Memorial Day!

Never forget the men and women

who bravely gave their lives,

so that we can have one!

beach bound!

in a few hours i'll be heading down to carlsbad for a much anticipated vacation! one thing i love about living in los angeles is that some of the greatest travel destinations in the country are within driving distance of my house. the carlsbad/san diego area is definitely one of my favorites!

[our hotel]

we're packed, the car is loaded, the tank is full, we have our sunscreen, tanning oil, and a surplus of magazines to enjoy by the pool...we are set! now we just have to get off of work [praying for a surprise half day (which usually happens before a work holiday!] and we'll be on our way!

i hope all of you enjoy your time off! remember the true meaning of memorial day and say a thank you to the men and women who bravely gave their lives so that we can live ours. i'm eternally grateful.

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• i am in L♥VE with the new katy perry song, california gurls! i think it's so fun and perfect for summer!

• the lovely jennifer at southern living: preppy style is giving away a pair of gorgeous earrings by kate puck! check out her blog and enter for your chance to win!

• oh, and as a side note, i've added a current giveaways page to the top of my blog instead of having the links on my sidebar. i'll keep it updated so be sure to check it out!

• after reading all of your reviews and seeing pictures, i am dying to see sex and the city 2...even more than i was before. i think i'll be seeing it sunday!
  

i don't know if i'll be updating/reading blogs before tuesday so i want to wish all of you a very happy weekend!! enjoy every minute!

[via]

it's thursday...the day before friday!

last weekend, i happened to stroll into my neighborhood old navy. i was shocked to see the checkout line extend all the way to the back of the store. i wish i was exaggerating...apparently, classic flip flops for $1 each really brings the crowd in! normally, i would turn right around and come back another time, but i wasn't really in a hurry so i checked out the deals.

i was so excited to find that all swimsuit separates were $10 each! i have been looking for a new bathing suit, but i didn't really want to pay a lot of money. even target's swimsuit separates start at $17.99 each and none of the styles really fit me well so i couldn't really bring myself to spend $40 on a bikini that i only kinda liked.

anyway, back to old navy! i found the cutest bikini, which will be perfect for memorial day weekend, for only $20!!! it was totally worth the half hour wait in line!

find it here and here


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on another note, trish over at pink preppy lilly lover, is giving away a lilly pulitzer murfee scarf! head over to her cute blog to see how you can enter to win.

is that a deal i see?

i spy:

steve madden 'saahara' sandal

$49.95

but i'll buy:

Soda Promise Turquoise Faux
Suede Triple Buckle Sandal


$20

I was eyeing the Steve Madden's in my turquoise post from yesterday, but the Soda sandals from LuLu's look so similar, and for a fraction of the price!

turquoise fever

In the winter, I tend to wear only black, gray, and white...boring, boring!

With the arrival of summer, I am finding myself
gravitating towards bright colors and fun summery items!

[image]

Turquoise is a great summer color, and I hope to be
adding at least some of the following to my summer wardrobe:

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Do you have any favorite turquoise items?

happy

today will be a good day. not only is it friday,
but i'm alive and happier than i've ever been!

wishing you all a beautiful weekend!

[all images can be found here]

happiness is...

summer nights spent grilling

picnics under the sun

the ocean breeze on my face

holding hands

a heart full of love

cupcakes


craft beer


a good night's sleep

all images via weheartit


what makes you happy?

weekend recap

A big hello to my lovely readers!

Well, we made it through Monday! I was actually very happy for Monday to come around because I got to pick up my darling C! My weekend was fairly boring without him in town, but like I said last week, I was glad for the chance to recharge and relax.

On Saturday, I decided to see a movie! I don't know about you, but I actually really don't mind going to the movies by myself. I saw Letters to Juliet. I thought it was cute, but obviously very predictable. Then again, most romantic comedies are just that. I guess I'd say I enjoyed it, but would probably not watch it again. It was perfect for passing a couple hours of my afternoon though.


After the movie, I went to browse the mall. I found the cutest little tee at Forever 21. The graphics are all Parisian landmarks...I love it! The best part is that it was only $10.90! I also found an adorable jersey dress [with pockets!!] from H&M for $7.95! I love when I find things I love and all for a great price!


Sunday was lovely because I slept in until around 11:30 am. I decided to run to the grocery store and back home for a relaxing day on the couch. I caught up on all of my DVR'd shows. Later that night, I settled in for the Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains season finale. I'm sad to see that show has ended, but I'm excited for the next edition, which will be filmed in Nicaragua.

And that's that. Boring and low key, but just what I needed to get back into the swing of things!

Have a great day!

PS - today is this lady's birthday...she's pretty awesome so make sure you go wish her a happy birthday, if you haven't already!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUMMER!

advice from june's instyle

One of my favorite things to do is check my mail. Granted, there are a TON of bills that I'd rather not receive, but every month I look forward to getting my InStyle and Lucky magazines! This month's InStyle features the always lovely Salma Hayek [whom I especially loved in Fools Rush In].

Her feature article included Nine Things Salma Would Tell Her Younger Self. I enjoyed reading her advice, and thought you might find it interesting as well:

1. Floss! Take care of your teeth.
2. Don't worry too much or be discouraged by other people's opinions.
3. Create some good habits, such as the way you eat and exercise.
4. Don't waste time trying to impress the fools.
5. Avoid drama, and don't spend your time talking about it or giving in to it.
6. Count your blessings every day.
7. Enjoy nature.
8. Spend every second you can with your grandparents, and write down what they tell you. Film them if you can.
9. Keep a diary. I wish I had written down all the beautiful things men have told me...and they meant it.

I thought about where I stood with all of her advice:

1. I'm proud to say that I floss every day! For me, my mouth does not feel clean unless I do.
2. If I got a penny for every time I worried, I'd be a million-billion-gazillionaire. I worry far too much. I wish I could relax a little and just live, but that doesn't seem very likely. In all honesty, I'm defined by my worrying.
   
3. I'm working on creating good habits and learning that a lifestyle change can be good.
4. I think we all try to impress the fools, but don't realize until it's too late that their opinions mean zip.
5. I don't really have too much drama in my life so I'm grateful for that!
6. I need to do this more...way more.
7. I love nature. Except when it's 120 degrees outside and I'm getting bit by mosquitoes. Then I don't love nature so much.
8. Unfortunately, I was not close to any of my grandparents...they had all died either before I was born or before I reached the age of 8, and we were in different states so I never had the "going to grandma's house for the weekend" experience.
9. This blog is a diary, right? I'm good with this one :)

what advice would you tell your younger self?

cookies cookies everywhere

Happy Thursday to my lovely readers!

Here we are again, it's almost that time! Soon it will be Friday and we will have 2 days of pure weekend bliss. I, for one, can't wait! Last weekend and this week have been very busy for me so I am ready to kick back, relax, and recharge!

I wanted to show you what's been keeping me so busy this week. C is in Florida right now for his cousin's high school graduation. While I couldn't go, I still wanted to send something for his family to enjoy. I got it in my head that it would be fun to make decorated sugar cookies...why I thought this is totally beyond me. But I was determined to see the project through!

By the way, I had initially decided on making around 30 cookies, but C quickly let me know that there was going to be a BIG party to celebrate and there were around 75 family members and friends coming [this is obviously the point when I should have turned and run away, but I have this overpowering desire to impress the family]...

After several failed attempts at getting the right shade of royal blue icing, I started to give up. But then I came up with the brilliant idea of e-mailing the Cookie Queen herself, and my goodness, she was so helpful! She was like a cookie angel sent from above! Armed with her excellent tips and advice, I set out once more to try to decorate the cookies and this time, I was successful!

batch 1 ready to go into the oven

decorated graduation caps

the finished product

designerfavors made me these cute labels

What do you think??

Helpful Sources I Used:
Sugar Cookie Recipe,
Royal Icing Tutorial,
Graduation Cookie Instructions, and of course...
the brilliant mind of Pink Martinis and Pearls, aka the Cookie Queen!

i'm annoyed [total rant]

You may remember that I joined the gym [which I will refer to as *large chain gym*] at the beginning of 2010. There are two within the same general vicinity as my house and work. I have been driving about 7 miles one way, after work, to go to the nicer of the two gyms. On the weekend and nights I don't feel like driving, I go to the less nice gym closer to my house, about 5 miles one way.

So imagine my delight when *large chain gym* decided to open a new gym right smack between my house and work...literally! I have been patiently waiting months and months for this gym to open [seriously, it's encountered every single delay imaginable] and it finally has!

I was so excited to check it out last night and it really is spectacular. The cardio machines are awesome, the workout equipment is top-notch, the group exercise classes look promising, etc. etc...

BUT...and of course there is a but....

My current membership does not include access to the new gym! Apparently, there are four different levels of gym, and my membership only allows access to three of them. What??! Am I the only one who thinks this is crazy? I am so tired of additional fees, hidden taxes, upgrade charges, and whatever else companies can think of to make us pay even more!

I'm more than likely going to pay the extra $15 a month to have access to the "Super Sport" level, but I think it's absolutely ridiculous and honestly, I feel taken advantage of. When I signed up for my membership, I was automatically assigned the "Sport" level because that was what the gym closest to me is considered.

Now that there is a higher-level gym near me, I am going to be forced to pay the additional fees while new members probably get a really good deal to sign up. It makes no sense. If companies want to stay in business, you'd think they'd first look at accommodating their already existing customers instead of raising prices on them.

Ughhhhhh...I'm just so annoyed by this!

Am I alone in my way of thinking?
Am I overreacting?

etsy favorites

It's no secret that I adore etsy. In fact, last year I hosted a week of giveaways and all of the prizes were fabulous finds from etsy sellers. I've been doing a lot of etsy [window] shopping lately, and have come across some great finds. Here are some items that I have added to my favorites list:

1) I love the fun prints found at Erin Jane Illustrations. Erin designs these illustrations herself and there are so many different and unique options! Wouldn't a set of these look great above your desk or in the bedroom, to provide added inspiration to your day?

2) The Preppy Ladybug sells some great stationery products. I am obsessed with the honeycomb note cards [pictured below] and they've been on my favorites list for months. These would be so cute to send out to your friends, complete with a corresponding return address label. Preppy and fun! Plus, TPL is located in Cumming, GA, which is where I'm from so I am extra supportive of her!

3) Nella Design Studio is another print shop that offers the most amazing custom prints! I think the Personalized Love Silhouette Print is so unique and would make a great wedding present. There are also a lot of cute children-themed prints that are too adorable!

Whenever I need to buy a gift, I always head to etsy. You can literally find whatever it is you are looking for and often times, you find things you didn't even know you wanted! I could spend hours looking around the site and not get bored.

What are some of your favorite etsy shops??

i love friday!

I am beyond excited that it's Friday! Not only is today payday [thank goodness. i just found out this week that $5 worth of gas does not get you very far!] but its the start of a beautiful weekend! I don't really have any big plans, but I think C and I will be going to see Iron Man 2 and to an afternoon Dodger game, which should be fun!

My sweet friend, Belle on Heels, tagged me to do the 8 Things game! I love reading these on other blogs so I hope some of you enjoy getting to know a little bit more about me.

8 TV Shows I Like to Watch
I am obsessed with this season of Survivor: Heroes vs. Villians, The Amazing Race, Top Chef Masters, Chefs vs. City on Food Network, MTV's The Challenge: Fresh Meat II [seriously, so amazingly entertaining], NCIS: Los Angeles, Bones, and Glee.

[currently my FAVE show on tv]

8 Favorite Places to Eat and Drink
I love to eat. It's pretty much my favorite thing, like ever. I plan all of my days around my meals and you better believe all my trips are planned around where to find the good food. Some of my favorite places to eat and drink are: Ladyface Ale Companie, PF Chang's, The Buffet at the Bellagio, Sonic [for the cherry limeades and tater tots!], Chick-fil-A, California Chicken Cafe, Chipotle, and Blue Dog Beer Tavern.

8 Things I Look Forward To
I have big plans in the works for a late summer vacation, but am not quite ready to spill the beans. So other things I look forward to are seeing my family again, gas prices going down [they have to eventually, right???], the day when I don't have to work anymore, finishing up my Master's degree, having money in my checking account TODAY!, settling down and living the American dream, and seeing Martina McBride at the OC Fair in July!

8 Things That Happened to Me Yesterday
Thursday was a boring day, but let's see...I got honked at in busy L.A. traffic,
I finished a paper for my N*ew Products Management class,
I turned in a jury service completion certificate to my boss [missed work Wednesday due to being at the courthouse from 7:45 am until 4:15 pm, just waiting for my name to be called to a panel...it never happened],
I made grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch AND dinner,
I put $5 worth of gas in my car which by the way, in California, only got me 1.5 gallons,
I loaded the dishwasher,
I returned a belt to H&M after work, and
I watched Survivor [I'm soooo mad at Candice!]. Yup, pretty boring day....

8 Things I am Passionate About
Umm...this is going to sound horrible, but I haven't really found what I'm "passionate" about in life. I like baking, but I'm not "passionate" about it. I like to exercise, but again, not "passionate" about it. I wish I could say I'm involved in a charity or volunteering, but I'm not. I do love my family and friends, hiking on the weekends, capturing memories, and making the best out of life.

8 Words or Phrases I Use Often
I'm always abbreviating everything so instead of seriously, I say "seri", instead of asking if someone made reservations, I ask if they got the "rezzis". Yes, annoying but I'm cuuuuute! :)

8 Words I Have Learned from the Past
I've learned a lot and I still have a lot to learn: in the past, I wasn't a very good friend and many of my friendships have ended because of my lack of determination to keep them going. I have cried over countless boys, only to discover they weren't worth it. I used to be a horrible driver, but it's best just to slow down and be cautious. When you don't pay things on time, the late fees are hard to swallow and it just sucks to throw money down the drain so just pay on time. That's only 4, but they're lessons well learned.

8 Places I would Like to Visit/See
I would love to visit Australia, Fiji, and Thailand. I'd like to go back to Switzerland, Key West, Hawaii, Korea, and San Francisco [love that city!].

8 Things I Currently Want/Need
I want an IPHONE!
I need more money so I can pay off my state and federal income taxes.
I need quarters to do laundry.
I need to make a grocery list for next week's shopping trip.
I want to get a massage.
I need to go to the gym.
I need to pick up my prescriptions from Target today.
I want the work day to be over so my weekend can start!


8 Bloggers I Tag
All of my readers! But I'll warn you, this thing takes a looooooong time to do!

Wishing everyone a happy weekend!

derby fun

c and i celebrated the 136th kentucky derby at the santa anita park. we were invited to a private event hosted by maker's mark and it was so fun! while the track wasn't having any races on site, it was still fun to watch the races on television while drinking a perfect mint julep and people-watching [there were some great outfits and hat combos so i'm already thinking about next year's attire - i had very short notice this year so there was no time to get an outfit together].

anyway, it's true what they say...the race is the most exciting 2 minutes in sports! i had my bets on jackson bend and stately victor, but was sad to see that neither of them placed. that's the last time i trust my instincts! ha! c bet on paddy o'prado to win and it was so neat to see him come up the side and take 3rd place in the last stretch of the race.

here are some pics from the day:


i can't wait for next year!!

thank you jill!

my sweet friend jill sent me a birthday present and i just had to share! imagine my delight when i opened up the surprise package to find all things cupcake! a cupcake notebook, a personalized notepad, ribbon, a cupcake luggage tag {seriously, so cute!}, recipe book, file folders, and the sweetest birthday note!

i'm so blessed to have met jill in person and to be able to call her my friend. she is an amazing person with the kindest heart. thank you so much, friend! i will always remember your thoughtfulness!