved them AND used them!

and it was super cheap to do for 12 girls.

- first (and most important) tip - dollar store

- cute to-go boxes at only 79cents a pop...hello cheap!

- finishing details with a little welcome note

 



alright, so we begin another week. that means we have 6 whole days.
What are you going to do this week to make it a good one?

Happy Monday!

a few things that I am a bit heartsie over....

 

one.

love love love this house: meeps: take a look asap:

two.

and um how about these beauties, sign me up now:

You can find these vintage vogue cover inspired cases here

three.

I come here frequently to daydream about the villa we will stay in the next time we visit St. Barts (which is not even on the books, or even up for discussion for that matter) :) So I truly mean daydream!

(this was the view from our villa almost two years ago!)

                                                                        

four.
must check out this artist. she's amazing. 
it is just so
peaceful
and beautiful
and truthful.
(lovin me some "ful"  adjectives today huh?)
mmmm maybe one day!

and to leave on a happy note:

via pinterest

via pinterest

and with that

off to the bachelorette party shindig I go!

HAPPY FRIDAY!! :)

                                                                       



Grateful Wednesday!

  

Yes, yes I know I missed last Wednesday which means I should do 10 gratefuls but did you happen to see the Birthday post - pretty sure that was a list of 27 gratefuls. Anywho, let's cut to the chase:

1. running

Last night was the first time I have run in a while, and if you know me then you know that I have been waiting for it to get cool enough so I can RUN AGAIN! It was wonderful and I am SO SO grateful for it! 

  

2. a sneak peak of Fall

The amazing cool weather and a little fog on the drive in this morning...mmm I can't wait for fall

(the clothing, the decor, the crisp mornings oh my)!!

  

3. my cousins (just 2 of the 19 today)

This weekend the last of the 80's ladies was married off. The 80's ladies consists of Katy (born in January), Me (born in February), and Allison (born in March). Ever since we were little we have been lined up in that order and taken pictures at various gatherings

(just incase you need proof I will only bother with a recent photos) 

 

(I probably failed to mention that we dress up in match pjs every Christmas - that's probably a key point to make sure we don't look legitimately cray cray) 

I am grateful to have two beautiful, amazing, women in my life. I am a lucky lucky girl!

4. the road we travel

as I mentioned yesterday (which I really wrote on Monday but failed to post it) I am working on focusing on the road we travel not the destination. I kind of feel like this is becoming the theme of my blogging

- the road, the bumps, the straight aways in which we fly down, the curves, the wrong turns -

that's what this life is all about.

I am pretty sure I could label each of these - 

something that has gone so quickly (like working and being married and buying a house),

and the bumps and curves and wrong turns (the past spring could qualify for all of those),

oh the road - the road might not seem beautiful sometimes

but when we stop and look around the scenery isn't so bad. :)

Here are some pretty roads for your viewing, brainstorming and daydreaming...

pretty road one via pinterest 

pretty road two via pinterest

pretty road three via pinterest

5. hopes and dreams

I know this sounds weird but I am grateful for the hopes and dreams I have.

Besides all of the beautiful people in my life, they are something to live for.

They define each of us.

They humble us.

They free us.

And one day, hopefully, we will become those hopes and dreams. 

Happy Wednesday, peeps!

Weekend Recap

Congratulations, Mr. & Mrs. McInnerney!

The 80's ladies getting ready for Allison's Big Day! :)

Goin to the Chapel...

Almost Mrs. McInnerney!

Cheers to the Bride & Groom! :)

It was a wonderful weekend filled with celebrations and family - what more could one ask for?

This week I am going to try to focus on the journey, not the destination.

"He fills us with purpose for our lives, and He teaches us to be content with whatever stage of the journey we may be on."

- via Word Among Us

Happy Birthday, Hayden!

WARNING:

this is going to be all sorts of mushy, gushy, lovey talk, so at the end you can't say I didn't warn you...

To my one love,

my whole world,

my everything,

Happy Birthday!

Alright, so you know things can't be "normal" around our house and you are probably showing up here because you received some sort of clue to do so...hopefully you haven't waited ALL DAY because I am probably waiting anxiously for your reaction.

Alright already, I will move along.

Since you can be the most indecisive birthday present picker ever I shall make it a game.

and since I am not made of millions you must pick ONE...

but by using only the clues below.
ooooooo....

(I know it should be so super hard and complicated - yeah no)

one. 

let us reminisce for a moment

two.

did you happen to notice who was playing this morning in your car?

three.

there was something fixed this morning, now you might need something else like this:

four.

yes, that is how much I love you...I posted this loverly from a camo photoshoot a couple years ago...

...and since you think you are an old man I will give you 27, yep 27, things and reasons why I love you...  

1. the way you laugh - at my stupid jokes

2. the way you love me

3. your OCD tendencies

4. letting me think I am in control (keyword: THINK)

5. the way you reminisce about our honeymoon, just as much as I do...

6. that you cook and grill (regardless of my chicken concerns)

7. the way you care (for your family, your friends, complete strangers...)

8. how giving you are

9. that you love turtles and frogs...

10. and reptiles - and that you make me walk through the reptile section in Petco even though I practically run through it

11. that you love the cowboys (even though you should love the steelers)

12. that you can pick a drink for me better than I can

13. that you care for me when I am being high maintenance

14. that you understand how important family is

15. your glasses and the face you make without them

16. that you LOVE old cars

17. that you watch girly movies with me

18. that you legitimately love date night (at least I think you do)

19. that you can pick out clothing for me and that I can pick out clothing for you but for some reason we can't seem to pick out our own clothing ourselves

20. that you make me eat like a rabbit

21. that you run/swim/bike (oh my!) with me

22. that you are just as high maintenance as I am (when in all honesty you really aren't)

23. the way you tell stories

24. that you love our dogs like they are our children

25. that you can go from - loving hunting to fishing to going to nice dinners to being on the beach to working on the house to watching cheesy movies - all in a matter of a split second.

26. that you are my soulmate

27. that I get to spend another year with someone so absolutely wonderful, with a beautiful heart, an endearing personality, and a perfect match for me.

I don't think that 27 even begins to explain how much I love you. I guess we will have to revisit this when you turn 80 then we might be getting somewhere...

Happy Birthday again to my love, my best friend, my confidant, and most importantly my husband

you are an amazing man and I am blessed beyond words that you are my soulmate and husband!

Happy Birthday LOVE! 

Fallusting

Yippee! It's Friday! :)

This weekend is yet another weekend out of town - Htown bound - but this means a long car ride with the hubby - definitely not complaining one bit.

Here are a few things I am lusting over - one in particular would be these pillows - can anyone say amazeballs?!! - holy smokes must find look-a-like asap. I am a wee bit obsessed with the site in general...semi fail because they are located in Stockholm. you win some you lose some alright people.

I am going to warn you - I am in this phase where I still love summer clothing because it is 220 degrees outside but I am most definitely lusting over fall items and a few other random things that had to be included...

Fallusting by sgrahm featuring tory burch shoes

1. I just can't wait

2. Fall must have nail color

3. Yes, yes I think this must be at least year 2 of lusting over these Tory's

4. Perfect Fall skirt, shirt, belt, bracelets - Oh my!

5. Love love love the bow detail at the top!

6. I warned you - randoms - I found this pillow on a blog and ohMg...

7. This guy has been on my pinboard for months - in my dreams - the perfect way to store your wedding gown in your huge ginormous closet that is probably as big as my master bedroom :)

Grateful Wednesday

Even though today feels like Thursday, yesterday did as well, therefore this week has seemed sooo long...ok ok off my soap box I go and on to grateful Wednesday:

 

one. 

long drives with my husband

 

two. 

weddings

I never would've thought I would say this but sometimes it's fun, ya know, all the wedding festivities - plus I have realized it has taken the stress off of my own life for a little bit.

 

three.

family

During our the shower this weekend, with 36 people crammed into one house, I realized how lucky I am for that to be considered my "normal"

 

four.

berries

five.

"everything I have learned...everything that has truly enhanced and enlightened my experience, has been through affliction and not through happiness"

Malcom Muggeridge

I agree with this to a certain extent

I can honestly say I have been enlightened by happy things as well.

BUT

There is a reason for pain and sorrow - for it is through these that we learn and become grateful.

Happy Happy Wednesday!

-thank goodness tomorrow is finally Thursday- 

Thursday, I have been waiting for you all week and same with you, Friday. 

Weekend Recap

A new start to another week! :)

But first it's weekend recap time:



Phase One

Half Chocolate Half White Cake

We made two sheet cakes and then cut out this wanna be fleur de lis



Phase Two

Ice the wanna be :) That was a process in itself - a KEY trick - dip the knife in warm water

 

TA-DA!!!





Apparently I became a Champagne-o this weekend

mmm yummy

speaking of I could use a mimosa right about now...I really could have used one this morning. :)

 

Today is the feast of the transfiguration - just a reminder that I should be constantly working on transfiguring - always transforming into something new and better. However, the hardest part of this transforming is the journey - learning to step gingerly yet enjoy this so called journey also it just so happens that it does not come with a GPS or map.

As Monsignor says: Mondays are a start to a new week - an entire week to do something and be something good. Here's to something good... 

sans rambling

So I had a post all typed up with random thoughts and pieces but I wasn't feeling it so I'll just leave you with a few things (minus all my rambling that I usually partake in)

ela - M.I.L.C.K Clutch in Shark Suede

(I NEED THIS! - just saying)

Thursday date night

Breakfast

(Starbucks Refreshers - I know they sound hokey but pretty tastey)

Happy Friday, folks!