Summer Favorites

Summer may only have a couple more months, but here is what has past my eyes ever since school got out. I think they are all gorgeous, but if I had to pick just one item I would pick the dress. I fell head over heals with it. What are your favorites?

Keira Knightly Milkmaid Braid

My hair is at a super awkward stage of life, as I am trying to decide to chop it into a pixie again or grow it. So I got really excited when I came across pictures of this gorgeous milkmaid updo. My hair is totally long enough for that! 

Super duper easy, and really cute! It can be altered slightly to work for almost all lengths of hair, and would be a fabulous second day hair style.

Jane's Obsession.

Ok, so I have many obsessions.

This is just today's.

Meet...

RALPH WALDO EMERSON.

He lead the Transcendentalist movement in America and wrote lots of essays and poems that are KICK BUTT.

Let me put a few quotes down to show you:
"We will walk on our own feet; we will work with our own hands; we will speak our own minds."

"Character is higher than intellect. Thinking is the function. Living is the functionary."

"There is some awe mixed with the joy of our surprise, when this poet, who lived in some past world, two or three hundred years ago, says that which lies close to my own soul..."

"Man hopes. Genius creates. To create,--to create,--is the proof of a divine presence. Whatever talents may be, if the man create not, the pure efflux of the Deity is not his:--cinders and smoke, there may be, but not yet flame."

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” 

“To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and to endure the betrayal of false friends. To appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”  

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” 

“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”  

“Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.” 

"Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind."

If anyone were to get me a book of his essays for Christmas or something...I would not mind at all.

Truly glorious.

A joke for you

How did the hipster burn his mouth?

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He drank his coffee before it was cool

Bahahaha. you're welcome.

A Reading Picnic

This is what I am planning on doing today since I have the day off of work. I have old favorites I want to revisit and new ones that I can't wait to discover. The difficult decision I have is deciding which book to read, but in the end it won't matter because I'll be heaven no matter what. Here's to an elementary day read-o-thon. Well, I'm off to enjoy my happiness.

{Image via Pinterest}

Nifty Little Things: CHI Silk Infusion

CHI
Silk Infusion

This is my favorite hair product of all time! My hair is naturally curly and I strongly dislike it, so my hair is no stranger to the flat iron and hair damage. But this product has made all the difference!

The Benefits:

• Protects your hair from heat damage.
• The smell is unbelievable. No joke, people have caught me smelling my hair after using this product.
• You hair is incredibly soft after using.
• It creates that silky shine that every girl loves without making the hair look greasy.
• Reduces the frizz! 

Warnings:

• Don't use too much (a dime size will do) or else your hair will look greasy.
• It's a little pricey but it actually works and it is worth the little extra.

I use CHI Silk Infusion anytime I apply heat to my hair. Even if I use heat products on my hair twice a day (like a blow dryer and a flat iron) I use it both times. The 2nd time is a little less, but doing that insures protection. I recommend this to anyone who is looking to have their hair be healthier this summer and the seasons that follow.  

Dirty Little Secret

I have a confession to make. I own a pair of crocs. they look like this

And...I love them..  So comfy. I wear them around the house all the time and sometimes... in public.

don't judge me.

Validation

I once saw this in my institute class and I have loved it ever since. I strive to be like this man and live an optimistic life. It's a little long, but it's worth the watch. 

P.S.

You all have AMAZING cheekbones.

The Sister Date.

Today I was bored. And so was Emmie, my sister. We were pinteresting and found this recipe. 

"Oreo cheesecake cupcakes?!?!" We said. "Heck yes!!"

So we embarked to Ridley's to get oreos and then got started!

The Process:

 

(From the top left): Oreos in the base of cupcake liners. MOUNDS of cream cheese. Adding sour cream. Mixing them together. The oh-so-important sugar. Can't forget the salt! Eggs. REAL vanilla. Oreos in the blender. Blended oreos. Putting the cupcakes in the oven. Side photo of finished process.

(Middle): THE FINISHED THING!!!

The sisters:

(From the top right down): Me, in all my glory, struggling with the mixer. Emmie, dumping mounds of cream cheese in the bowl. Emmie, mixing the oreo bits in. The popcorn we ate as we waited for them to cook. Eric, Lucy, Petey and Emmie, watching Phineas and Ferb while we waited some more.

(Middle): Me and Emmie, after consuming the cupcakes. Happy happy girls are we!

 Of course, we didn't do this alone. As I mentioned, I was having issues with the mixer...so we recruited our Dad to assist us in the matter. Aren't dads wonderful? I say yes.

But try these. They are wonderful.

Off to watch Ramona and Beezus with Em.

Bake on, my friends. 

Adventure Apparel.

ONE. The Outfit. top: Khols, Belt: thrifted. Skirt: Down East Basics Shoes: Keds

TWO. The Girl. Out for a ride on a beautiful sunny afternoon.

THREE. The Bike. oh how I adore my little blue cruiser.

FOUR. The Trail. It was perfect.

FIVE. The Boy. What a fabulous day. :)

Hey Girl

So I may have a slight celebrity crush on Ryan Gosling and to say that these makes me laugh is in fact true. 

Happy Friday and have a great weekend! 

{All images via Pinterest}

Guardian Angel?

Ok. Confession.
I'm a little bit of a spaz.
Sometimes...a lot of the time...this comes out when I drive. Penelope fears for her life occasionally.
I promise I'm not bad. I just tend to get distracted by shiny things. And then over correct or something. But I never do anything blatantly dangerous. Really.
So many times I swear I could have gotten into a car accident, but I think I have a special guardian angel watching out for me once I insert my key into the ignition.
For example. Today I was driving to the library (aka my favorite place in the whole entire world) and was turning right onto a street. The sun was setting and I couldn't make out much of what was coming from the left, but I noticed a car from the right was about to turn left so I assumed no one was coming and just went. But I was wrong. A car was coming, and speeding no less, and I almost got in a wreck which would have been my fault. I just couldn't see it because the sun was in my eyes.
I felt very protected.
Thank you Guardian Angel.

It's A Good Day!!

You said it my friend. Have a wonderful day.

Create

I like to define myself as a creative person.

but some days I feel like that is a lie.

That is one of the purposes of this blog actually.

 To use that right side of my brain that doesn't get out as much as I would like.

I found this video this week and I think it is beautiful

Creating is part of being human.

No matter what medium we choose

It makes us happy.

Improve-Beautify-Extend-Smile-Cultivate-Develop- Create

Create something beautiful today.

Not just friends, BEST friends

Jane came to church with me on Sunday and she drew my future and it made me laugh. I love it with all my heart and it makes me smile because it is so random. I love it though. It's as cute as a button. 

And sometimes you have days that are just a hole in the mud. I was texting Penelope and this is what she replies with. She comes over with brownies and we talk and she gives me the advice that I need. 

No kidding. I really think that I have the best friends in the whole world. 

"Best Friends are hard to find because the best ones are already mine." 

True Story

This is how I feel every time I walk into a library.
Good thing I love this song. And the library.

Read on, my friends.

Brave: A movie review.

I went to an early showing of Disney and Pixars Brave on Wednesday. 

It was a way cute show. I loved the short at the beginning, and the movie itself definitely had it's moments. 

It was very funny, however it was fairly predictable. Ok it's a fairy tale so we are all supposed to know how it ends anyway I guess.

All in All, Cutes show, and Merida's hair is fabulous. Really. there should be a fan club. 

Check it out! it comes to theaters this Friday

Welcome Home Pioneer Brother

My brother has been gone for the past 3 days because he went on the pioneer trek and yesterday he came home! Welcome Home Brother! 

The Pictures:

1. Blake and me
2. The sign of time of arrival for the buses
3. I got a little bored so I took a picture of my feet (we were 1/2 an hour early).
4. The arrival of the buses!
5. Blake getting off the bus. Welcome Home!
6. Everyone getting their stuff. It was just a little crowded. 

Happy Sunday. Carry on, carry on, carry on!

Thrifty Nifty Find

Sometimes I go to Savers.
Sometimes it's awesome.
Sometimes it's not.
When I went yesterday, it would be of the former. I was looking for a hoodie to do a little DIY. I didn't find such a hoodie, but I found an awesome sweatshirt instead!!

Sweatshirt: Thrifted. Shorts: Charlotte Russe. Awkwardness: my own.

Really, what's with my arms?

Disregard the awkward garbage can and bike in the background. I didn't realize they were there and I am too lazy to go retake pictures. So deal. Also, the awkward unphotogenicness that is me...
Just pay attention to the sweater. Which I adore.
Anyways, thrift on, my friends.

(P.S. Don't worry. I WILL find a hoodie worthy of a DIY. Along with many more things.)

Some Days We End Up Like This

Call us crazy, but we decided to do a photo shoot of our friendship and these are the results. We have way too much fun together but who said that was a bad thing?  And  Penelope and Jane are just as cute as the bees knees. I am so lucky to have these women as my best friends because they bring out the best in me.

And as you can see from the pictures above, we are little wild children when we get together.