currently

Watching: Dexter! Ask anyone that sees be semi-regularly and they will attest to my Dexter obsession. It's funny because the first time I watched an episode of Dexter I was horrified. I thought I'd never be able to watch it. Either that was a particularly gruesome episode (which it kinda was...) or I have been slowly desensitized. I find the characters fascinatingly complex. I majored in psych, remember? ;)

Reading: I just finished reading A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller. It's all about how he decided to live his life like a story. Because I'm kind of in a place where I'm searching for my story I have found it really helpful to learn from his process. He brings up this guy named Bob Goff a lot in the book, too. So, I googled him and to my surprise he just released a book called Love Does in May of this year. Mr. Goff recounts tale after tale of different people he has met that have gone above and beyond to put love into action. It's truly inspiring.

Thinking about: My new job position :) Yep! I got offered a full-time job last Wednesday! Starting this week I'll be a 1:1 instructional assistant for this little 3 year old girl with cystic fibrosis and who is also recovering from a stroke. The first 6 weeks are probational, but I'm excited!

Loving: Flannel shirts! I just want to spend the rest of my life in flannel. Or denim shirts. Either one, please. This one's pretty dang cute.

Listening to: The new Taylor Swift CD. Yes, you read that right. You know what? Sue me! I love the girl. You won't hear me saying things like "You know, she does write all her own music!" But, she's fun and has neat style...so there!

Anticipating: The Holidays. I'm already so excited for Christmas shopping, gloves weather, Thanksgiving feasting, and then feasting again for Christmas, lighting cinnamon candles, hanging up lights, watching cheesy movies, and listening to cheesy christmas music.

Eating: Ugh, gross stuff. Way too much junk. Save me from my undisciplined self!

Drinking: Smoothies! Tons of them! They've really helped me during this recovery time from my sinus surgery. Something about the coldness...in my face...I don't know...it's just magic.

dreams

Lately I've been really trying to figure out what exactly I'm supposed to be doing with my life. What are my dreams? What are my goals? What kind of story do I want to be living? All of these big questions have been haunting me. It's intimidating. And, with the very real pressures of not just wanting money and stability but needing it looming over me, well, it can all be a bit stifling.

Something that I fear most is living a complacent life. You know the kind of life I'm talking about. The kind where you stay at the same uninteresting job for years and years because chasing after your real dreams and passions is a frightful and, often times, allusive thing. It'd be really easy to fall into this lifestyle.

The other day I ran into this quote by poet Langston Hughes and it really inspired me to hold tight to the passions of my heart. It inspired me to keep holding on for dear life to this crazy journey of self-discovery. If you're in a similar place I hope this post gives you a bit of encouragement and reminds you that you are not alone. I've often heard that most people look back on their 20's as a difficult, yet necessary journey. Well, I'm ready for it. And, determined to make an adventure of it.

weekend.

This past weekend I did lots of fun stuff. Most of it I did not document...but I did manage to snap a few random photos! Here are some little tid-bits of my weekend. :)

1 // Friday afternoon I relaxed in my PJ's and snapped some pictures of the beautiful trees. I love when the leaves are beginning to change and one single tree is multi-colored.

2 // My Mom bought a yankee candleholder and pumpkin spice tea light candles from one of the neighborhood kids raising money for their school. Isn't it so adorable??

3 // My cute little Dobey! And a close up of my PJ's featuring the best super hero ever created...

4// Me deciding it was high time I try to climb a tree...in flip flips...

5// Friday night my friend Brittanie and I were supposed to see an outdoor play but it got rained out :( Woodchuck hard cider Fall addition was plan b! Seriously, you've got to try it. It's their regular cider with cinnamon, nutmeg, and a little white oak added. Yummm.

6 // Tree pic numba 2!

7 // Us getting excited to be rained in with the chance to become 90's kids again because we watched...

8// Drive Me Crazy! It's only one of the best 90's teen movies ever. A classic!

9 // Saturday night I babysat 3 of my favorite kids. This is me showing them how to make a silly face...just kidding, I did that all on my own.

10 // Their cute golden retriever Sammy. He was watching me eat an apple the little mooch.

11 // Bedtime book: The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School by Laura Murray. Seriously one of my favorite kids books ever.

12 // Taking silly pics before bed with my favorite twins!

So there ya have it...random pics from my life. I'm sure they were fascinating!

Hope your weekend was fantastic! :)

An Update

Hello everyone! I wanted to let you know that I am still alive! :D

As some of you may remember I had sinus surgery a couple of weeks ago. Recovering has been, well, quite the challenge. I've heard that some people need sinus surgery 2 or 3 times. I am astounded that anyone would do this more than once. And, I hope that once really does do the trick for me because, rest assured, I will never do this again...

I also started not one but two new jobs. Well, I got two jobs and only began the first one this past week. (the next one I start next week!). Beginning a new job while still recovering has been exhausting, though. However, I will continue blogging very soon!

Thank you for your patience! I also would like to thank the people that have continued to comment on my posts, new and old readers alike. It truly does mean a lot to me when people comment on here :)

30 days of lists update

As I've mentioned I've been doing a 30 days of lists challenge. Everyday for the month of September I get a new prompt with a new thing to list about. Here is a little peek into my own daily listing :)

Can't really see the title for this one...it's "Out My Front Door"

inside my makeup bag

Welcome to my make-up bag. While this is actually not everything I own, these are the basics that I use. Even these I don't use every day, but when I do decide to do my whole face these are some of the main options I choose from. 

one // Victoria's Secret Oil-Free Airbrush FX Face Primer w/SPF 15

When I want to go all out I combine this with foundation to create a flawless finish. 

two // Victoria's Secret Soft Focus Liquid Foundation w/SPF 20 in Light 20

They actually don't sell this anymore. It's old. I need new foundation probably:-/

three // Maybelline Volum' Express "The Falsies" Waterproof Mascara in Brownish Black

four // Sephora Retractable Waterproof Eyeliner in 01 Black

This is good when I just want to do my bottom lashes and not look too done up.

five // Pixi Lip + Line Primer in Nearly Nude

I love this when I want a wow factor with my lipstick. Because it's nude it goes with any lipstick and the primer on the other end makes my lips look fuller.

six // Eye lash curler

I've been using this a lot lately. Whether I use mascara or not it's quick and easy and really opens up the eye.

seven // Neutrogena 3-in-1 Concealer for Eyes in 05 Fair

I love Neutrogena because their makeup products also have really great things in it for your skin. This is an eye cream, concealer, and has extra SPF (20) in it.

eight // Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream in Light 100

I love to use this for an everyday look. It's pretty much tinted moisturizer with SPF in it. It's also great for your skin.

nine // Maybelline Lasting Drama Eye Studio Gel Liner w/Brush in Blackest Black

I use this for the cat eye look or for a nice dramatic eye when going out in the evening. I loved that it came with a brush, too!

ten // MaryKay Foundation Brush

Such a great buy! It's like painting your face everyday. In love with this.

eleven // Burt's Bees Replenishing Lip Balm w/ Pomegranate Oil

This is such a staple. I always keep this in my purse.

twelve // Urban Decay Super-Saturated High Gloss Lip Color in Crush

This is one of my high color lipsticks that I love to wear. 

thirteen // MAC Matte Lipstick in Kinda Sexy

This is a great everyday lipstick for Fall and Winter. It gives just a little hint of color.

fourteen // Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Mad About Mauve

This is the lipstick I probably wear the most. It's very subtle and brings out just a hint of extra color in my complexion. I wear this all the time, any season, day or night.

fifteen // Victoria's Secret Color Drama Lipstick in Showstopper

Another one of my favorites for a nice red lip.

sixteen // Stila Convertible Color in Lillium

My favorite cream blush of all time. I love this and want to eventually get some other colors. It's a little pricy but a little bit goes a long way. 

Three things you should take away from this:

-I love lipstick

-I love SPF

-I am very white

Outfit // Pumpkin

If you know me at all you know I love New York City. I'm obsessed. I think it's such a beautiful city with such lively and passionate people living there. Yesterday my friend Brittanie and I went up to NYC for the day. The weather was absolutely gorgeous. The past couple of times I've been up to NYC it has rained/hailed/been really disgusting. Not yesterday though. Yesterday it was sunny, crisp, and about 70 degrees out. Perfect.

Because it was so beautiful out we really just spent most of the day milling around Central Park. There were so many New Yorkers out just soaking up the sun. We ended up sitting on the grass for awhile to journal, take pictures, and listen to a local sax player playing inside a tunnel. Do you ever wish you could capture a moment and a feeling in a bottle? I wish I could have done that so I could remember all the details and relive them whenever I want :)

We, of course, had to get pumpkin spice latte's from Starbucks. Especially since I was wearing my pumpkin dress. Yesterday was all about embracing Autumn. Scarves, fall colored clothing, boots, and coffee were all necessities.

Dress // Romwe

Belt // Vintage

Boots // Seychelles

Purse // Target

Scarf // H&M

5 Things // Before I Start my Job

It's good to have goals. And, for me, it's very good to have lists. I'm not a naturally organized person so writing things down helps me tremendously. So, here are five things I want to make sure I do before I start really working :) What are some of your goals for this month?

My Life in Photos // August 2012

Okay, so most of my August pics are from Europe. But, there were just too many highlights from that trip to not include all these pics. I will at some point write a post featuring each city I went to, but for now here is a summary in picture form of my August 2012. 

i'm back.

Hello, dear readers! It has been a couple weeks since I have posted on here and that is because, as I forgot to mention, I went away for a European adventure! For many personal reasons my 6 week trip was cut down to 2 weeks. The two weeks I did get to spend overseas were filled with many spectacular moments. I can't wait to share some of my photos and stories with you! London, Paris, and Amsterdam will always have a piece of my heart <3.

Currently.

Loving: Pink hair! I want it...temporarily. So, I found a website that reccomended Davines Alchemic Red hair conditioner. It's supposed to make already red hair, redder. For those of us without red hair it just gives you a pink tint. AND it only stays in for a few washes and then its gone forever. Definitely want to try this!

Reading: Other than my Elle magazine that comes in the mail...nothing. It's really sad. I have many many books I want to be reading. The Game of Thrones books are top of the list. I don't have money to buy them. And I have a fee due at the library so that avenue is a no go. Are you seeing my dilemma?

Watching: Lots of HGTV! I've always loved design shows but HGTV has really upped their game. The High Low Project is a new favorite of mine. I love the concept of the show. And, Sabrina Soto is just such a sweetheart! 

Listening to: This Summer I've been loving a lot of Summer-esque music. You know the kind-layed back, guitar-centered, somewhat-rapping vocals, blues-rock type of music. For a lot of people this includes The Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer, Jack Johnson, Jason Mraz, etc. However, I don't really care for any of the artists just named. I've been loving Justin Nozuka, James Morrison, Joshua Radin, Ed Sheeran, and Jason Reeves (lots of J named people apparently...).

Anticipating: The Dark Knight Rises premiere! AH! I'm so excited! I just watched this 13 minute feauturette and it literally took my breath away. (*Update*: I have officially watched this 3 times now).

Planning: My Europe trip! It's basically on my mind always. I recently purchased tickets to the Rock en Seine festival in Paris!!! I will finally get to see one of my favorite bands, Sigur Ros.

Wishing: I could buy a whole new wardrobe for my Europe trip. I have this vision in my head of looking really stylish and sophisticated in Paris or any other wonderful city I'll be in. I need to let go of this...because all my money is going to the trip itself. And I really have no right to complain!

Making: Dresses! I want to start selling dresses on my etsy shop. You should be seeing them in the next week :)

Wearing: Lots of shorts! Maryland is just coming out of a crazy heat wave that put us in the 100's. And when I say "coming out of" I mean, it's at least in the 90's now. It. Is. Hot. Always.

Drinking: Coffee, of course. I've been loving skinny vanilla latte's with soy milk from Starbucks. I love soy milk. And, I've also discovered that it tends to mask the artificial sweetener added in the "skinny" drinks.

Pinning: A little bit of everything! Yummy, yet healthy, recipes. Style inspiration. Interior design inspiration. And things like this...

Thankful for: The people in my life. I have been blessed with lots of good friends and family. As I write this I am sitting with my Mom and a family friend, Tom (or Uncle Tom :)). He likes to bring us Dunkin' Donuts iced coffee :)

I genuinely am interested in how you guys are doing as well! Write in the comments section what you have been doing lately or feel free to e-mail me!

P.S. I got this idea from Sometimes Sweet. You should check her blog out :)

Outfit // Festivities

I'm officially 23 years old, folks. I really can't believe it. Although I know I am still a youngin its starting to hit me that the older you get, the faster time moves; this fact of life entirely freaks me out. I suppose the only way to put my mind at ease is to work on savoring moments, enjoying the present, and being thankful that I was given yet another year to live on this earth. Easier said than done, though. Aside from all that existential seriousness, I had an amazing birthday! 

Some of my friends and I went to RA Sushi in Baltimore to celebrate my birthday. I had a really amazing time and felt so loved by everyone that was there and that cared to celebrate with me. The company was amazing, the sushi was incredible, and the ambiance was so trendy and fun. Sometimes ya just gotta get out of the suburbs and explore the city :) 

Afterwards we walked around Fells Point and got caught in the beginnings of a crazy storm. It was really intense! I mean, sand and dirt in your eyes, leaves and trash stinging your legs, hair in your mouth kind of intense. I actually enjoyed it (I love storms). We stopped into Max's and hung out there late into the night. Everyone was craving some nasty, awesome fast food afterwards so we left for home where we soon figured out that the storm was way worse than we even knew. Main roads were completely dark; it looked like a ghost town (so eery)! We eventually found a Checkers that was open and got a couple XL Fry Lovers.

The next day I got to celebrate with my family. Every year I get to choose any meal I'd like to have and I, of course, always choose crabs. SO DELICIOUS! Cake (half strawberry shortcake, half raspberry chocolate), ice cream, and a double feature movie time with my Mom all made for a great day :)

Still haven't celebrated with everyone yet (I know, poor me... ;D) because 3 million people lost power on the East coast from that storm!! Thankfully, we never did. I don't know how people are surviving right now with no A/C in this 95 degree weather because I'm kind of a little princess (love that movie) when it comes to my air. Today I'm off work because of the whole no power thing and I am just straight chillin' and enjoying cuddly time with my kitty. I mean, seriously, have you ever seen a cat do this? I'm in love.

Dress- Mink Pink c/o ModCloth

Shoes- Seychelles c/o DSW

P.S. Thanks for letting blabber on today. I feel like I kind of used this post as more of a journal entry time. Hope you don't mind :)