Commence to Start.

This got me thinking about a LOT!

1) I will stop panicking about what is out of my control.
2) I will not let others take control from me to the detriment of my own happiness.
3) My happiness may influence others, but it is not decided by others.
4) Life is too precious to spend it worrying.
5) Resting is extremely underrated.
6) I won't wear uncomfortable pants.
7) Rat races are pointless.

I often find myself motivated by the simplest things. Gardening, listening to music, dancing, Mad Men. These things can't be explained or defined or justified. They just are. I like these things. My joy is found in different ways than others'. This is how it is and how it should be. So then, it's strange to think that though these simple things bring me profound joy, I look elsewhere for it. Like, money, popularity (even out of teenage years, popularity crisis can still occur), fame. We humans are odd. We look everywhere but in the place where we actually find peace, for security and happiness. There is nothing worse than ruining a perfectly beautiful day than by worrying and "trying" it away. Of course, personal awareness and growth is good, necessary even. But it's not everything. In fact it's nothing without inner peace.

Kurt often will call me out and tell me to stop being like the "Runaway Bride" character when in the movie Julia Roberts is caught saying her favorite way to eat an egg is the same way her current beau's is. This is classic me. Unfortunately. However, I can say with pride that I have gotten much better in this type of circumstance. Just to prove it, here is a list of thing I know I like.

Tater Tots
Ginger Ale
Dancing
Scrabbled eggs
Bread
Sleeping
Sunny days
Basil
A clean kitchen
A clean refrigerator
A spotless bathroom
A cozy bed
Holding hands
Shoes
The color black
The color green
The color pink
My hair long
Bangs
The country
Country music
Dogs
Horses
Whales
The smell of laundry
Reading non fiction
Cooking shows
"Real Housewives" of anywhere
Camping
The idea of swimming in a lake or the ocean
Bikes
Organizing
Decorating

I don't like stress, anxiety, or heart ache. These things I hate. I will avoid them at all costs.

Peaceful Beauty

These images bring peace to my heart. Breathe them in. 

All Images Via An Apple a Day

Down to Earth, Down on the Farm

Craving the ocean, all things vintage and old, and some garden time. 

The Dragonfly Inn/ Frost B&B

Gilmore Girls- quintessential quaintness of the purest form through wit and rhetoric. And never-you-mind that ridiculously amazing B&B, The Dragonfly Inn. Of which, is what my dreams are made of. Breakfast, no doubt is the first thing I think of when I wake up and for sure the best meal of the day. I am queen of breakfasts in our house and by queen, I mean, I make it and eat it by myself because the hubbs isn't interested.

 What the what? Any who...

 Owning a B&B would be stressful and so very rewarding. It would combine my love of all things Martha Stewart (organizing, gardening, decorating, planning, etc.) with Kurt's expertise in all things restaurant. I love the idea and hope to one day make it reality.

Do you have something you dream of one day accomplishing?

Turning 25, and Other Mind-Boggling Things...

Each year up 'till now has felt like another day has past... blah blah blah, NO! I don't feel older!

 It was not a change that I had geared up for, wished for, or even thought was possible. But this time around, when I woke up on the day of my birthday to get ready for lunch with my hubby and parents, I actually felt older. My thoughts and moods were different. I have always had a little meloncholy-ness on my birthday (thougth, I've tried very hard in the past to not feel that way) and this time around, from the literal minute I woke up April 7th 2012, I felt older.

 Very strange, but very welcomed!

 To more explicetly explain it, I feel like I have more of a right to be who I am without explaination. I'm determined to maintain and grow from here and develop those skills that I know God has given me to use on Earth for a more devine cause. Family and friends are not just cool, they are necessary for my ultimate happiness and sucess. I'm so very gratefull for the wonderfull time I have had in the past two days, staring with my birthday and then again on Easter. Kurt and I thank our lucky stars to have such close families who actually like eachother and get along on a regular basis!

 Letter to my husband:

 And to my dear, loving, husband, I could not ask for more. You are simply amazing. I am so blessed to call you my lifetime friend and partner. You spoil me to the bone, and for that, you have no one but yourself to blame! :) I enjoy every minute with you and am looking forward to the day when we sit in our rocking chairs on 50 acres of land thinking about our memories.

 I could not ask for more.
 I love you forever and always.
 My eternal compainion and best friend.
 I'm your's forever baby.
 Love, Your quirky wife. (smelly cat, smelly cat)

One Sentence.

Realizing I like spring and summer more than I thought!

Love's Embrace

The greatest thing in the world is a steamy (sometimes literally) embrace in the kitchen. This photo says it all What, where, when do you love secret embraces?

Getting Schooled!

I went to public school K-4 grade. Due to a discrepancy in grading from my fourth grade teacher, I had a rough year-to say the least! Education has always been important to my parents (they are both college professors) so my education, (being their only child) was of supreme importance...ohey vey! And, I'm so very proud and appreciative of their love, concern, strength, and passion for education! Due to their strong role in the education system, and the lack of trust with the current public school curriculum in our area at the time, they decided that I should (and could be) home schooled. I'm very grateful for their dedication and time spent with me for the sake of my little fifth grade mind!

...to keep this story from boring everyone to death-sorry, if it already has-here's a list (yes, education done correctly! haha) of my education:

K-4th grade: Public School

5th-6th (up to Christmas break): Homeschool

6th (from the return of Christmas break)-7th grade (up to the following Christmas break. If you were unable to follow, that was a total of one whole year): Charter Academy

The rest of 7th grade: Homeschool

8th grade: Public School (think: the year from Hell!)

9th-12th grade: Homeschool/Jackson Community College (duel-enrollment program, which allowed me to graduate with my Associates degree when I was 18) Yay!

Fhew! That was intense!

What was you'r schooling like? I'm always interested in how people feel about pubic education, homeschooling, charter academies, etc... It's a hot topic, because of the importance, but I'm very interested in hearing you'r view point! Please share...

This is why I liked being home schooled, and why I love hearing about other people doing it:

Two great families that homeschool: here and here.

Crazy Dreams and Schemes

Lately, I've been waking up remembering my dreams...mostly because I am waking up in the middle of a dream as opposed to waking up never having gone to REM sleep at all! It's a MIRACLE I tell you! But, it really is! I missed remembering what I was dreaming about. It was a weird thing not knowing or remembering my thoughts-if I even had any! The down side is that I have been having very crazy dreams. Ones that you don't really want to wake up and remember. Today, I woke up crying because I was dreaming about a distant friend that randomly died in my dream. *This friend shall remain nameless* It was very odd. So I did the only normal thing for one to do...I instantly went online to facebook and checked out her facebook page! Rest assured, she's fine! But, now I wonder why I ever wanted to remember my dreams at all! Be careful what you wish for I guess right? What are you'r dreams like? Do you remember them?

Holy Pottery Barn!

Horrible pictures taken with my phone's camera, but great inspiration! :)

Love the chairs!

Paisley candles? What?

Vintage vase and greens.

Striped chair and old school bar.

Me.

Love the pattern combos!

Cages and vases, oh my!

I love me some great table-scapes!

Oh Baby!

I've got it again, that knot in my stomach, heartache. It almost feels like I'm grieving. Grieving a loss that I've never known. It's weird. But it's all coming together soon. ...It being a baby... Loving the pics from Leigh on her blog! Check out that baby bump! Another cool thing about her is that she is an advocate for natural birthing methods and nursing. Her tumblr is fab too and full of gorgeous breast feeding photos!

(P.S. Leigh, I'd love to feature you or get featured on your blog about our dreams for baby and breast feeding-in the future!)

Above images via: the bean and the bear

And then there's, this...

Image via: here

And...

Image via: here

A man can never be as sexy as when he is fathering. :) Looking forward to when Kurt is a dad.

One Sentence.

I need to rest more often.

Thinking of Spring!

This bedroom's colors are fab!

I love all the Spring flowers and their scent!

Great Spring table-scape idea.

Perfect salad for a light Spring meal!

Adding Spring-colored pieces around the house is a must!

Spring Cleaning, of course. 

Beautiful sunny days that fill the house with lots of light!

Pink cake. Pink everything!

Today I went to the mall and bought my signature scent: So Pink from the Gap. (Apparently, I haven't been to the Gap or the mall enough because I literally walked into the store thinking 'Oh, they have cute stuff...what store is this?' What the what?) I haven't had So Pink in a very very long time. Hence, the previous 'what store is this' comment! I LOVE SO PINK! It immediately gave me spring fever and good feelings and great memories! Isn't weird how scents can do that? I'm loving it and am so glad to be reunited with my long lost signature scent! Do you have a signature scent? Are you thinking Spring yet? Happy Tuesday!

Wallpapering a Do or Don't?

I am SO loving the new, hip, and current trend of wallpaper. From covering just one wall, to covering an entire room in a loud, vibrant, patterned cover, the trend is alluring! We are in an apartment right now, so wallpaper isn't an option. However, when we buy a house...who knows! Is it a do or a don't in you'r book? Which styles and patterns do you like? Are you a one wall kinda girl or do you enjoy the decadent look of wallpapering a whole room? 

Here's a pattern I could see making a statement in a room...subtle but interesting.