The One About Vacation

Guess where I'm going!?

I'm so excited to go visit these people in June. Dawson and I are trying to figure out how to get tickets to Wimbledon. Anyone have any suggestions? I've read the site - I think I just need to sit down with it and pay more attention. My boss went while she was studying abroad over there and felt like it was a really easy thing to do the day-of.

I AM SO EXCITED.

Has anyone else been to London? What were your favorite things? What were your least favorite things? WHAT AM I GOING TO WEAR?

The One With A Top Ten

via Jeannot7

I cannot possibly explain every wonderful thing that happened this weekend, so here is a list of ten (and this isn't even really a top ten, because I'm sure that I'm missing something)

In no particular order...

1. mini key lime pies + muds at the club for birthday dinner with the fam
2. the most delicious pasta (after being totally bummed that Bettola took my favorite off the menu for Spring) and the best friends ever to have birthday dinner with
3. sitting outside at 26 with my mom on one of the first pretty nights of Spring (aka my birthday)
4. my sister and her sweet friend Liz coming home for Easter my birthday
5. Birmingham has the most amazing T.J.Maxx, and a super awesome shopping trip with mom
6. the fact that my roommate has the most incredible class of 5-year-olds who let me read to them and thought I was the Easter bunny (oops - that's probably my fault)
7. Starburst jelly beans, York peppermint patties and bunny charms for my bracelet in my Easter basket
8. day parties at Paul's - his birthday was just as fun as mine!
9. getting my hair colored (and shortened)
10. having to block out 15 seats in church for the best people ever to be celebrating Easter with

The One About My Birthday (finally)

I think balloons are pretty. Especially on birthdays.

So far, work has been AWESOME. I walked into presents, my desk decorated, precious cards and strawberry cupcakes. It's been an excellent morning.

The One About My Birthday Dress

This is my birthday outfit, minus the shoes. I think. It can still be returned, I haven't entirely made up my mind. I absolutely LOVE it but I can't figure out the shoes. Black, silver? I don't want to do pink or gray because that's a little bit matchy-matchy (and because I don't actually own anything that color). I have nude ones. I need help. What are your thoughts?

Oh - and in case you were confused, the back is a cut-out, not white.

This is also making an appearance in Vegas!! I told you that I would be spending at lot of time talking about that. I CANNOT WAIT.

I hope y'all have a fabulous weekend. I'm leaving tomorrow morning for a funeral in Madison, GA so that's not very fun, but I will get to see some of my family (including my sister).

Also, the library sent me an email that my camera-working book is available for me to pick up so I'm VERY excited about that. I just need to remember to go get it. I have a big to-do list which I just realized. Oh well, 90% of it probably won't get done. Hopefully I'll at least finish folding my laundry from LAST WEEKEND.

OH! And on an entirely different note. Those of you that can understand anything related to your taxes, KUDOS to you. I might have you gather my information next year, I'm simple (or so I've been told) and it's still completely stressing me out.

The One About My Birthday

In case you didn't know (or had forgotten), my birthday is one week from today. My list has grown and then shrunk and then changed all together. BUT - don't worry. I do, in fact, have a list.

I think Toms are great, and I do not have a pair, so...I would LOVE to have a pair of these but also think these are cute, and these are just ADORABLE.

Obviously, I would like someone to buy me my puppy. Thanks in advance. Or - someone could just go ahead and get there own puppy for me to play with. As long as I have a puppy to hang out with on my birthday (no mom, Peaches doesn't count because she's not entertaining) I'll be a perfectly happy person. Emmy - maybe you should get Paul a puppy for HIS birthday. That would work.

I also want this skirt, and almost everything else that J.Crew is selling at the moment. Given the opportunity, that store would suck all of the money out of my bank account. I also want this, these, this and this - one day. And some sequins (this and this) which I totally do not need - although...there's always Vegas.

And I guess something practical wouldn't hurt - so what about this? I guess that's practical...right?

Ok - back to the unpractical.

I could SERIOUSLY use some new cowboy boots. I wore boots A LOT in Texas, and my current pair have been hanging around since freshman year. I think it's time for an upgrade. I like these, these and these. Oh, and while we're talking about Frye - these are good too.

Also, we're moving into a house (the roomie and I - have I mentioned that?) and I think some fun things to make it a little bit homier would be nice to have. We both love having flowers around, even if it's pretty infrequently, and I think these are adorable. They come in a precious beaker shape too.

I think that's my list. Pretty good, huh?

Oh...and a glass of wine with a slice of cake. Thanks.

The One About 2010

So we're 15 days into this new year and I have yet to address resolutions of any kind. I'm absolutely horrible at keeping resolutions, breaking bad habits just isn't my thing...but I think this year I might work on picking up some good habits. So here is my list...

1. Take my lunch to work. I'm pretty sure I've already promised to do this about six times, but I figured I would give it another shot. Just thinking about all of the money I will save, and all of the time I will save, and all of the hassle and gas and stress I will save...that will be worth it. I think.

2. I want to try to read more. I absolutely love to read, but it takes me a little while to get into a book and I have a nasty habit of putting books down before I've actually finished them. The worst part of this habit though, is the fact that I have a hard time picking anything else up before I've completed book A. I have a massive list accumulating of books I want to read, and if I don't get on it right now - the list is going to overwhelm me. I just read Water For Elephants in three days, so I think I should be able to manage two books a month. Right? As long as they're really good ones? I might have to plan a few road trips for some much needed sit-and-read time...

3. Exercise, exercise, exercise. That is all.

4. I want to be a better saver of money. I'm horrible at it. Horrible, horrible, horrible. I should just transfer money into my savings on the very day I receive a paycheck, but then it just stares at me from that little "savings account" line in my online banking, and I think of all of the wonderful things I could be using that money for. Like this, see resolution #2.

5. And last but not least...I want to be better about this whole blogging thing. I've kind of slacked off in the last few weeks, huh? Y'all are going to have to remind me of this one.

Now I'm off to nurse an illness. Some of my absolute favorite people are coming in town this weekend to celebrate the wedding of a good friend and I'm going to need to not be sniffling, coughing and sneezing all over them...

The One About Great Movies

This weekend I watched White Christmas four different times (four and half really, but I just wasn't sure that counted).

White Christmas is my ALL-TIME favorite movie. Seriously. Especially at Christmas.

If you're curious about how wonderful it is, it's going to come on (back-to-back-to-back) AMC, Christmas Day - so you can check it out then.

I've also spent some quality time going through my TV's guide and DVRing the many millions of movies that are going to be showing in the next few days. I've still got White Christmas, Holiday Inn, You've Got Mail, Chronicles of Narnia, and something else I can't remember waiting for me.

Soon they'll be joined by Little Women, Meet Me In St. Louis, Holiday Affair, Ghost, Mystic Pizza, Miracle on 34th Street and My Fair Lady.

I think the head honchos of TV must assume people are home, snuggled up on the couch and ready for a movie marathon....

I'm at work.

On another movie note...I saw Invictus last night and it was wonderful. I cried (which I do in 98% of all TV/movie attempts...including Air Bud and the occasional Law and Order episode)

The One About GIfts Given to Ladies

from here.

Christmas morning in my house used to involve my little sister waking up at the butt-crack of dawn (this is no exaggeration, sometimes it was before the dawn part actually happened) and annoying everyone else until they decided it was an appropriate time to 'rise-n-shine.'

Now we wake up a little bit later and unwrap gifts more slowly (Santa wraps now) so it's more fun and so much more important that you give something you think the gift-receiver will actually like. We're not 5-years-old anymore.

I've come up with (what I think) is a very good idea for my little sister, which I promise to tell y'all about after she unwraps it...but until then, here are some other fun things I was thinking about.

The obvious: every girl loves a manicure/pedicure, and they're simple to swing by and pick up during your lunch break or on the drive home from work. It would be even more fun, to put two in one package and let your mom or sister take a guest (and if you're lucky - she'll choose you).

Another fun gift would be a beautiful throw wrapped up with a favorite movie, specifically if you're a member of my family - we're constantly fighting over the one good blanket in the den.

I saw these on Etsy and immediately thought it would be a great idea for parents (mom or dad). This isn't a "run out and pick it up" option - but if you're already starting to think about next year, this would be such a fun thing for mom to unwrap on Christmas morning.

I saw these on Blueprint Bliss (via Deliciously Organized) and thought they would be so cute for a mom (or sister) who's running a tight ship. Both my mom and my sister are constantly busy.

Fun jewelry is always an option, so check out J.Crew, Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, Banana Republic and those cute boutiques in your neighborhood.

Things for the house are always a good idea. My mom is probably one of the least formal people you're bound to meet - but in Pier1 the other day she commented how pretty the silver-leafed chargers were (which I now can't find on the internet), and you can find them in almost any price range. I even saw some at World Market yesterday for $2.99 a piece.

If you live in my little sister's dream world, then you might just think a quick trip to NYC would be the perfect gift, and it would...but that's only if you're working on a much larger budget than I am! I always think the most fun presents are the ones that involve DOING something, rather than wearing something, or installing batteries of any kind.

And if you're mom - then her all-time favorite present she's ever received is this piece of paper, cut into a circle, that says "I'm Thumbody Special." It's hung on our tree by a piece of red yarn and you can't even see the thumbprint anymore. I'm pretty sure my sister gave it to her. So if you're 5-years-old, or trying to make something for a 5-year-old to give as a gift...that's a pretty safe bet.

The One About My Inherent Craftiness (PT. II)

Guess what!? I finally finished one of my projects...and they looks so pretty. Remember when I was talking about getting some Christmas decorations together...well, I completed this one. And I bought a fake tree (with ornaments), and I have some packages to wrap up and put underneath is. My apartment definitely has a festive sort of feel. Now, if I could only find those dang white lights I want...apparently everywhere in Birmingham is sold out of the classic kind - and I do NOT do icicle lights.

I started with these supplies:

red satin ribbon I bought a roll of this at Hobby Lobby but I wish I had bought by the yard somewhere else, it turned out to be not be very high-quality, but I couldn't tell in the packaging.

styrafoam ball remember that adding the walnuts will add about 2 inches to the size of the ball on all sides, so you can choose a smaller one that what you would want the final product to be.

screw eye I chose a larger on so that the ribbon wouldn't be scrunched together at the top, and spraying it along with the ball blends it in to the final product.

floral wire I bought this because Martha told me to - you don't need it. If you can figure out how to tie a bow on that screw eye, all by yourself, without having weird wire holding it in place - then you're good to go.

gold spray paint just remember - shinier is better. A matte finish will not work as well.

I also needed a hot glue gun, and the glue to go with it - but that was simple. I had the gun and I just bought a new package of glue (you're going to use a lot of it).

The first step is to spray the ball with gold paint, and screw in the screw eye. This part is incredibly easy, the only difficult part was finding a place to let them dry. I had some leftover ribbon from Halloween that I didn't need anymore, so I tied them to a coat hanger with that. Then I hung the coat hanger from the kitchen cabinet knob, and swung the door out past the counter. Voila.

Trying to get the walnuts to lay next to each other, without holes is nearly impossible - which is the reason for spraying the ball first. Spray paint tends to soak into the ball so you won't get a very solid cover - but it makes a slight difference. In the end, no one is going to notice because the walnuts get a great coat and look all shiny and festive.

A note on the walnuts - it takes a much larger amount of walnuts to cover these balls that I anticipated. I bought five bags to cover these three balls, and ended up needing to run back to the store for another three.


See?

Then you just have to tie the bow to the screw eye, and loop more ribbon through it to hang. I hung mine from the curtain rod which was very simple, but you could use a nail too (or another screw eye).

And there is the final product (and a bit of my apartment). Trust me, if I can make this work, so can you. I vaguely wish they were a little bit bigger, but that would have just cost more money, so I'll live with these. Maybe next year I'll make two more and have a larger grouping.

My mom also suggested using this same idea on a styrafoam wreath which I thought would be pretty.

** Trust me - that last picture is bothering me more than it is you. I needed to close those blinds, get some better lighting, move the remote, fluff the pillow and that middle ribbon isn't even. Oh well, I'll try to retake it but the chances of that happening are slim to none.

The One About Gifts Given To Your BFF

from Smith & Hawken

I figured, since I am a genius when it comes to gift-giving and everyone I've ever given a gift to has absolutely loved it and still calls it their favorite gift ever - to this day, I should make a list for all my many millions of blog readers to reference.

Can you hear the sarcasm?

I can say though - with a fair amount of certainty that I online shop more than most people - and although it is generally a detriment to my bank account...it's about to come in very handy for you!

So, if you are planning to buy your very best friend a gift this year these are a few things floating around the internet that just might allow you to keep the BFF title until next Christmas.

This is pretty much genius, and perfect for a friend who is very indecisive (or if you're indecisive). You go into Sephora and buy this handy little package for $50. When your friend opens the box she can test all of the best-selling Sephora fragrances and THEN, when she's picked one (after weeks of contemplation), she just goes back to Sephora and picks up her brand new bottle of perfume. Genius. Not only does your friend have new perfume, which she picked out herself, but she also has loads of mini sample sized bottle which are the PERFECT thing to carry around in her purse. The anecdote to nasty-cigarette bar smell after a night out with the girls.

You're aware that I love Gadabout, so go out and get your friends some notecards. They have so many different styles, it's a one-stop-shop for all the girls.

I'm also obsessed with all things letterpressed. I think this is absolutely ridiculous. A city, all planned out in the vertical? Amazing. It's also a pretty large piece for the price so those of us who live in apartments with lots of walls and don't have the cash-money to fill those walls with original art ... well, there you are.

I also think this would be such a fun surprise to receive all wrapped up in pretty J.Crew wrapping, I am definitely not one to spend a fortune on costume jewelry (and neither are my friends) but it's so much fun to have a few great pieces. I'm a firm believer in buying people gifts you know they will love, but would never buy for themselves. It's always more fun that way!

Another fun idea? Pool all of the money you were planning on spending on your best group of girls and buy one big something. A session with a great photographer...wouldn't it be nice to have some professional images of those people you care most about? You could even wrap up a cute picture frame for each girl as a way of announcing the surprise. You could also splurge on a hotel room for a night. You can either go the - hotel downtown for a night of bar-hopping route, or a hotel with big fluffy down comforters for a night of pizza, cider and movies.

And, if you are a recent graduate (like me and my friends,) fun home gifts are always nice. I would never go out and buy this for myself - but isn't it adorable. Now that I might actually have a tailgate party (i.e. have been rudely removed from college and no longer tailgate AT the game) it could come in handy. And on a less football-related note, these and these would be adorable gift for girlfriends.

Oh - and for those of your friends who are constantly doodling, or writing down small thoughts...wouldn't this be wonderful. Easy to keep track of, and easy to keep up with. Precious covers too!

The One About My Inherent Craftiness

Holidays always make me feel a little bit crafty (despite my general inability to finish things in time, and the fact that my projects very rarely turn out the way they were planned). For Halloween I tried to hang a garland of letters spelling Happy Halloween over the giant window in my living room - the result was a LOT of orange ribbon holding up each letter, loads of glitter to be swiffered up and a garland that didn't even look all that great - the letters were flipping over to the ugly, not fully painted side. Oh, and there may or may not be some leftover black spray paint residue in the hallway of my apartment building, but shh - don't tell. Then this misfit of a garland stayed hung until, well - until Sunday. Fail.

But - this holiday season I am going to do better.

First and foremost, we're getting a tree. My roommate is allergic, so it's going to be a fake tree, but it'll be a tree - with pretty white lights, and ornaments and sparkle and presents underneath.

We're going to have a real-life evergreen wreath (with the perfect red bow) on the OUTSIDE door but on the inside I'm planning on making this little pretty (candy fix). Wouldn't it be so cute with peppermints? I also thought about this one (only big enough to hang in the center of the door)...I'm still working on the color scheme. Originally I was planning on all silver and white and happiness, but recently I've been leaning more towards the typical red and green - festive and fun. I'm young right - my Christmas decorations can be cute, they don't have to be pretty.

Also, I saw this from Martha, and it seems pretty simple. Does that work with the red and green theme? I want it too but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't like it as much if it wasn't covered in 24k gold. Maybe I'll switch out the bow for red...that would work right? I have a massive window in my living room, I thought three of these (one in each window) would look really pretty.

I'm also considering making some of my own ornaments - I have none of my own, and I would like to have a full Christmas tree. Places like Home Depot and Target sell mass quantities of red, silver and gold balls (pretty blah if you ask me) but I think I could use those and then punch it up with some fun handmade things. Kind of like this and this. Seriously people - where does Martha come up with these things?

Oh, and I'm going to need stockings - and holders. I really like these from Target, but unfortunately there are just two of us in my apartment. I guess I could just hold on to the others - I think they're really cute and they're inexpensive. And then there are these...which I absolutely ADORE, and because I want them they are "no longer available." Maybe they have them in the store. I guess I could take a trip to The Summit to check it out....

What are y'all doing to decorate for Christmas? I need some good suggestions for my very first real-life apartment and my very first Christmas not living at my parents - oh, and my very first real-life Christmas party.

I guess that means I'll have to do something with the table...and there will be food involved. Aren't you looking forward to a completely holiday-inspired December around here. Eventually I'll get to the point where I can't talk about anything else and you'll love it. Have I already gotten there?

The One About Halloween Costumes

Fort Worth was so incredibly fun. I have the greatest friends - but I've never been so exhausted in my life and I'm JUST NOW starting to recover. It's a little bit amazing how much I miss Texas. I loved college, but I never in my life thought I would want to go back. This weekend the thought was definitely creeping into the back of my mind (if by "back of my mind" I really meant I definitely wanted to move back the entire time).

Maybe one day.

Don't freak out Mom.

Don't you love my Max costume? He's adorable right? It worked out perfectly (except for the part about it being 1,000 degrees above the temperature of the sun). There were also construction workers, hippies, Lady Gaga, and a giant elephant running around. Halloween is just generally amazing.

We went to Chimy's and then the brand new Pour House on Friday night. Saturday we tailgated and then changed into Halloween costumes for The Aardvark. Back in the dark ages (my freshman year) a band called Taylor and Young used to play all the time but since they're a couple of years older than me, they graduated and left town. Boo. But - in a blaze of "I'm a Freshman" glory they were back Saturday night - at The Aardvark no less.

Generally the weekend was amazing, and made me think I was a. 18-years-old and b. ancient all at the same time. It's definitely an incredibly weird feeling.

The One About Halloweekend

It's coming up...

Unfortunately, I'm in the real world now so I only get one night of Halloween, but it still ranks right up there as one of my all-time favorite holidays.

This year, I'm going to be...drumroll please...MAX.

Aren't I adorable?

My mom is the coolest mom ever and is making my costume from scratch (minus the black Converse I went to purchase at Hot Topic last night).

I know...my first ever time PURCHASING something in Hot Topic, it was interesting to say the least.

I'm also going to be in Fort Worth for the holiday. Although I haven't actually celebrated Halloween in Birmingham as an adult (read: old enough to consume alcohol) I'm pretty sure college is the pinnacle of Halloween-ness, so I figured I'd go back and join in the fun. PLUS - I have to see ONE football game this year. I mean...we are ranked #6. And we do things like this...

And make people look like this...

And it's just generally fun to watch. TCU should plan Homecoming and Halloween on the same weekend every year. Recently though it's been the same weekend at our game with UNLV...which is not always in Fort Worth. Although Vegas was fun for Halloween too...

The One To Get All Caught Up

Work has been CRAZY busy this week. My boss returned from maternity leave and we have been trying to get everything back in order. It's been a crazy whirlwind of a week outside of work too. I've been learning about money from Dave, watching football (had either South Florida or Tulsa actually beaten the crappy teams they were playing - TCU would be even closer to the Sugar bowl), having a girls night pizza party, and planning my next trip to Texas (14 days...). It has been POURING down rain here, but lucky for me it's stopped today and Alabama has decided it can be Fall now. When I left the house this morning it was 54 degrees. THAT is what I'm talking about. I'm wearing a scarf, and jeans, and boots, and a cozy corduroy jacket and I AM HAPPY. The only thing that could make this better is if we didn't have to work, and I was going to Nashville this weekend. Georgia is playing Vanderbilt and this might be the only game in the near future Georgia has a change of winning. WHY DO WE LOOK LIKE CRAP - Willie Martinez, I'm going to run you over with my car.

In other news (in case you didn't catch that up there)...I'm going to Texas for Halloween/Homecoming. I need a good idea for a Halloween costume that can easily fit inside a suitcase. Last year I was a turkey - and I wouldn't even fit inside a bus.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I have a flapper outfit in my dress up box that I could bust out but that seems so unbelievably boring. I would love to not have to pack extra shoes and what not. American Airlines LOVES to charge you for that checked bag - and I'm going to be an amazing packer and only take one carry on. Maybe...

I'll be back later with a really wonderful outfit for this really wonderful day. It's all blustery and cold and gray. It's the kind of day that makes me wish I lived in New York City, I'm not sure why.

The One With The Fourth

Have a very happy Fourth of July! As much as I wish I could skip town and lay on some sand right about now, I really do love Birmingham for the 4th. We'll be having good food and fun with good friends. I hope you can say as much about your holiday. I'll be laying by the pool - might even take a trip to the club and go diving for beer...enjoy!