oh shoes... how i love you

I swear at some point I am going to post some photos from my trip... and unpack the last suitcase. But for now I am just going to post these two shoes that I'm eyeing: These are from Anthropologie. I LOVE them. I wanted to buy them months ago but they sold out... and now they are back! That's a sign right? They're $88... too much? These are on Zappos for $110. *sigh* But they look fun and summer-y and comfy.

i want to read a lot of books

I love to read but have not taken much time to read much lately. I want to read all of these books but I'd better pace myself. This book was recommended by a good friend and history buff. Another great recommendation from the same friend. I've wanted to read Elizabeth Goudge for awhile now and this seemed like a good first book. I actually already have this book but I haven't had a chance to sit down and read it. I've been following Molly's blog for awhile and all of her recipes that I've tried have been soooo good! Not to mention her photos are beautiful. This book was recommended by a friend and she has really great taste in books. (Well, in everything really) So in spite of the slightly intimidating title I'm excited to read it. Water Babies. We had this book when we are little and I loved it. Remember the movie that was made? It was sort of creepy. This is another recommendation from another friend. Pia also mentioned it on her blog.   This book has been on my Amazon wish list for awhile. I can't remember who recommended this book but I want to read it.  THIS is Pia's very own book. I can't wait to get it. Yay for pre-orders! This looks great. Another one Pia mentioned... she has great taste so I can't go wrong here. You know how I looooove Polaroids!  This book was also recommended by a friend. Isn't it great to have friends who are so well read?  
Now... where do I start?

tweet?

I'm not exactly sure about this whole twitter thing...

But I joined so now I can follow everyone else's tweets... including Ryan Seacrest's. ha. If you want to follow me I'm h e r e. I can't promise anything more exciting than what kind of cereal I like but hey, I'm having fun!

i drew this one on the flight to england

Can you guess which song I was listening to? I think Tracy may know!

flowers and trees

The weather in England was so lovely... it didn't rain even once. Needless to say it made it that much harder to come home to 3 days of rain and gale force wind in California. (maybe I'm exaggerating... but not by much) But today is finally looking very spring like and then I found this video and had to post it. I loved Silly Symphonies when I was a kid and this was one of my favorites. Did you watch these too?

Happy Spring!

ho hum

I don't know what made me think I could fly in late last night on an international flight and be at work at 7 AM the next morning. Bad, bad idea. I just want to be at home unpacking, scanning and uploading photos, giving Harlow a bath (she looks like a homeless dog!), seeing my cousin who is visiting and reading through the 657 items I have on Google Reader and you know, pretending like I'm still in England.

I had SUCH a fantastic time.

Last night I was sitting at LAX last night wondering how traffic and smog can be so comforting when I fly into London and so obnoxious when I'm in Los Angeles. Honestly though, when I got into Heathrow and smelled the exhaust fumes and cigarette smoke and the sooty air it was sort of nice.

Photos to come soon!

i'm back

a wobbly heart

I'm sorry, I know you are probably all sick of hearing about my trip, my countdowns, my paper chain and all that jazz. It will all be over soon I promise. I'm leaving tonight!

When I was a nanny the first time around I took care of a little boy named Ayo... a really fun kid with a really sensitive heart. When ever he would feel something strongly (excitement, happiness, etc) he would put his hand on his heart and say, "Vanessa, my heart feels a little bit wobbly." It was the cutest thing.

I can't wait to get off the plane in London, drive "home" to Denham Green and be hugged and kissed to death by three of my favorite children.

Right now my heart feels a little bit wobbly too.

photo: unknown

i didn't forget Megan

I like birthday posts, especially when the birthday belongs to someone awesome like Megan!

Ohhh Megan....  my long lost IM buddy.

She is a funny lass who changes hair color more than almost anyone I know.  Not only does she change her hair color a lot she looks amazing each time.  Some people have it all I guess!  The only way I got through weeks upon months of a more-than-a-little-nutty coworker was being able to IM Megan to death.  She's so patient!  Patient and funny.  Probably the best combination of qualities.  She also took pity on me many days after my car was totaled by going to lunch with me and taking me to Target... you know, the important things in life.  There are so many great things about her I'm sure I'm forgetting some.  She's got really good taste in everything, she's crafty, she plays rugby, she's a great listener and an even greater friend!  I miss my Megan!

And did I mention she's funny?

HAPPY BiRTHDAY MEGAN!

i should be packing...

... or cleaning, or looking for my UK mobile phone to take with me, or doing laundry, or something productive.

But I'm too excited to leave and so I do nothing. There are only 2 little links left on my paper chain. Yippee! Oh... a side note about the paper chain (which is just silly but fun)... I put it up at work and there have been a couple days where I've taken off more than one chain but I just figured I'd forgotten a day (highly unlikely!) but I was just excited to take off more. Well it turns out I've been sabotaged! A few of my coworkers (yes, more than one) have been sneaking in and ADDING LINKS! haha They were a little disappointed I didn't notice! What little sneaks I work with.

Now I can't remember what I was originally going to post.

Oh well... Happy Friday!

vanilla cone with flake... yum

photo:here

oh my gosh... so cute!

The world's only pink Bottlenose dolphin which was discovered in an inland lake in Louisiana, USA, has become such an attraction that conservationists have warned tourists to leave it alone.




Charter boat captain Erik Rue, 42, photographed the animal, which is actually an albino, when he began studying it after the mammal first surfaced in Lake Calcasieu, an inland saltwater estuary, north of the Gulf of Mexico in southwestern USA.
Capt Rue originally saw the dolphin, which also has reddish eyes, swimming with a pod of four other dolphins, with one appearing to be its mother which never left its side.
He said: "I just happened to see a little pod of dolphins, and I noticed one that was a little lighter.
"It was absolutely stunningly pink. I had never seen anything like it. It's the same color throughout the whole body and it looks like it just came out of a paint booth. The dolphin appears to be healthy and normal other than its coloration, which is quite beautiful and stunningly pink. The mammal is entirely pink from tip to tail and has reddish eyes indicating it's albinism. The skin appears smooth, glossy pink and without flaws.
read more here

photos: here and here

easy right?

photo: rachel best

happy birthday billie dear!

"Nothing but heaven itself is better than a friend who is really a friend."



If you know me then you know that I'm a sucker for all things sentimental... So here is a little tribute to one of my favorite friends on her birthday:

Billie is funny... she always makes me laugh. And she always laughs at my jokes and makes me feel like I'm really witty. She's also a really good doodler. This makes me jealous. My doodles look like scribbles but hers look like art. She always makes me feel good about myself. She served Laffy Taffy at her wedding. She let me crash on her couch for a month before I moved to England. She (and Brian) are the funnest people to watch TV with. (thanks for not getting sick of me spending so much time on your futon!) Whenever I hang out with Billie I feel like I'm my best version of me. You know what I mean... I hope. She's one of the kindest people I know and has such a good heart. I don't know if she knows this but the day after she got married I cried and cried because I realized I was going to miss having such a great friend as a roommate and I was afraid we wouldn't stay friends after she got married. Thank goodness I was wrong!!

"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy: They are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom."
- Marcel Proust -

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BILLIE! ♥

i heart ban.do

A rather gloomy Monday morning was brightened by a relaunched Band.do site. Check out their new pieces and price range!

inspiring

For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.
----------
No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.
----------
There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.
----------
Man's goodness is a flame that can be hidden but never extinguished.
----------
Nelson Mandela

I just started the biography of Nelson Mandela.

photo: unknown