it's finally friday, folks.

it is finally here.

"it" being friday.

you know you're in trouble when you wake up thinking it's friday

and then suddenly, your heart is shattered to pieces, when you find out it's only wednesday.

double whammy, if you ask me.

this week has managed to drag on a little too long for my liking.

needless to say, i'm thrilled today is finally here.

can i get an, "oh yeah!"?

i'm hoping you have grand plans for the last weekend in september.

unfortunately, due to lovebird and i being miles apart {at the moment},

my weekend will consist of:

 cleaning and then decorating our home. 

performing, or rather rock and rolling. 

reading, homework and studying. 

oh, and patiently awaiting lovebird's arrival back home, 

because i know it will be accompanied by hugs and kisses that smell of a camp fire.

{yes, i secretly love that smell.}

that's another "oh yeah" in my books.

happy weekend! 

p.s. can you believe monday is october first already?

time flies, i tell you.

xoxo

five senses.

hello to this week's five senses:

touch:more like, not being able to stay in touch with lovebird this weekend. 

he's being a complete nerd and going on a geology field trip for school.

surprisingly, quite far away, to a place with no reception... 

leaving us out of touch for a few days. 

yikes.

taste:ginger ale. what would i ever do without you?

it's my beverage of choice nowadays. 

you can blame my horrible {and regular} stomach aches for this.

smell:bath and body works candles. holiday scented ones, to be exact.

{i lucked out on the 'buy 2 for $20' sale.}

the best 20 dollars i spent, because our house smells absolutely divine. 

they remind me that the holidays are just around the corner.

see:believe it or not, we have another performance this weekend.

come to our rock show {aka fundraiser}.

what's not to love about an evening full of delicious food, dance and rock and roll? 

absolutely nothing. 

hear:lately, nothing pleases me more than the sound of our  

washing machine, dryer and dishwasher running. 

it's the sign of clean house;

something i feel my busy schedule has managed to neglect. 

do help me. 

your turn- let me here your five for the week. 

{link up or leave a comment below. }

xoxo

falling for...

i'm falling for fall.

but, we have a slight problem...

it doesn't exactly feel like fall here.

it's getting there....

i can feel a tiny breeze outside, 

i can see the leaves aching for change,

and the holidays seem to be creeping up on us. 

but, for some odd reason, we {as in california} are in an awkward stage.

you know, that stage of it not being summer, yet not feeling like fall?

that stage where you don't know if you should

dress in fall colors or stick to the summer hues while you still can.

or that stage of autimatically feeling like it's fall because school's in session,

yet if you wear a sweater of any sort, you'll end up breaking a sweat with just one step on campus.

which, brings me to my point...

the heat.

summer is officially over, and the heat needs to go.

these 90 degree days are putting a delay to fall's arrival. 

it's time for the sun to take a rest;

i would love a few rain showers or thunder storms.

anything that will give me an excuse to pull out our fall clothes, 

that seem to be jumping out of my closet in hopes they'll get worn. 

so... until those rain drops fall, 

or more signs of fall make their appearance,

i plan on falling in love with the pieces of fall i already have;

like fall's "it" color {plum purple},

pumpkin frozen yogurt, decorations, hot chocolate 

and the lightest layers i can manage to wear in this heat. 

has there been a delay in fall's arrival where you live?

or are you lucky enough to enjoy it already?

if so, i'm completely jealous.

1...2...3...4...5...6...

it's a monday.

which also means it's a:

school day, work day and dance day.

a day that came too soon after the weekend. 

it's definitely a no-make-up kind of a day.

it's a day i spend wishing it was already friday.

a day that seems to last an eternity.

a day that has a momentum, 

or a feeling of a fresh start to a new week.

speaking of a new week...

i'm really hoping this one goes better than last week.

man, last week was ruff;

in every possible way.

especially, in the sleeping department.

or should i say lack of sleep?

lately, i have been counting sheep- hundreds of them.

my mind can't seem to shut off at night.

or sometimes it completely shuts off,

and i'm left lying in bed with an empty, nearly silent, brain.

i can't figure it all out; it's quite frustrating.

i'm the type of person who can only survive with ample hours of sleep.

not to mention, the minute lovebird's head hits the pillow- he's out. 

which, obviously adds to my frustration.

i'm hoping my lack of sleep was in relation to the 

terrible-horrible-no-good-very-bad-week 

i couldn't seem to escape from last week.

which leads me back to monday.

this monday, i'm hopeful.

hopeful for many nights of sleep,

happy thoughts, motivation, healthy days, 

and for things to go right this week.

sorry for the pity party.

i guess i just needed to vent a little-

and you just happened to be the listener.

thanks kindly.

happy monday to you.

see you tomorrow for a happy post.

i promise. 

it's finally here. {well, almost.}

i love autumn.

{thank goodness it officially starts tomorrow.}

happy autumn, my dearest friends.

this is my favorite time of year.

hands down; no argument.

i think i'll pull out my boots and scarfs, 

order a yummy apple cider from starbucks,

stock up on cans of pumpkin,

pull out my fall decorations {early on} to enjoy their festivity, 

and finally light my fall scented candles. 

{candles during the holidays are my weakness- i swear i could burn through one a week if lovebird let me.} 

all these things, just to celebrate autumn's arrival. 

after all, i'm so excited i don't have to anticipate doing all my favorite things;

 wearing fall colors, lighting those delightful scented candles, 

baking pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, wearing layers upon layers, 

coming home to a festive home and sleeping with the windows open at night.

all good things happen in the autumn. 

what are you doing to celebrate the first day of autumn?

i hope you have a happy weekend

and that the first day of autumn is nothing but exciting for you.

i have to get through two tests today before i enjoy tomorrow-

which means the celebration will be that much better.  

xoxo

{source of picture: unknown. sorry!}

hi-ho, hi-ho it's off to school i go.

the focus is on school this week.

 this semester has finally settled into the full swing of things;

tests are being thrown right and left,

teachers are suddenly in their strict moods,

waking up for class is becoming a bigger chore,

i'm starting to see less and less of lovebird

and the piling up of homework seems to be creating mountains.

life is crazy when in school.

or maybe life is crazy due to trowing school on top of my already

overbooked and busy schedule...?

regardless, school is a happy place for me.

some people are just made for school, and i'm one of those.

lovebird on the other hand- is counting down every last second.

he's a little over school, to put it politely. 

that being said, i'm so glad we are both in school-

bettering ourselves, our brains and our futures.

cheers to being students.

if only i could somehow figure out how add an extra 

hour in the day for cuddling, instead of doing homework.

then, life would be too good to be true. 

take.

i'll take a pair of these, please.

wouldn't mind having them in black too.

this week, i'll also take an extra piece of chocolate,

or four if i'm allowed.

i'd take an extremely hot bath at any given point;

one i can sit in for an hour while reading next to a scented candle.

if i could, i'd take a puppy tomorrow.

okay, i swear that's the last time i'll mention a puppy.

{at least for this week. i can't make any promises for next.}

if taking your bed to class in the morning was permitted,

i'd be the first one to class every single day. 

are taking your vitamins every day important to you?

if so, what do you take?

i'm curious, because i don't take anything, and i'm beginning to wonder if i should.

as tired and exhausted as i may be on any give day,

i never will take a sip of a red bull or a 5 hour energy drink.

they literally scare me and make my heart skip a beat just thinking about them. 

lately, i'm trying not to take life to seriously.

or should i say, living it with my stubborn perfectionist ways?

sure, i laugh {almost too often},

but, i never let go of that perfectionist in me;

 and sometimes that's exactly what i need to do.  

take, take, take.

what are you taking part in this week?

happiness in ten.

then things that make me terribly happy:

{as of right this very moment}

1. signs that fall is soon to arrive; 

cooler weather, pumpkin scents and a few crunchy leaves have fallen.

2. this lipgloss in the shade ample pink . it's my go to color.

3. emails from elder carlson. he melts my heart with his happiness.

4. almond butter on toast. 

5.fall's rich and saturated colors: plum, jade and cobalt.

6. anything aztec. i'm in an indian kick lately.

7. being a red head; it's so different and fun for a change.

8. puppy shopping... i think we may be onto something. ;)

9. teaching my students who practice hard and have a true love for the piano.
it really does make all the difference. 

10. inside joke and names with lovebird. he has me laughing awfully hard lately.

what is on your list of happy things right now?

do tell.  

far far away.

what a weekend.

a long, drawn out, lazy weekend.

lazy, because we intended it to be that way.

my body felt like it went through the ringer this week, {thank you, ballet}

and i was craving some much needed down time with lovebird.

we almost spent every waking moment together,

minus lovebird's hours at work.

it's in those moments when you realize that

doing nothing with the one you love is far better than anything else.

it's as if you drift off into this land that seems to only exist rarely, due to 

the perplexity of life's busy schedule. 

however, when you do drift off... 

it's complete bliss.

lovebird and i managed to have a weekend of that complete bliss;

which included puppy shopping, barnes and nobel reading, lunch dates,

cuddles sessions, a tasty sunday dinner, back tickles and a long nap time.

sometimes i wish i could just permanently move to this far off land;

but, then i remember that reality is a good thing-

being busy is a good thing;

hardly seeing lovebird during the week can even be a good thing,

and running place to place, from thing to thing can be a good things too...

because it's when life grants you those moments 

of nothingness with the one you love,

it's then, and only then, you truly appreciate that land of far off bliss. 

our weekend was blissful.

we "flew" back from this far off land last night and hit the 

ground running with another full week of business ahead! 

the thrills of life are endless;

and thank goodness those moment of bliss are infinite too. 

the secret is: 

to embrace them when you get the chance. 

how was your weekend!? 

xoxo

i'm in shock.

i'm so sorry for the small hiatus.

i suppose that happens when life takes over all at once.

all a little too fast.

i've been busy rehearsing, performing and studying.

but, today... today i only have two hours of dance.

happy friday to me.

{this never happens}

and.... drum roll please....

i have saturday off too!

now, that never happens. 

this my friends, is why i am in utter shock. 

happy weekend to you.

i hope you all have lovely adventures.

our's will hopefully be spent puppy shopping,

having a date night in- watching a chick flick,

eating gelato, and catching up on some much needed sleep.

enjoy your weekend. i'll catch up with you monday.

xoxo

{photo credit: milano photography}

five senses.

five senses of the week:

see: come see our ballet company perform in the park.

when: this thursday at 6:00 p.m.

best part? it's free and outdoors!

{email me if you want more information or are interested in coming!}

hear:the faint chirps of the crickets that sneak through my 

barely cracked window at night.

it's early on, but this sound is a sure sign of fall. 

touch:brookstone's nap blankets.

can you say heaven on earth?

i probably shouldn't admit this, but i can't go to sleep without mine.

lovebird has even given the blanket a name.

make fun of me all you want,

because nothing will change my mind about these blankets. 

taste:lovebird's hooked onto a new taste... siggi 's yogurt.

he raves about how creamy, thick and delicious it is every single morning.

which, i'd have to agree... it's pretty tasty.

only downfall:  it's on the pricey side. 

smell: i'm totally addicted to the smell of my body wash and lotion.

it's nothing special, just olay quench.

my skin adores this stuff and soaks it up like crazy, 

leaving my "skin as smooth as a baby's bottom".

favorite perk? the tiny sparkles it leaves behind. 

what are your sense up to this week?

do share and be certain to link up below so i can come read them! 

if only i could do this every day...

 i keep pinching myself.

did i really just fly home in a private jet for a day?

{like i said, i keep pinching myself.}

what a fun, unexpected, blessing and experience.

i say blessing, because a trip home was well needed.

quite literally an answer to my prayers.

i was craving a little family time.

i'm forever thankful to my 'new friend' who so graciously extended the offer.

how could i ever say no to something this great?

but more importantly, how can i ever repay him or say thank you enough?

a batch of cookies just doesn't quite compare to a jet ride home.

{any suggestions? start brainstorming!}

what a flight, what a memory and what a day.

the whole 32 hours went by oh, so fast.

i walked onto the jet expecting to be a passenger... 

but instead of being bumped up to "first class", i got bumped up to copilot. 

hello, awesomeness. 

i spent every minute home with family.

complete bliss, i tell you.

i hoped back on that plane and enjoyed a late night ride

{all alone again- this time lounging in the back}

replaying the laugher, memories and love spent in those hours;

trying not to fly away too fast.

it was a perfect weekend, 

thanks to a trusty little jet.

{oh, and the best family in the world.}

being brave.

happy weekend.

i'm off to take my first test of the semester... wish me luck.

then, i'm hoping on a private jet to fly home{salt lake city}.

bucket list item: check. 

i'm headed home for a grand total of 24 hours;

just enough time to say hello to my family, eat at a favorite restaurant,

possibly get my hair done and spend the rest of those minutes with my mom. 

surprisingly, i'm more nervous for the flight than i am for the test.

so please, wish me more luck for the flight.

i hope you have a lovely weekend!

i'll report back with awesome pictures and a quick tale of 

the adventures that happen in the next 24 hours.

until then, i keep telling myself to be brave.

xoxo

coming to terms.

coming to terms with:

1. bathrobes:

i seem to collect bathrobes all of a sudden. 

i do tend to live in them whenever i am home, but still... i find this a little weird.

2. chocolate for breakfast?

{i've actually never done that, believe it or not.}

i will never skip breakfast or having a piece of chocolate at some point in the day.

both are too good to skip; and by good, i mean, good for the heart. right?

3. bucket list item:

i may be going on a crazy adventure this weekend. i'm slightly really nervous. 

4. stress and school go hand in hand:

school is stressful no matter how "easy" your classes are. 

i'm referring to my supposedly easy music and health class; 

both of which i'm panicing about. 

5. ginger:

the cure to all of my stomach issues as of late. 

not joking... got a belly ache? try candied ginger or a classic ginger ale.

 6. being a ballerina:

i have finally come to terms with the fact that my body will never not be sore.

i figure, if i embrace that fact now, the pain may be slightly more tolerable.

7. phone calls:

i call the ones i love at least twice a day.

if he's lucky, lovebird may even get up to five phone calls per day.

midge may even be tied for first place too.

8. penny saver:

okay, i'm not really a penny saver; i enjoy spending a little too much. 

however, i am a deal junkie.

i participate in every deal going on at the grocery store, even if lovebird

tells me i didn't end up saving a single penny in the long run.

those promotions are just too tempting, i tell you!

a bit of randomness today, 

but, we all come to terms with ourselves here and there;

in doing so, we become the very best version of ourself. 

it's the only way to be the best you.

santa cruz.

labor day in ten:

1. let's go to... santa cruz.

2. our partners in crime: the tibbs, plus baby graham. 

{only the cutest baby ever, and has been from day one}

3. we took a nice long stroll on the boardwalk;

which, consisted of roller coasters, people watching and the

scrumptious scent of cotton candy on a hot summer day. 

4. a tiny, but lovely scenic drive on "west cliff" road.

{do you want a beach house on a cliff as much as i do?}

5. classic stop for ice cream at the town's most popular stop.

6. side trip to capitola;. a darling, quaint little shopping area.

{take me back soon, please!}

7. back in the car for more driving, tired baby cries, and labor day traffic.

8. can't have a holiday without delicious food, right?

our holiday consisted of a gourmet lunch and a 'pit stop' at five guys and fries.  

9. lots of laughter due to talk of nose jobs, comparison in burger joints 

and the argument over the state of always wanting something.

10. all that diet coke didn't affect the exhaustion from the fun day;

back home we went and jumped right into bed.

cheers to awesome friends, holidays that fall on a monday
 and the beach, of course.

how was your holiday? 

greetings in september.

goodbye august. hello september.

goodbye summer. hello school. 

goodbye novels. hello textbooks.

goodbye free days. hello homework.

goodbye to the trendy mint green. hello to fall's {much anticipated} hunter green.

goodbye to shopping. hello to saving.

{per lovebird's request. ops!}

goodbye to summery pinks and corals. hello to opi's germany collection.

goodbye to wearing white. hello to the labor day rule.

{i am a strict follower of this rule.}

goodbye too hot temperatures. hello to a tiny taste of fall's breeze.

goodbye rehearsals. hello performances.

{come see our free show in the park on thursday the 13th!}

goodbye to learning about skulls. hello to learning about music.

goodbye summer snacking. hello attempting to eat healthy. 

goodbye to our 2nd anniversary. hello to my parents big 40!

{congratulations you two! so inspiring.}

goodbye summer adventures. hello structured schedule. 

goodbye summer bbq's. hello crockpot. 

goodbye to summer clothing. hello to a crazy anticipation for fall clothing. 

goodbye traveling. hello to staying put at home.

{actually quite excited about this.}

goodbye to missing crew. hello to missing him even more.

goodbye bad habits. hello to fall's fresh start. 

goodbye pretty looking feet. hello pointe shoes. 

goodbye roots. hello hair appointment.

{anyone have a hair lady they absolutely LOVE in the bay area?}

goodbye to spending lots of time with lovebird. hello to missing that like crazy.

goodbye watermelon season. hello to craving you all fall. 

{you've been a real treat this year. we've enjoyed you a little too much}

goodbye sleeping with just the sheets. hello to covers, blankets and snuggles.

 goodbye august. hello september. 

happy labor day to you!

enjoy your day- hope it is full of all things fun.

holidays are simply the best.

*please link up if you do your own "goodbye-hello".

and don't forget to email me if you want to exchange buttons!!!