happy birthday to me

Happy Birthday to ME!

My day started with my best friend's little girl calling my cell phone and singing "Happy Birthday" to me so sweetly. I wish I could have recorded it because I'd listen to it every day. She reminded me it was her dog, Fish's, birthday too. Happy Birthday Fishy!

And then after talking to Chelsea I realized that I am actually a year YOUNGER than I thought! Who does that? Who forgets how old they are?? Me apparently. Thank goodness for friends who can add. It's extra good because I like even numbers better anyway.

The day is just getting better and better... which means it's been a very good day!

Happy my birthday to all of you too. Have a wonderful weekend!

image via i believe in smiles

happiness is ...

Going to France!

Harlow sleeping so soundly on my lap

The days are getting longer

but it's still cool enough to wear scarves

Buying fresh flowers

Bright pink nail polish

New (to me) shoes from Stacey

Sleeping in for three days in a row

It's my birthday Friday!

image via thespianmuse

It's spelled a-d-d-i-c-t-i-o-n

I bought three awesome cameras on Etsy. The first one is a Voigtlander Vito Model CD- 35mm Camera. The second one is a Brownie Starlet Camera (cute name right?) and the last one is a Polaroid 360.

How many cameras does a girl need? Many. I love them!

I'm saving my pennies for a converted Polaroid 110b .. you know, if you see one lying around.

feather & bone

I am constantly inspired by Jen Altman of Nectar and Light. She has a beautiful way of looking at the world and her passion for life are beautiful. If you haven't visted her blog you should. Jen reacently opened her Feather & Bone shop and it's incredible. I'd never have guessed I'd be so in love with photos of bone and skeletons but I am.

all photos: Jen Altman, Fiereyed

11 days + a magical salad

It's been 11 days since I've had ANY sugar. I repeat... ELEVEN DAYS. NO SUGAR. I fluctuate between feeling really great about myself and wanting to kill someone.

But it's not just sugar that I've given up. It's bread, cheese AND fruit. Now before you tell me I'm crazy (which is okay, since I sort of agree) this is not a permanent change. It's just sort of a detox thing for me to get back to feeling good about my health, weight, etc.

So what am I eating? Well it's mostly special bars, shakes, soups, plus one "lean and green" meal per day. So yes, I AM eating. Since I'm not a great cook and am not very imaginative I've been mostly doing salads with either chicken or tuna. And yes, that does get boring even after 11 days so I'm looking for new recipes that will be healthy and delicious so I can stick with this for a few months.

This is what I really wanted to tell you about: my new favorite, magical salad. Yes, I said magical. It's that good. First, when it comes to salad making I'm kinda boring: lettuce or spinach, cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, celery... See? Boring. But then the other day I had this salad and OH MY GOSH.



Isn't she beautiful?

The ingredients are: spinach, carrots (which I didn't eat bc they're too starchy), roasted bell peppers (my new favorite thing), roasted onions, grilled and marinated artichoke hearts, sliced beats, a few sliced black olives and a piece of grilled mahi mahi (or chicken). It's so good I want to marry it. YUM!

If you have any favorite healthy recipes you'd like to share I'd love to hear them.

rewarding myself

Well, not quite yet but I've set some goals for myself to over the next few months and if they are accomplished I will be rewarding myself with something I've been lusting after forever. What else? Shoes!



They may not look like much but these ballet flats make my heart go pitter patter.

What are you wishing for?

one eyed jack strikes again

I woke up this morning to find Harlow's left eye looked a little red and it looked like it was bothering her. I checked to see if she had any hair in her eye and noticed it was starting to look cloudy. You can imagine what I did then: freaked out, grabbed the phone, called our vet and tried not to sound completely freaked out and begged them to see her even though they were closing in less than an hour.

I dashed over there and the results: She has an ulcer on her eye due to trauma.

Ugh my poor little dog. Last time she did this she actually managed to poke a hole in her cornea. I feel like a terrible mother.

Do they make doggie goggles?

favorite things :: old books

I love books but I especially love old books. I think they tell a story of their own with a faded cover, dog-eared pages, notes or dates inside the cover. I always wonder who owned them before me, where they took them. I always have a book with me it's fun to wonder where my old, beloved, beat up books have gone with their other owners.

What are some of your favorite things?

1. danske 2. cori kindred 3. jelens 4, 5. abby try again

happy belated earth day

Inspired by Joslyn I've made an Earth Day resolution to not use another plastic bag for a store. I'm usually pretty good about bringing my reusable bags but you know, I get lazy.

Good thing I have these two cute totes from darcyart and forest bound. I love them both.

the key to failure

“I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everyone.”
Bill Cosby

image found via pretentious & pop

wallpaper cookies

On Friday Grace posted these insanely pretty shortbread cookies from Miette and I haven't been able to stop looking at them. If I hadn't sworn off sugar, I'd order some right this second.

photos: Design*Sponge

split second decisions = a trip to France

I was minding my own business the other day when I came across Nicole and Candice's French Photo Retreat. Ooh la la! I have loved Nicole's photography for a long time. And so hearing that her and Candice were putting together a photography retreat in Paris no less, well... I decided right then I had to go.

It's probably silly to make this kind of decision on a whim but if you think about it, some of my best decisions and adventures were made on a whim. I'm so excited! We'll be in Beynac-et-Cazenac, which, no, I cannot pronounce. BUT I do know that it's where Chocolat and Ever After were filmed.

Did I mention I'm excited??

This summer just got interesting!


photo credit

10 cc's STAT!

You guys. I decided on Wednesday that enough was enough and I'd give up sugar. Completely. Of course this means no more Coke. The first day was brutal. Yesterday was ... okay. Today I might be able to get through the day without losing my mind.

I had no idea I was such an addict.

Don't they make a patch or something for caffeine addicts?

evening stroll

My favorite time of the day is when I get home from work and take Harlow for a nice long walk. It feels good to get out in the sunshine for awhile.

I can never resist taking pictures of the adorable Enjoy Cupcakes trailer.

What is your favorite part of the day?

life lessons

If you run to the post office sweats thinking you're safe from being seen because it's a) raining b) it's the middle of the day c) you never see anyone you know at the post office... you'd be wrong.

You will actually run into your ex's mom that you haven't seen in months and she will want to stand there and catch up with you..

And while you are standing there trying not to think about the little muddy paw print on your sweats or your very frizzy hair, or how you're wearing your old glasses, she will be impeccably dressed and beautiful as always. She will also be very warm and sweet making you feel like a rat because all you can think about is how you can get away.

Lesson learned: I'm never leaving the house in sweats again.

photo credit

bathing suits

Who would have thought I'd be blogging about swimsuits? But I think
this one is pretty much the cutest swimsuit I've ever seen.



Too bad I'll be avoiding bathing suits this summer!

Actually I'm starting a new eating/workout "program" next week which is sort of embarrassing to talk (blog) about but I'm kind of excited. I'll maybe share more after I give it a shot.

But until next week I'm drinking lots and lots of Coke.... I know, I know.

Anyway, maybe I'll save this bathing suit for next year!

Are you ready for summer?

Easter

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. I love Easter SO much. Plus it was General Conference weekend. Double win.

To make the weekend even better my cousin Deana and her kiddos (the bobbleheads as she calls them) were in town for Easter and an early birthday and of course my cutest niece and nephew are here now. Harlow was in heaven with lots of little toes to chase, I was up to my eyeballs in cake baking (and spatula licking) and the sun was busy shining.

My favorite things about the weekend:

General Conference talks

Little 3 yr old Paisley telling me, "Carlos is a pre coot little goggie"
(I may change Harlow's name to Carlos)

Maxtin who's 4 getting very excited at the thought of helping me clean my room and finally exclaiming, "I'll be your hero!

Playing chess with my nephew Triston who's 9 and awesome.

Alexis telling me she named her goldfish Aunt Vanessa.

Getting Harlow a pair of shoes and watching her walk (and admit defeat) in them. I have a video somewhere. It's laugh out loud funny.

Realizing I bought my dog shoes... oh dear.

Yummy, yummy dinners with family.

A long talk with my dad.

Flowers blooming all over the place.

It was a perfectly perfect weekend.

ps - Sorry I am so lame at posting photos. I did take a few Polaroids but my scanner and I are fighting.

photo by FuturoWoman. Check out her shop