This weekend, as wonderful as it was, was not enough to fully energize me for this week of work, changes, responsibilities.
Today, I’m listening to NPR’s best songs of 2010 thus far…
daydreaming about a “real” vacation, maybe to here?
and lusting after these beautiful white dresses found here
“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those that matter don’t mind.”
– Dr. Seuss
me @ seven years
“you know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams”
dr. seuss
I had a lovely weekend with my sweetheart. We realized we are officially old when we left the music festival early. I do believe we had heat exhaustion, but it was nice that we were on the same page…even if it was a rather lame one. Sometimes one only needs a single night away to realize the comforts of air conditioning and a clean bed or kisses from puppies and take-out.
Today it’s rainy. And it sounds like this outside…
I’m feeling dreamy and lethargic after spending 1/2 the weekend in extreme heat and the other 1/2 in extreme relaxation mode.
This would be nice…
As would this…
And wouldn’t we all love to have an office like this to get creative in? We are shifting cubes in my office and I am not looking forward to it. I try to be a person that embraces change, but sometimes it truly is hard, isn’t it? Even with the little things that aren’t of much importance…like where you sit or whom you sit by.
Please click pictures for links.
Love this quote…so true. Have a lovely weekend.
“you know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams”
Mom & me back in the day
Mother’s day is nearing and we all love our mamas. I thought about my relationship with my mom the other day when she was upset with me about something (doesn’t actually happen often now that we don’t live together) and realized for the millionth time how special it is. Like most girls, my mother was my main female role-model as well as who I aspired to be as a child… and like many girls (unfortunately) my parents were divorced. So that was definitely the catalyst for my mom to become my predominant parent. We’ve always been close, but it’s so interesting how that relationship changes as the child -me- becomes an adult. Since I’m completely supporting myself and have been for almost three years, she’s taken on the role of mentor/friend, but that doesn’t stop her from resorting to mom-mode every once and a while.
My 10th birthday
My mom has had such an interesting life and the most exciting part about it is that she’s entering a really exciting phase now. She’s got great things happening in her work, she looks amazing and she’s even dating again – for the first time in about seven years. When I think about it, there’s no other woman in my life that I know as well or that I’ve truly been through everything with, she almost provides a blueprint for me to use in my life. Here were the right decisions, here were the wrong ones. They’re there in my memory for me to personally to decipher and almost to judge – what to learn from or do differently as well as what to use as “gospel” for my own life. My mother is the only woman I feel I can truly know what she’s gone through. But, as I write this and think about my mom’s life, it almost reinforces how much I have yet to learn about her.
She’s the most amazing woman I know, so I feel pretty lucky to have her. Plus, I’m counting on her genes to look as good as she does at almost 57!!!
Mom & me - Recently
Love you mom!
My baby is home! Hallelujah! I feel like I’ve been through a war in the past week but just look at this face!
Thank you to everyone who was praying for her, for us. Birdie is home and we are nursing her back to health!
I have the sweetest story to share. Last weekend, Robert and I visited with his Aunt & her family for Easter in Memphis. She has two young sons that had a ball playing with Birdie. When they heard she was sick they were so sad. On Friday morning, the vet gave her a last-ditch-effort blood transfusion. By 2pm, Robert had gotten word that the transfusion hadn’t worked and we needed to prepare to put her down. He let his mom know, who called her sister. The boys held hands and prayed out loud for Birdie. By 4:30, everything had changed, the transfusion had worked! Saturday morning she was eating and holding it down, wagging her tail and barking. Sunday we took her home.
Today I’m thankful that God answers prayers.
While it feels fresh and raw, I must say that this isn’t the first time I’ve dealt with a pet’s health problems. I am so thankful my dachshund Wiggles endured and is now thriving after his health problems. But, this illness that has stricken my baby Birdie is my worst enemy right now. I don’t know why I’m constantly hysterical/ravenous for her survival after only knowing her a short time. I think it’s because her life has just begun, she’s just a baby after all.
A week ago she was a bright, affectionate puppy easily combining herself with our little family. Now she’s hanging on by a thread to her brief existence. She’s changed so much throughout the week. She’s lost so much weight. It’s very difficult to see her in an isolated room, huddled in a metal cage, right beside her litter-mate who is vastly improving. The thing is, she hasn’t really gotten worse. How can I give up on her when she hasn’t given up? But is it selfish to continue her pain without much hope of recovery? I guess that’s the question every loving pet owner has to ask themselves.
I’m still hoping I won’t have to ask myself that question today. I’ve been doing a lot of praying and I know my friends and family have too. It’s situations like this that make us realize the very preciousness and fragility of life.
To Birdie:
“Who knows how long I’ve loved you? You know I love you still. Will I wait a lonely lifetime? If you want me to, I will. Love you forever and forever. Love you with all my heart. Love you whenever we’re together. Love you when we’re apart. And if I ever saw you, I didn’t catch your name, say it loud so I can hear you, make it easy to be near you. Cause the things you do endear you to me, oh you know I will”
“I love all the many charms about you. Above all, I want my arms about you. Don’t be a naughty baby, come to mama, come to mama do. My sweet embraceable you.”
These are two songs Birdie likes me to sing to her, it also makes the other dog in the isolation room fall asleep.
Thanks to all who have been thinking of Birdie. She’s not worse, so we’re taking that as a good sign.
I wanted to share my favorite bangle combo of the moment. I’m wearing them today and have been for the past few weeks. The three green/gold bracelets are from a street vendor in San Francisco (@ Haight & Ashbury – had to), the watch is BCBG, bought on sale at Dillards two Christmases ago.
The studded gold bangle is a recent purchase from my fave Charm&Chain and I think they compliment each other so nicely that I’ve been wearing nothing but gold for a week.
My bf got me this cutie fortune cookie necklace from Charm and Chain and I’ve worn it everyday since I got it, with my bangles…of course.
My new baby puppy is sick and I’m sick with worry over her. It’s been one of those days and I just want to crawl in bed and lay there forever.
Images via {this is glamorous}
If you see this. Please think happy thoughts for my baby Birdie, who is only 10 weeks into life and has already captured my heart.
Sometimes even the least self-serving girl makes demands about engagement rings that she would in no other instance. Small house, old car, discount shoes, thrift-shop duds, forever21 baubles…None of these matter as long as the sparkle on our left ring finger results in the periodic blindness of those around us.
On the the other hand, the poor blokes who love and adore us and want to please us to the point of ecstasy don’t necessarily have $30k set aside, and if they do, it’s probably not filed under “the love of my life’s engagement ring fund” (we can only dream) and say they do have a nest egg already, wouldn’t we rather it go toward our dream house?
Case in point. This is one of my (Fayetteville) dream homes, I qualify because I have many around town (the country…the world!)
And this is my dream ring:
Both make me swoon. Why would a besotted young lady in love want to sacrifice one for the other? My answer is two-fold. We should and yet we don’t have to. We forgo blinding everyone in our office/circle of friends/random party for now. Let me explain! The ring above is and will always be my dream. Must I realize my most precious of dreams NOW at 24? I think not.
A while back I posted here about beautiful dream rings but ladies, I have other ideas. Women seem to be marrying younger and younger and the state of our U.S. economy is getting scarier and scarier. Why don’t we wait on our dream ring? Instead of our beaus taking 10 years to save for what “we” want or taking out a loan he doesn’t need, let’s compromise.
My proposal: Find a gorgeous cocktail ring you know you’ll love forever and wear that until you (or hubby) strike it rich and can provide you with what your heart desires. Keep pictures, most jewelers worth their snuff can re-create for you.
Here are some of my faves under $5K
$4500
$4600
$3500
$4500
$2600
$2400 
$4800
$1900
$3900
$5000
All of the above found at FayCullen
$795 $895
$895$1250
$1450 $1650
$1750 $1750
$1750$2250
$2250 $2450
$2650 $2650
$2700 $2750
$2750 I LOVE this one $2750
$2850 – I die $3250
I <3 $3250 $3350
$3350 $3450
I do – $3850 I do – $3950
$4250 I do $4750
And these below are the winners! All $750
Above images from Lang Antiques
The Window Shopper 