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. 

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

eat your greens and drink them too.

happy friday.

we decided to start our morning off right;

meaning, with a big glass of fruits and veggies.

{we are back onto our juice kick. yay!}

it turns out- our mother's were right all along;

"eat your greens."

the weekend is here already.

we're hoping for rainy days to give us every excuse

 to stay indoors and cozy up side by side.

unfortunately, work steals lovebird away from me tonight-

but, thank goodness i have mowgli eagerly wanting to take his place. 

this little pup of ours demands play time and adventures. always

then again, i'd use any excuse to play with him too. 

i'm hoping you have a happy, healthy and fun weekend in store.

eat your greens and take your vitamins.

'tis the season to get sick, right?

that means it's time to boost our immune systems-

 ready, set.... juice!

{p.s. want the recipe for the juice above? it's from this lovely and famous blog.}

it's over already?

thumbs up to a new week.

the weekend has come and gone.

{believe it or not}

a fun weekend jam packed with dance, friends,

a baseball game, chocolate cake, dinner dates, church, 

swimming, homework, snuggles from lovebird and late nights.

our ballet company did a little event at the baseball game this weekend.

we really had a blast.

baseball games, friends, hot dogs and tutus are a recipe for fun.

check out more pictures on instagram!

{username: eleasejane or CentralWBallet.}

how was your weekend?

tell me your instagram name below, so i can catch up on 

the snapshots from your fun weekend.

lastly, can you believe september is knocking at our doors already!?

i'm in shock at how time seems to be escaping rather than just passing by.

since it's a new month and fall seems to bring on a new beginning,

 i'm looking to add some new faces {aka buttons} to my blog;

if you are interested in a swap and/or sponsorship email me at:

thelittlelovebirds.blog@gmail.com

i hope to hear from you very soon.

cheers to a new week, instagram, ballerinas at baseball games 

and sharing some blog love. 

xoxo

meet bridget.

hi! it's swell to meet you. are you as envious as i am that these two are galavanting through italy? that said, i'm very honored to be filling in!

i'm bridget from the deer circus, a blog about my life in denver, co with a way-too-cute-for-me husband, our beagle and our frenchie, and my photography adventures. the two of us like to document everything -- our little dates, small style tips, diys, and whatever we're currently crazy about.

for my guest post, i thought i'd share the things i'm most looking forward to traipsing around denver in this summer:

1. floral crowns. they're so easy to make! you can see my tutorial here. i've grown so accustomed to wearing them, that now my outfits feel blah when i don't. 

2. shoe clips are great because they elevate the ordinary -- so-so shoes become real gems when you slap sparkle clips on them. disclaimer: may cause intense distraction. 

3. i know we're all salivating over mint pants this season, but let's give a nod to the peachy hues too. maybe it's because peaches are my favorite fruit, and peaches remind me of picnics, and picnics remind me of my husband -- but i think it's so pretty and feminine. slap a gilded belt or watch on top and, well, you're golden. 

4. i love how long hems are getting! pull it up to your smallest spot, cinch it with a skinny belt, and tuck in just about any blouse. this skirt length is flattering, modest, easy to sit on hills or ride a bike in -- and it's breezy enough to keep your knees cool in the summertime. 

5. accessorize with found objects you wouldn't see other people wearing routinely. on my list for this summer: binoculars, a kaleidoscope in hand, vintage cameras on leather straps, a harmonica on a string, books to flip through like bird-watching guides, atlases, and french dictionaries.

come say hi! 

meet TJ.

Hello Little Lovebird readers! I’m TJ from over at His Little Lady, and I’m so happy to be filling in for my girl, Elease, while her and her lovebird are off exploring Italy. Yep, jealousy is an understatement at this point. So while I’m filling in for the day, let’s get to know each other better! Some key things about me: I always have my iPhone in one hand, my husbands hand in the other, and a laptop never too far away. I love documenting my daily life, my handsome hubby, and all the little awkward moments that happen in between. Trust me, there are a lot of them. And some days, on those REALLY good days, I actually change out of my pajamas and put on some real clothes.

I’m a dachshund owning, stripe wearing, ice cream loving, instagram obsessing, tv watching junky, who could school anyone on their celebrity gossip. Yep, I’m kind of proud of myself. No shame. And if you want to get to know me better, head on over to the blog. Can’t wait to see you there! xo TJ

meet caitlin.

These lovebirds are good friends of mine from way back when, so I was very excited when they asked me to guest post for them while they were vacationing!

And now, a (very) brief introduction of me and my blog - Hue and Hum.  I like to draw, my husband likes to make music, we met when we were teenagers, and we're still totally into each other.

Hum and I just got back from our own lovely little weekend of vacationing.  Everybody vacations differently, but this one happened just the way I like it:

A true vacation [to me] means there are no rules on when to get up, when to go to bed, and there are no destinations to be late to.  It means carrying only a phone in your back pocket to capture pictures and a tube of chapstick in the front pocket to keep your lips from chapping in the sunny weather.  It means feeling like we are both in high school again - flirting unconditionally and freely without adulthood smothering our childish love.  It means taking a deep breath and exhaling the heavy worries and inhaling the sweet time you get to spend together.  This trip was absolutely perfect in it's (mostly) nothingness.  I spent a lot of time remembering how we fell in love and falling just a little bit deeper into that same thing.

I have a really hard time switching my brain to the "off" position.  Between all of the creative projects swirling around in my head and my finger tips, vacations seem to be the only way I can truly leave the world behind.  I am grateful I could escape with my love for a few days, and (attempt to) doodle what it feels like to be loved.

Here's to wishing the lovebirds a great getaway and to all of you who are skipping town.  Just remember to pack your bags, get on the road, and leave the real world sitting on your bed with all the other unpacked items.  Oh don't worry, it'll be there when you get back.

>> Stop by and say hi!  Hue and Hum blog
>> Tweet!
>> Instagram?  Yes please.

meet meg.

^ that's me. i'm meg. nice to meet you. i blog at the happy hour. you want my personal opinion? i think you should try this summertime recipe below. your tastebuds will thank you. it's my favorite thing. ever.

summertime bruschetta

you can spread baguettes with soft goat cheese, salty parmesan, olive oil, garlic & then broil, then pile on the tomato misture ~ experiment with it ;) 

1 cup fresh summer tomatoes, minced & drained

2 tablespoons fresh basil, slivered

2 tablespoons green onion, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

a splash of balsamic vinegar

pinch of red pepper (opt.)

salt & pepper

mix everything together & allow to sit at room temperature for 1 hour or more ~ strain juices if you'd like before serving. pile mixture onto crisps, or crusty bread, or even pasta & salads.

i hope you enjoy!

meet jenessa.

Hello Little Lovebirds Readers!
I can't even tell you how happy I am to be posting on Elease's blog.  I love reading about her living her dream, and just about every other little girl's of being a ballerina.
I can also relate with her on the whole "natural blonde going brunette" thing.
And I'd say we both rock it, don't you think?

Since I'm sure you're wondering who I am, I'll tell you a little bit about moi!

I guess I'll start off with my name...

I'm Jenessa! 

And I blog over at C'est La Vie about...my life!

Things I love, things I don't love, things I do and want, friends, and family are all included in that.

Otherwise, I'm a twenty-something poor starving college student.  

A California Gurl living in Southern Utah.

Kind of a silly move, I know.  

(And yes, Katy Perry's song has been my ringtone since it came out. Represent!)

I have a top knot obsession, a high heel addiction, and a deep ardent love for all things Disney.  

Oh, and my favorite color is yellow.

And I'm so excited for summer!

via Pinterest

Taking 17 credits in school and working part time definitely helps me look forward to warm lazy days during these few months off.  

But it's going to be strange.  It's my first summer away from home.

No beach

No family + puppy

Different friends

No free room and board

No "real" mall

And so many other little things will be missing.

But luckily, I'm a pretty positive person!  

And kind of excited about summer in a new place with new activities to offer. 

I'm thinking my summer will be full of

Hiking

With Zion National Park basically in my backyard, how can I not take full advantage of it?!

Angel's Landing, tubing, canyoneering, it's going to be awesome!

And I'm thinking it'll help that I have a friend who works there.  

Yeah, I've got connections.

Lake trips

As close as I'll get to the beach for most of the summer.  Definitely not the same as listening to the waves crash on the shore, but it'll do.

Tiki Shack

Snow cones are the new fro yo.
Or just snow cones.
Mmm.
And riding my bike there makes it taste even better.

And I think I'll mix in with all of that
some catching up on TV shows
(New favorite: Once Upon A Time. Addicted)
a trip home
weekends in Salt Lake
working at my favorite youth conference
fireworks
(the actual fire kind, not the feeling kind.  although some of those would be nice too)
and just relaxing!

It's going to be one great summer.
I can feel it.

I'd love to hear some of your summer plans, so stop on by!
Stay a while.
Let's be friends.
Happy Summer!

meet jessi.

Why, hello!  My name is Jessi and I blog about the good, the bad, and the smelly over at Hopes and Dreams.  I am thrilled to be here today!  I just love The Little Lovebirds and couldn't be more tickled to contribute to this adorable blog space.  For my lil' guest post I thought I'd answer this questionaire that's floating around the www so that yous all can get to know me a tad and decide for yourself if it's worthwhile to head on over to my blog and take a looksie.  I hope you do and I hope we become true bloggy pals!!  Mkay, here goes:  

1.| Tell us a little about yourself (family, where you live, job, etc)

I was born and raised in good ol' Utah and currently live in the Salt Lake Valley with my husband, Prince John William, and 10-month-old bubbers, Jameser boy.  I love all things domestic {call me old fashioned} and am currently staying at home most of the time to raise Sir Chubbikins.  I do work as a receptionist once in a while but feel very blessed to be able to stay at home and manage our household while Prince John studies to become a professional nerd {he's an engineering student and likes to build robots and such}.  We are overwhelmed with gratitude for our simple little life together and, although it isn't always easy, wouldn't have it any other way.

2.| Favorite vacation spot and why?

DISNEYLAND.  I dream about Disneyland far more than any grown woman should....  There is just something about the happiness and wholesomeness and innocent adventure that sucks me in and never lets me be.  I simply neeeeeeed Disneyland.  It has been far too long since I've been there {two years} and I am counting down the days until Prince and I can take Dudeski there and I can see John's face as he snarfs a turkey leg and James' face as he experiences the Tiki room for the first time.  EEEEEEEPPP!!! {I also have a small obsession with Ireland because I lived there for a year and a half...}

3.| What do you most look forward to every day?

Two times during the day:  1. When Jameser wakes and gazes up at me with his hammy grin and huge, stunned eyes, and 2. When he goes back down for a nap.

4.| Favorite food?

Potatoes, because you can prepare them in countless ways.  All of which are delicious.  I'm also a sucker for mac and cheese and breakfast sandwiches.  I'm a savory/salty as opposed to a sweet. But give me a savory/salty/sweet and I'm done for {yes I dip my fries and chicken nuggets in my frosty...which is why I'm currently on Weight Watchers}.

5.| Tell us something you are looking forward to this summer!

Taking Prince and Dude to the zoo!  Which I am actually doing today!  I'm also looking forward to going to Bear Lake and Sun Valley.  And I wouldn't say no to some strawberry picking and family bike rides.

6.| Why did you start blogging?

Honestly, and I know everyone says this, I started blogging as a way to keep a record of my life.  My dad was pretty much the only person who read my blog for the first few years and  I had no intention of ever turning it in to anything other than a journal, really. Until earlier this year when I decided to try to get my writing out there a little more.  I do so love to write.  

          7.| What is your favorite part of blogging?

My favorite thing about blogging is that it helps me see the beauty in my life and in the whole "life experience."  If I have a responsibility to my readers to write something inspiring or intriguing then it helps me feel inspired or intrigued as I live, so that what I end up writing will be worth reading.  My life is no beautifuller now than it used to be before I started writing about my day-to-day-ness {except I have a kiddo now}, but the fact that I know I'll be putting words to my daily experiences helps me feel them more deeply and gratefully, which makes my life seem, taste, and be more beautiful to me.  To sum it all up: Blogging really has made me appreciate life more.  

Thanks for taking the time to get to know me a tad.  I'd love to have you over to my place soon and we'll have a right good time!

meet laurie.

hi everyone!  my name is laurie and i blog over at love, laurie.  i am so thrilled that elease asked me to do a guest post on her blog today!  i absolutely love to cook and bake, so i thought that i would share a recipe with you.  in the summer time, nothing beats desserts that incorporate fresh fruit.  since raspberries are one of my all time favorite fruits, i wanted to share my recipe for fresh raspberry sorbet.  this sorbet is so simple to make, and it only requires a few ingredients.  the tang of the raspberries together with the lemon juice is so bright and refreshing in the warm weather months.  it will make you feel like you will never want summer to end!

fresh raspberry sorbet 
prep time: 20-25 minutes
freezing time: 1-2 hours
yields: 6 servings

ingredients:
- 12 ounces fresh raspberries
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

directions:
1. in a saucepan, bring the water and the sugar to a boil, stirring constantly in order to dissolve all of the sugar.
2. reduce the heat to low, and simmer without stirring to make a syrup (about 5 minutes).
3. pour the syrup into a bowl, and add the vanilla extract.
4. place the syrup in the freezer to chill (about 15 minutes).
5. in a blender, puree the raspberries, the syrup, and the lemon juice, until smooth.
6. strain the raspberry puree through a sieve and into a bowl in order to remove the seeds.
7. pour the strained raspberry puree in to an ice cream maker, and freeze according to the ice cream maker's instructions (about 30 minutes).
8. remove the sorbet from the ice cream maker and transfer to a freezer-safe container.  freeze until completely set (about 1-2 hours).
9. serve the sorbet garnished with fresh raspberries and a sprig of fresh mint.

enjoy!

love, laurie

blog :: twitter :: pinterest

meet crystal.

Hey ladies! I am Crystal!
I blog over at Coffee at Nordstrom. 

I am so happy to be guest posting here today! I am a new wife! Matthew and I got married on June 2! So while you are reading this post, I am living the dream with my husband in Bora Bora! 

My honeymoon is by far going to be my most favorite vacation, but you'll have to read about my honeymoon once I return at the end of July! But for now, I want to share with you a special trip that I was able to take with my Mom, Sister, MIL, and a couple bridesmaids!

 My Wedding Dress Shopping Trip!

I am sure you all have seen the show Say Yes to the Dress! Well, I headed to NYC with my Mom, Sister, MIL, and a couple bridesmaids to spend the day at Kleinfeld picking out my wedding dress! 

It really was a fairy tale experience!

 I cried when I met Randy. But he's used to emotional brides crying when they meet him, so it really was no big deal.

 

 This was the whole group of us! Completely over-joyed to see Randy Fenoli!

This is the dress! I thought I loved it when I purchased it back in August, but I love it 1000x more now that it actually fits me and it's pure white!

 

My Pnina Dress. Completely Obsessed.

 

The back might be my favorite! :)

You will have to stop by my blog to see the rest of my wedding pictures!

Be sure to follow me on Twitter and Instagram(c_gonzalez602)

Have a great day!

meet lucy.

I'm so excited to be a guest post on the wonderful and amazing The Little Lovebirds blog. It is one of my favorite blogs that I look forward to reading.

My name is Lucy and my blog is called Find Your Sparkle. Why "Find Your Sparkle"? I'm glad you asked. My life is pretty hectic. Between being a wife, step mom, a foster mom and a part time career woman it's very rare that I get to do something just for me. That's how the idea of starting my blog came about. I wanted to do something fun yet inspiring.

I believe in Finding Your Sparkle in your everyday life, being healthy, being creative, in being a step and foster mom, love of books and art, respecting and loving God's creations, following God...

I hope to encourage, inspire and make a difference in others on this journey we call life.

Sweet Girl (my foster daughter) and I created this super easy, yet unique memory board. 
The materials you will need are:

A canvas board, pretty paper, pretty buttons, ribbon, hot glue, needle and thread...

Some people choose to paint their canvas board, we decided to leave ours white. The first thing we did was to hot glue our pretty paper unto the left side of the board.

The second thing you want to do is set the ribbon pattern the way you like it, then gather some pretty buttons and sow them unto the canvas board making sure that the ribbon is being held tightly in place.

After sewing the buttons and hot gluing the paper. 
We added some pretty sticker and flower embellishments.

Once your memory board is finished to your liking all you have to do is add some of your favorite photos.

Below is what it looks like hanging against the wall. 
Sweet Girl and I had fun doing this easy and fun project.

Finally you simply hang it in a favorite area of your room or house to display those beautiful cards.

For other fun DIY ideas or to simply be inspired be sure to give me a visit.

Hope you have a FANTASTIC day!

meet mindy.

Hello! My name is Mindy and I blog over at Best.day.ever!

I love to run, eat waaay more than I should {especially treats!} and am the.sass.master.

My blog is about the best days, the worst days and every day in between {sprinkled with as much PINK as possible!}. Oh! And I like to give out gold stars.

I am super excited to be able to hold down fort {at least for a day} while the Lovebirds are in It-lay*! Elease is just so stinkin' adorable and so is her blog! I love how she loves - her lovebird - dancing - and finding joy in her journey, regardless of what life throws at her!

I am also  uber-stressed about holding down fort on such an adorable blog ... because I am not your average blogger.

Sure. I have posted to die for recipes.

And about fashion and style. 

And my most recent DIY {which was done in high school - think a decade ago}.

I even write some "How to's".

Buuut, on the flip side, I sometimes feel like to be a legit blogger I have to have at least a lovebird, if not a baby chick or two to add to the mix. 

And when it comes to all that, I got nada!

Which sometimes leaves me surprised shocked that I have anything to blog about at all!  

But, somehow I do. :) Because while I have no lovebird or baby chicks, I have A LOT of things I find perfectly lovely.

And I figured I would share one of my loves with you today!

In honor of the Lovebirds' summer vacay, I will share one of my mild obsessions: SWIMSUITS.

{coughcough.I.may.own.11.coughcough}

I am lovin' not only what Target has this season, but the prices they have also!

Plus! You can mix n' match! Make two swimsuits into four! {I am kinda on a nautical and primary colors kick, but they have so many more colors! AND, all of these tops come with a strap that can be added or removed easily for those who do not want the tube-top feel.}

I will be the first to admit, at 5'11", I am likely to throw out the idea of a one-piece without a second thought, but these are super cute too!

And as much as I love Target {and I do!}, there is a swimsuit store I love even more!

Lime Ricki has some super cute suits!

I pretty much want to purchase all of them! They might be a tad bit "pricey", but they last, like, forever. :)

So, while I may not be spending my summer with my lovebird, I will be spending it with some of these lovelies while boating, tubing, hot tubbin', swimmin' and at the lake.  That makes me feel a little bit better about not currently being in Italy. :)

Happy summer, everyone!

* Name that movie!

meet kirsten.

 hi guys, i'm kirsten from K & R . this is a little blog that i started after we got married. we are in utah now finishing up school and just enjoying being married. on our blog we cover anything and everything. you name it we'll do it if we haven't already done it. we'd love to have you stop by. anyways, i'm so excited to be here with the little lovebirds, they are the cutest. i love this blog so much, she is just so adorable and really quite hilarious. i wish we lived closer to each other because i feel like we could totally be friends, but until then i will just have to deal with reading her fabulous and adorable blog. 

 warm weather, sunshine, relaxation, what's not to love about the summer? i was born and raised a las vegas girl so there's nothing like the summer heat for me. for summer there are definitely some musthaves. so i thought i would put together a little summer musthave/do list. 

#1 summer musthave wardrobe include, but obviously aren't limited to: maxi skirts, colored pants, sandals, blouses, a chambray shirt and lots and lots of dresses.

#2 summer musthave hair: braids, braids, braids, and waves.

#3 summer mustdo's: go to the beach (i've still yet to do this one), eat ice cream everyday, get a tan (obviously haven't done this one yet), shopping of course, go to a wedding, duh and go on a bike ride.

#4 summer musthave: sunscreen (ok guy's i know i sound boring or like a mom, but i'm a health major and sunscreen is so important, i just don't want anyone to get melanoma, ok)

#5 summer musthave is a summer love: now this doesn't necessarily have to be a person, it could be a puppy, a love affair with the beach, but there's got to be some summer love. i know i will be spending  my summer with my summer love (or forever lover) my cute little hubby :)

these are just a few of my summer musthaves. what are you summer musthaves? come and stop by and stay for awhile or the whole summer :)

-K-

thanks for having me little lovebirds, we love you and hope you are having a fantastic vacation! 

meet tiffany.

Hi there. I'm Tiffany, husband is Dan and lab is Sherman. I blog over at The Coffeehouse; a blog that has absolutely nothing to do with coffee. Instead, I blog a little bit about everything, including a little DIY from time to time.

But, I have to be completely honest with you, the DIY is all husband.

Sometimes I am called in to go get the drill or search for a dropped screw that landed in an impossible-to-find place. And at this point husband gives me the nickname "gopher".

However, the majority of the time you'll find me standing in the corner ...attempting to take pictures and daydreaming about future blog posts.

What can I say, it's a gift.

So, when the lovely little lovebird (try saying that 25 times really fast ... it's fun, I tried it) said that she was jumping on a plane for vacation, I jumped as well ... at the opportunity to say hello to all of you. And then I got nervous. You see, I started following the little lovebirds when I first started blogging. She's amazing. They're amazing. Truly. But you all knew that already.

So, nervous or not, I decided to share with you a little summer DIY project that we husband recently took on.

A barnwood potting table.

A "pinterest-inspired" barnwood potting table, that is.
I absolutely adore this rustic table that now takes up half of our patio.
Truly. It's huge. And awesome.
Not to mention, our table is so much better than the one on pinterest.

Because our table has a bottle opener.

Husband would put a bottle opener on our dog if he could.

After the table was finished, husband and I had a little argument discussion about what should go on the table.
Husband said tools; I said food.

Thank goodness my sister-in-law is a horticulturalist.

Yes, I married a handy-man and gained a sister who is a horticulturalist.

I did plan this. Very, very carefully.

Well, there you have it.
Our little summer DIY project.

So, come on over to The Coffeehouse and see what else the Joneses are working on. And you can be the new "gopher". I'm getting a little tired of it, to be completely honest with you.

See you soon!

Tiff

meet jessica.

Hey! I'm Jes from IDK My BFF Jes. My blog is about my adventures and miss adventures at life, love, fitness, and everything in between. I love being in the kitchen, running, working out, pole dancing (new hobby...for sport, not $$), love, and I would love to be your new BFF!

Hey!

I am so honored that the little lovebirds let me into their blog nest for one day! The Little Lovebirds is one of my favorite blogs because it's dripping with love and positivity. Who doesn't love that? And how precious are Elease & Joel? Presh.to.death! I find their love inspiring and something that I def hope to have again one day.

Now let's get to it!

When my love bird flew the coop a while back, I'm not going to lie, I was in panic mode:

• What, the EFFFF?
• Now what?
• Am I ever going to get married? No really, am I?

I don't have answers to those questions because I realized that I just can't be bothered with them. So I decided to be my own love bird until my counterpart comes along.

I know, I sound cray, but stick with me on this.

Things are different when you are a lonesome dove: You don't have someone to cuddle with, no more automatic date nights, and you don't get as many gifts.

Well, I think that is just redic. Just because I don't have a loverboy doesn't mean that I have to miss out on all the dating fun. So what am I gonna do about it? Date myself, duh. (minus the spooning). There are many positive aspects to being single and your own date!

I take myself on movie dates all the time, and I love it! I always get to go when I want and see what I want too! No more feeling guilty for convincing someone to accompany me to the latest chick flick, or having to take one for the team and going to a movie that I think looks super lame (Semi-Pro anyone?).

Studio Movie Grill is the only way to go!

I don't really take myself on dinner dates (except Freebirds), but I do get meals from my fave restaurants to-go. My fave weekend date night involves picking up some RA Sushi and renting a movie. It's so nice to get to eat what I want all the time! Long gone are the dates of compromising and going to Buffalo Wild Wings to watch the game! Oh, and fro-yo. I almost always get dessert on my dates. I can eat all I want without getting that "Did you seriously just go half fro-yo and half candy bar...for 15oz?" Because yes, yes I did.

I always got so much satisfaction cooking for boyfriend, but the cooking has fallen off a little bit. I have really made a point to cook something new every weekend, because you know what? I deserve a meal made with blood, sweat, and tears...sometimes literally. Plus it keeps me on my a-game for when I do have a new lovebird.

Another great thing? I have tons of time to workout. I have always loved working out, but I found that I loved spending time with boyfriend even more (he often worked over time, so I would skip on the days that he would actually be home). But now? I don't have to cater my schedule to anyone but me.

Body Pump, running, and cardio are my fave!

Oh, and about the gifts. I buy myself gifts regularly. I celebrate all kinds of ridiculous things: nonaversaries, breakupiversary, blogiversaries, roommateiversaries, and workaversaries. Basically, if you can add "iversary" onto it, then I'll celebrate it! Another fun thing? When I do online shopping I always opt for the gift message. I love getting the little note that always something sweet and ends with "xoxo, Jes."

I got this for my breakupiversary

The moral of the story: Enjoy the you time while you can. Yeah, some days being a single girl sucks, but make the best of it! Someday you will have a lovebird again, and eventually baby birds, and then you'll miss the self bonding time you once had.

Do you date yourself?

What's your favorite self date activity?