Raindrops on Roses

Some days just start better with a little list, and these are a few of my favorite things:
1. fabulous plans for the night - senior bar crawl with my sorority!
2. fat crisp carrots (the kind that you can separate the middle from the outside and eat separately).
3. writing/receiving letters.
4. songs like "You and Me" by DMB that instantly calm me down.
5. new magazines.
6. summer smelling candles when there's still snow on the ground (these are my two favs right now).
7. warm weather (it's been cold too long when I call 47 warm).
8. 90's rap music.

Listening to: "My Favorite Things" (obviously)
Thought of the Day: "Always make new mistakes." -Ethser Dyson

{Image via: Maholo Answers}

Pink Glitter

So tomorrow is Ash Wednesday and that means I am going to be trying out a new lifestyle, trying to live more simply and more similarly to the lifestyle I would be assuming if I am selected to be a Jesuit Volunteer next year. More on this later, but for now, for my last consumeristic post for a while... lust worthy shoes. I know, I know, I really shouldn't be posting about these since they cost approximately the same as 200 days of food for a volunteer in Belize, but they're gorgeous and I would never actually think of buying them.

Mr. Louboutin knows how to design seriously glamorous heels. How cute would they be with a one sleeved black mini dress?

{Christian Louboutin Declic Glitter Pumps, $675}

Listening to: "1901" Phoenix
Thought of the Day: "One of the secrets of life is to make stepping stones out of stumbling blocks." -Jack Penn

Atonement

I just watched Atonement for the first time last night and I was quite impressed Despite being a historic love story, it didn't come off the same way as others such as Titanic and Pearl Harbor, which are great movies but a bit too much on the romantic side. It conveyed the passion, but their love was more playful and not the sole focus of the movie. I was also captivated by Keira Knightley and her gorgeous green dress. It flowed amazingly and fit get perfectly. But then again, what doesn't?

{lovely and elegant}

Listening to: "Sweet Dreams" Beyonce
Thought of the Day: "Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end." -unknown

{Images via Craftimes}

Love You!

Happy Valentine's Day!

{Image via weheartit}

Happy Friday!

You know what's amazing?
When you can talk on the phone to someone and he know just what to say and it feels like this hug. For some reason, today and yesterday have been downers and I just wish I could get this hug. My 2 hour phone call came pretty close, but I still can't wait for it in person.

On a more upbeat note, I was selected to move onto the next round of interviews for the Jesuit Volunteer International program, which is freaking awesome. I go to Chicago on Feb. 26th for it and I'm a bit nervous! When I heard the voicemail on my phone this afternoon after school, I was so excited that I screamed. Such a relief, but this final round will narrow the applicants from 90 to only 30ish. Scary odds. Say a prayer for me please!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and a lovely Valentine's Day.

Listening to: Sara Evans "I Could Not Ask For More"
Thought of the Day: "LOVE is not a thing. You contemplate in you mind, store in your heart and keep to yourself. For LOVE to be you must give it away. For LOVE is an action. Do LOVE every chance you get."

{Image via: fyeahlove}

Lovely Cake

How amazing is this cake?! I want to make it right now, just to see if I could. I am Baker has a very detailed photo tutorial of how to make this heart cake and it doesn't sound too terribly difficult. Don't you wish you could be this creative?

Listening to: "Let Me Love You" Mario
Thought of the Day: "They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel." - Carl W. Buechner

{Image via I am Baker}

Snow Day!

{view out my window}

One great thing about student teaching? My school district canceled school today because of snow! As crazy as this sounds I am so excited to be able to catch up on grading, get my lecture ready for tomorrow and hopefully start planning for next week so this weekend will be less busy. And I'll hopefully get to bed at a decent time - sleeping 5 hours or less every night is rough!


Listening to: "Poison" Beyonce
Thought of the Day: "Don't be afraid to see what you see." - Ronald Reagan

Pink Sugar

My friend Vance hosted a Superbowl party yesterday. My contribution? Heart sugar cookies with pink sprinkles. Am I getting too predictable? It works great considering I spent most of the game playing cards. Who cares about football anyway?

...oh wait... probably the majority of America.

{Yum.}

Don't worry, I made homemade soft pretzels too from a delicious recipe by Alton Brown.

Listening to: "Friends, Lovers, or Nothing" John Mayer
Thought of the Day:"All the world's a stage and most of us are desperately unrehearsed." - Sean O'Casey

Perfect Pink

I love Valentine's Day. Well, maybe not the day itself, but the pinks and reds, the dresses, the hearts, seeing the word "LOVE" everywhere... it just makes me feel like there is love in the air. And what better way to kick off the season of love than with a gorgeous bridesmaid dress? J.Crew has sold this dress for the past couple seasons and I have been infatuated since the first time I saw it. It looks figure flattering and seems like one that you would actually wear again after the wedding. It's usually shown with a gold skinny belt which makes it even better. But I don't think I could ever ask my bridesmaids to buy a $225 dress...

{J.Crew cotton cady Erica dress, $225}

Listening to: "Brick by Brick" Katy Perry
Thought of the Day: "What you are in love with seizes the imagination, will affect your everything. It will decide what gets you out of bed in the mornings, what you do with your evenings, how you spend your weekends, what you read, what you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you. Fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything." - Pedro Arrupe