jackpot.

jackpot.

this quote summed up my emotions of the last few days, 

into one perfect quote.

lately i feel as though, my days have been a little hectic;

a little too busy, a little too long and a little on the repetitive side.

i've been coming home feeling exhausted, yet satisfied.

i couldn't quite figure out why i was in a weird funk of emotions-

until i read this quote, and suddenly it was like i won the jackpot.

i now understand why my feelings of stress and tiredness 

can coexist with my feelings of happiness and energy. 

there is so much truth in

"every day may not be a good...

 but, there is something good in every day."

too quickly, i come home at night and judge my entire day off the emotions

i am feeling at that very moment. stupidity, right?

of course, when i get home from dance every night after 9-

i can only expect to be exhausted, hungry and overwhelmed.

so, when lovebird asks how my day went, i simply reply with an "okay".

i often vent, complain and sometimes even cry.

but, after reading this quote- 

even though my day, as a whole, may not have been that 

exciting, rewarding, joyous or easy...

there is at least one good thing that happened, that i can reflect upon. 

it can be a simple things. 

it can be a big event.

it can be something that you least expected to happen.

it can be someone. 

it can be anything really.

the good news is, my friends,

there will always be at least one good thing in our day. 

it's bound to happen. 

so, i've decided to look at my days a little differently  now.

i'm going to remember that,
 even if my day doesn't turn out to be the best of days,

i will always find the goodness in that day and smile big. 

currently.

i am currently....
1. missing her so much. sometimes i just want and need her around.
2. loving this shower gel. no need for perfume after using this heavenly scent.
3. thankful i don't have to drive in the snow. {be safe, utah friends!}
4. wondering about this whole vine thing. i'm slightly intrigued and confused.
          *insert all of your thoughts on this topic here. i'm curious what you think.
5. learning to love water. unfortunately, it's not my favorite.
6. wishing there was a "slow down" button for life. it's passing too fast.
7. craving greek yogurt. it's a toss up for whether this one, or this one is my favorite at the moment.
8. wondering why i seem to overbook myself, when being super busy seems to stress me out. 
9. obsessed and addicted to my fireplace. a fire every morning is a necessity nowadays. 
10. in the mood for lots of t.v. this is so out of character for me. 

tuesday is already here, just like that.
thank goodness monday is over- it was a long one.
i'm currently wishing this week goes by quickly.
to help the time pass- i plan on catching up on all of your cute blogs,
so i can stay current with what your darling lives consist of.
xoxo

weekend hangover.

happy monday.

today marks the first day of spring semester for me.

i'm a little excited, anxious and already stressed at what's to come-

{meaning the homework, making room to study and an amplifying the word busy in my life}

but for now, it's still a happy monday.

our weekend was a lovely one.

a busy one indeed, but that's nothing new-

tons of rehearsal for me, a much needed dinner date night- just us two, 

a gossip girl marathon {should we be ashamed? good, because we're not.},

a little church, hung out with some of our favorite friends,

downton abbey- of course {yes, i'm still crying over sybil.},

and some very anticipated play time with mowgli.

how was your weekend?

tell me something good.

meanwhile, february is quickly approaching.

i'm feeling the need 'heart attack' my house.

i'm beginning to brainstorm which diy/crafts i'm wanting to tackle. 

do you have any suggestions?

i have one in mind- which, i'm hoping to share with you later this week.

so, please stay in touch, so we can share projects.

since monday is typically a long and dreaded day,

 i better say it one last time...

happy monday.

let's make the most of today.

xoxo

p.s. i'm well aware that my legs need to see the sun.

although- a sun tan, mid season for a ballerina, is a big "don't you dare".

so please, bear with me.

come may, my legs and the sun will have a joyous reunion. 

let's get dolled up.

let's talk makeup, shall we?

makeup is such an individualized thing.

my observation of makeup and women:

-some women don't dare step foot outside without completely being done-up,

while some women won't step foot in the makeup department. 

-some women load, cake and pile it on,

while other women wear barely any.

-some women swear by their favorite brand and never branch out,

while some women go from one trend/brand/product to the next eagerly.

-some women go for a bold, bright, daring and "out there" look,

while others stick to nude, subtle and "i'm not really wearing makeup" look. 

-some women spend hours practicing that perfect cat eyeliner

while some women don't even know what a liquid liner is.

where do you fall into place?

are you someone who can't imagine life without makeup?

or are you the type to give "el natural" it's definition? 

by the looks of the picture above you might have an assumption

of my obsession or love for makeup.

let's face it, it's true.

however, you may be surprised- because you have slightly been fooled.

yes, i do love makeup- the colors, the trends, the creativity, the product itself...

everything about makeup fascinates me.

however, and it's a big however,

i myself don't wear a ton of makeup on a daily basis.

my daily ritual and the three items i swear by:

a dab of mascara, blush {always!} and a bold lip.  

but, who's to say i can't live on the 'wild side' occasionally, and get all dolled up?

which, explains the shopping splurge pictured above.

{don't worry, it's not all for me. my mother and friend participated in the splurge as well.}

besides, in my opinion, a girl can never have too many lipstick colors.

since i haven't already asked you a million question in the post {ops, sorry!},

one last important one:

if you had to pick three, and only three, items of makeup to wear 

for the rest of your life, what would it be? 

i'm hoping to get a good makeup/product review out of your answers. fun, right?!

so, be specific and detailed- pretty please! 

meanwhile, it's time to be a girly girl and pull out that makeup.

go on, glamour up- it's the weekend!

love vs. hate

{image via}

five little things i love currently:
1. pink lady apples. they are out of this world right now.
2. the happiness i receive from teaching piano. i am blessed, i tell you.
3. all things white, cream, bone or ivory colored.
4. falling asleep with my head on lovebird's chest. it's the best kind of snuggle.
5. taking baths with epsom salts and homemade candles. pure bliss.

five little things i hate currently:
1. the sore throat that seemed to have made itself a home in my body. 
2. girls who are mean. what is the point? 
3. tomatoes. but, i'm learning to love them. or i'm at least trying to. 
4. my {recent} bad habit of going to bed super late.
5. the thought of having to start school on monday. aka: homework. 

your turn:
let me hear a love and/or a hate on your list today. 
in all things there is opposition, and that is why life is beautiful. 

date night.

you know it's going to be a good week 

when date night falls on a tuesday.

a date night in the middle of the week?

that's unheard of over here, in our neck of the woods.

{we have my late night rehearsals to thank for that one.}

canceled rehearsal for me + no homework for lovebird + a tuesday night =

a very rare occasion and the perfect excuse to have a date night out.

we headed to the theater to see the

Bad Boys of Dance

{directed by rasta thomas}

holy cow... amazing! i seriously loved every second of it.

from there dancing, expressions, stamina, six packs {or rather 12 packs},

talent, artistry, diversity and energy---

i was blown away.

being a dancer myself, i can be very critical without even trying.

but, tonight- i thoroughly enjoyed myself, all critiques left at the door. 

when i asked lovebird to rate them on a scale of 1 to 10,

he gave them a solid ten.

take his opinion or leave it- but, i'd say he's quite experienced in the dance world, now. 

or at least i like to think that i've taught him well. 

we had a lovely night out- if only i could go see it again tomorrow.

i'll take any excuse i get, to throw on a dress, fur scarf and put feathers in my hair.

besides, it's always nice to be in the audience watching for a change.

as much as i love being the performer, 

it's always good to be the observer every once and awhile.

i'm completely inspired at the moment. 

so, here's to having an inspiring wednesday!

xoxo

wishing vs. reality

happy tuesday.

somedays {or everyday} i spend time on pinterest, blogging or surfing the web

and come across millions of ideas, recipes, crafts, beauty tips, fashion inspiration, etc. 

sometimes it's overwhelming;

because i want it all or i want the time to do it all.

perfect example: the pictures above.

1. i adore those patterns,

which leaves me wishing i had a closet full of tons of variety.

{just so you know, here's where to find that lovely blouse and skirt.}

2. i love her arm candy,

making me crave trends, colors and layering. 

3. her natural curly hair?

 i simply long for.

4. a bold lip with natural looking makeup.

her skin is beautiful.

yes, chances are it's photoshopped, but still- 

i want that flawlessness and glow.

call me crazy, because i probably am.

i'm not being negative or ungrateful for what i have, in the slightest.

i'm just wishing that sometimes, 

the web's contents, were my reality.

if only i could snap my finger, and have

1. a home full of all those wonderful diy projects. 

2. a cookbook composed of all my "must try" recipes .

3. better yet, a table full of an already made delicious feast.

4. a closet that goes on for days; 

clothes all neatly organized and too many shoes to choose from.

5. every lipstick and nail polish color on the market.

the list goes on....

but, then i snap again- and realize my reality is pretty darn good as it is. 

and deep down, truly, i wouldn't change a thing.

so, that's why i justify all this wishing and wanting.

it's all temporary, where as the things in "real" life

are with me and a part of me forever.

that's why, i must never ever take things for granted.

especially, the people and blessings that surround me.

an even bigger especially, to never taking lovebird for granted.

 because no matter how many pinterest photos i can turn into my reality,

none of it would be a reality without him.

so, since we are all entitled to wishing and wanting-

let's do it together and live in happy-ever-after-pretend reality.

follow me on pinterest and i'll follow you.

we can share all sorts of ideas. 

how fun. 

weekend in ten.

our weekend in ten simple sentences:

1. work hard, play hard. 

{school and dance all day and night friday, lead to lots of playing.}

2. it's never to late to start new lifelong friendships.

{go ahead and meet them yourself; here and here.}

3. a slice of pie + five scoops of ice cream = a heavenly pie milk shake.

{must go to chile pies. the make one delicious, totally scrumptious, dessert.}

4. a weekend getaway to "our" city, san francisco.

5. a little hooked to watching a thing called, gossip girl.
that's not the issue, it's staying up into the wee hours of the night to do so.

6. leaving your dog at a "day care" for the first time is ruff. yikes.

7. wonderful visits with two of my best friends in life.
{who both ironically live is san francisco now.} 

8. food is a big part of my life. in a good way; i love to eat.

{we ate dinner here. great pizza if you're in the city!}

9. lovebird is a sucker for bubble tea. boba, in particular.

10. i fell in love all over again. 

i'm smitten, i tell you. 

hope you had a lovely weekend yourself.

what are a few weekend items on your list of ten?

i'm hoping to have a full week of blogging- wish me luck.

i've got to get back in the swing of things- 

my life journal here on the blog, has been neglected-

 plus, i feel so out of the loop on all of your darling blogs.

{it looks like i have my writing and reading cut out for me this week.}

i'm anxious to click through to your blogs- leave a comment below and

let's quickly get reacquainted. xoxo.

p.s. happy martin luther king day.
hope you are a lucky one who gets work off; if so, enjoy! 

shadow.

me and my shadow.

{literally, though.}

mowgli has been thriving for attention lately,

which boggles my mind, because i feel that sometimes i give him too much attention.

i'm that much in love with him.

in fact, sometimes often i don't get chores/errands done,

because i turn the corner and look behind me, to find him

following my every footstep.

those puppy eyes lure me in- i can't refuse his offer to cuddle or play.

so i play.

we go on outings, walks and to the dog park-

all while my house continues to collect dust.

however, i'm beginning to not mind-

because i'd rather have a little shadow for a best friend,

then a house with dirty bathrooms and dusty shelves.

cheers to mowgli, shadows and companionship.

xoxo

monday.

dear monday:
i am off to a late start.
sometimes i just can't get going in the mornings.
i'm hoping i stay on top {or ahead} of the rest of the day-
because i have a looooooong day ahead of me.
sometimes i love mondays, sometimes i hate them.
today, i'm smack dab in the middle.
mondays are always unpredictable-
sometimes i feel motivated, sometimes i am still tired from the weekend.
today, i am smack dab in the middle.
i'm thinking this is why i was off to a late start.
oh well, this monday will be lived to the fullest regardless of the late start.
no time to waste- those new years resolutions are kicking me in the butt.
so, monday- please be good to me and i'll be good to you.
xoxo
-me

h a p p y   m o n d a y.

today is....

today is going to be lovely.

today is all about enjoying my morning off.

today is full of unknown adventures.

today is going to be spent at the ballet studio.

today is full of friendships.

today is a day i tend to eat too much chocolate.

today is the beginning to the weekend.

 today is a day for cuddles with lovebird.

today is the close to a hard week.

today is probably going to consist of a few spoonfuls of cookie butter.

today is all about embracing the little moments in life.

today is full of piles of laundry and walks with mowgli.

today is just beginning.

today is simply going to be a good day.

but, most importantly, 

today is friday.

addiction.

i am addicted.

which, could be a bad thing. 

bad, because i am starting to spread this on anything and everything.

it is that good. 

{i mean, obviously it's that good, if it get's a whole blog post dedicated to it.}

please, tell me you have tried trader joe's cookie butter. 

or even better, please tell me you share the same addiction-

so, i don't feel quite as guilty admitting to having a 'taste' of this every day. 

my two favorite ways lately:

1. paired with a granny smith apple.

the sour from the apple and sweet from the cookie make the perfect combo. 

2. simply, on toast.

anytime of the day, of course. 

if you haven't had a taste of heaven on earth,

 i suggest you run down to trader joe's and pick up a jar or two.

you won't be disappointed;

you'll only be thanking me for introducing you to divinity. 

until then, i'll enjoy enough for the both of us. 

five words.

if lovebird could pick one motto/resolution/theme for me to follow for 2013,

it would be those five {bold} words above.

i have a small tendency to always think i need more or that i need to do more.

it's rare when i find myself saying the common phrase, "less is more". 

why? because i'm a go getter. i tend to always do things 110%.

i am the definition of a perfectionist. 

(which is a blessing and a curse, all at the same time.)

i also have a big tendency {rather, bad habit} to always want more.

i am a wisher, a believer and a dreamer.

big time, i tell you.

so, combine: perfectionist + wisher + believer + dreamer,

and you get something that completely contradicts lovebird's motto for me. 

moral of the story:

i need and want to come to terms with the word "less".

because in all actually, sometimes less really is more.

less = simplicity.

and simplicity is the seed to a happy and successful life.

to lovebird's satisfaction, i've decided to embrace this five word motto for 2013. 

i have this gut feeling that less will only bring more.

2013, you'll be a year to rejoice in simplicity.

xoxo

p.s. i'm curious: what would your five word motto be for 2013? 

start brain storming. 

ready.         set.           go.

i am back.

oooooooooooooooookkkkkk.

i am back, i swear.

it looks like i was the one to take a long winter's nap.

nutcracker + the holidays + traveling, completely wiped me out.

but, i am back to the blogging world.

i've missed it dearly.

writing/composing, reading your posts, discovering new recipes,

awing over fashion trends, and all the other
great things the blogging world as to offer-

has greatly been missed.

it's funny how connected (lovebird would say addicted) i am to it.  

it's a part of my life now- 

i love that blogging has become the journal to my life.

anyway, all this to say... i am back,

and couldn't be happier about it.

xoxo