This is what happy looks like - part 2.

In honor of the book title I just blogged about - I am starting a weekly "This is what happy looks like" blog post - only because I really like the title of that book and....we should all relish in something that makes us happy each and every day. Why not blog about it? 

1. My new kitchen color (dazzling daffodil) and shelf. I have been telling David for ages now I wanted to paint the kitchen a happier color and add some shelves. The process has begun. Thanks to my wonder woman of a mother - she helped and painted my kitchen this beautiful and happy daffodil color and then I went on one of my home decorating searches and found this perfect shelf to add a little 'umph' to our kitchen. It is looking so much happier, which makes me happy : ) 

2. Spending time with these little people! I get to spend the rest of my summer with these awesome little people. On Friday we went to Linvilla, fed the animals, played, had lunch, walked, and had a fantastic day.

3. My farm animal cupcakes. They made me pretty happy, as well a special five year old girl celebrating her birthday!

4. New shoes. My mother is the worst influence when it comes to shopping. We went out over the weekend and somehow I came home with two new pairs of shoes, sunglasses, and more. Her response every time I show her something " Just get it, you only live once." YOLO Olgs. Anyway, I love them, they make me happy, and they match my bridal shower outfit : )

5. A couple weekends ago my mom and I spent the day at Peddler's Village and then went wedding shoe shopping. We found a cute little candy shop AKA heaven where I loaded up on these goodies that instantly reminded me of my childhood. Chiclets were my favorite as a kid. What was your favorite candy? 

This is what happy looks like today. 

Happy Monday : )

This is What Happy Looks Like.

This Is What Happy Looks Like. 

Not literally. The above is actually a book I just finished reading yesterday - more like consumed in one day. I had the urge to get lost in Barnes & Noble the other day. I wanted a fun read, an end of the summer relaxing read and I stumbled upon this book by Jennifer Smith, whom also wrote the The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, which also is a great read. 

This book; geared more towards the young adult life which is not me (sadly, I had to admit this to myself after shedding a few tears) but it is completely consuming in a good way that a book should be, when you feel like getting lost in someone else's words and not your own thoughts. This book completely captured me from the beginning, It begins with an accidental e-mail being sent from one 17 year old guy to another 17 year old girl which then evolves into a back-and-forth friendship completely born via the web until they finally meet-unexpectedly-and identities are revealed along with TONS of feelings. I know what you are thinking - who continues to e-mail someone they DON'T know at this day and age - with all the loonies out there pretending to be 17 year old guys. My response to you is - JUST GO WITH IT, for the books sake and for a great summer read (that makes you feel like you are 18 again, or 17, whatever). 

Graham and Ellie; the two main characters are portrayed in such a way that I could envision in my mind what they looked like and...so it played as a mini movie in my head as I read along with the book. They had great story lines and backgrounds....and...a pretty sweet chemistry, if you're interested in reading a semi-chick read! 

If you're looking for something light, somewhat romantic in that 17-year old love kinda way with a modern twist, and something to just dive into that you cannot put down - I completely recommend this book. Warning - Nostalgia will immediately set in for the duration of this novel and shortly after... a sweet nostalgia of those easier times (or so we think-they really weren't that much easier!), young love, summer nights, and life before life (if that makes sense!). 

This is what happy looks like by Jennifer E. Smith. 

Enjoy : ) 

That time...

I used mayonnaise as a hair treatment. Yes, I did. 

I typically enjoy mayonnaise on my sandwiches-call me gross. I try to avoid it as much as possible just like I try to avoid french fries, chocolate, ice cream...you get the idea. I don't typically enjoy the smell of mayonnaise and I soon learned that I really disliked touching it with bare hands and smothering it in my hair. 

Let me back up - I was in the kitchen with my two little cousins whom I have the pleasure of spending the rest (all two weeks) of summer with before I start my new job. We were braiding hair, getting ready for karate and as I was in mid-brush, I noticed something in her hair, at the root. It resembled a small bug just cruising along her hair shaft. Next scene- you catch me getting a little closer-to get a better look, keeping quiet and starting to jump to conclusions in my mind. 

Long story short- all of that scratching I noticed that morning between both girls proved to my horror to be .... Lice. Such a terrible word...Lice. It makes you itch just thinking about it. Believe me, I wanted to take a shower right then and there. What ensued that day was an immediate call to Olga (my mother AKA queen of the universe/life saver), and then two little girls with their heads shampooed in the tub, and then...two little girls with their heads covered in mayonnaise and wrapped in shower caps for the rest of the day. Safe to say - we didn't really go anywhere that day, besides a quick trip to Chikfila (drive-thru of course). They had a rough morning which warranted Chikfila completely. 

Anyway, my mom explained that mayonnaise kills the lice bugs and afterwards the eggs need to be combed out of little ones hair and then she made the girls feel better and even had them laughing at themselves in their mayo shower caps - what a woman she is!

She also explained that mayonnaise is a treatment to get shiny hair as well. Who knew!

So this is what my evening looked like: 

Yup. Between my incredible fear of those little suckers some how jumping into the jungle of hair I have on my head and my utter curiosity/desire for shiny hair; I put large globs of mayonnaise in my hair. When I say large globs - I mean it. I have the hair of 3 people on my head. During the summer it feels like a large scarf around my neck. I used the rest of the mayonnaise and it was disgusting. David refused to sleep next to me that evening and I really don't blame him. Romeo on the other hand loved me even more. He apparently likes mayo just like his mama. 

Anyway, since you are all probably wondering - the mayo actually worked. I woke up, washed my hair (4 times - not kidding), blow dried it and it was unbelievably shiny. I even had a few compliments as to how clean and shiny my hair looked that day. If only they knew.....

Oh and no, I don't have lice - if you were wondering that too but I may use this mayo treatment more often - if I can get over the smell of my head smelling like a sandwich. 

: ) 

Instagram Weekend

BFF reunion at the shore meant dancing, pizza at midnight, beach all day, and lots of ice cream (look below)

By far the most amazing ice cream concoction ever. The PIG - 15 scoops of ice cream, 10 toppings and 4 really hungry girls with eyes way bigger than their appetites. It was so worth it though : ) 

Had a little celebration dinner with David this past weekend and it was deeelicious. This must be my pensive pose. Who knows. 

So handsome, he is. 

We ate our way through the weekend. I relived my youth and took David to Nifty Fifty's this weekend for burgers, fries, shakes. We didn't quite make it to the shakes after all of those fries. (yes, I have to fit into a big white dress in 3 months - yikes)

Saturday was spent with these 3 kiddos. We had a mini date-night filled with dinner and a fun outdoor concert playing oldies. They were so incredibly excited to go to their very "first concert" hehe. Summer concerts - big or small- are always the best. We laid out a blanket, plopped down in the grass and just listened to music for the night : )

Little video of their very first concert : ) 

Have a good week everyone 

xoxo

A Monday for the Books.

Today was the first day waking up - and not having to go to my droning 9-5. Turned the leaf in this book- I woke up instantly feeling lighter and the good ole mood scale went from low-lows - to an all time high today. It was a day of celebration for me; which included: 

- Dunkin donuts for breakfast. I know, I shouldn't have but...I did.

- A pedicure at one of my all-time favorite places, which included an extra long leg massage that almost put me to sleep. Celebration-it was!

- Some wandering through stores-buying a few things for the house-even though I shouldn't be...but once again, I did.

- Scoring a couple pairs of really flattering shorts, ON SALE - small joys! If you know - I am picky about shorts. They are either too short, too long, too 'I look like I shop in the junior section', and the list goes on. Today- I found just the perfect pair and so I bought three of them, in different colors of course.

 - Going to the supermarket in the middle of the day and beat the crowd! That is more of a bonus than many things that make me happy!

- Making an extremely delicious Veggie Ziti. This as well was a big score for me as well. I rarely cook (unfortunately) and today I had the time, energy, and the actual DESIRE to do so. BIG DEAL people.

 - Taking Romeo for a walk - even if David forced me to run up the hills tonight (after dinner). I could have tripped the guy, but I think this was one of the maybe 3 times I've ever seen him run, so I had to join. 

Small joys but they made the most perfectly normal and enjoyable day. I feel lighter, happier, and excited for all of the exciting things to come - they are just on the horizon. Really exciting times over here. Ended one chapter last week and started a new one this week-couldn't be happier! 

A Monday to remember : ) How was your Monday?

I'm scared to admit....

I'm ashamed to admit this but....

 I love Oreos & animal crackers. I can't help it. I like to sit on the couch at night while David watches his crazy/scary/mind boggling television shows with laptop secured on the lap and Oreos or animal crackers by my side. Not every night people - but if I let myself - it very well might be every night ; ) 

The only thing I like to do in the kitchen is - bake. Cupcakes, cinnamon buns, chocolate chip cookies, banana bread, and anything really that is sweet. David likes to do the cooking unless he wants to eat breakfast for every meal - I can make a mean omelet. That should count for something right? 

My shoes need their own closet. They don't have their own closet but they should...maybe one day. David makes serious attempts to stop me from bringing more shoes home- but he's quickly realized that you just can't break this bond. I tell myself to keep walking when I pass any shoe displays but there is something to be said of a pretty pair of shoes. Am I right? 

I overplay songs. I find a song and keep playing it. Then I love it and keep playing it. Over and over, and over, and over again until I find another favorite song and do the very same thing. I've currently listened to "Keep it to yourself" by Kacey Musgraves for about 4 times now. It's a great song - I totally recommend it : )

Sometimes weeks go by and I don't have a single word to write. I'm so ashamed of that. I guess life gets in the way sometimes and the luxury of sitting down with a cup of tea, music playing, and my thoughts just doesn't happen as often as I'd like. I promise...I'm working on it. 

When I get home from work at times, Romeo looks at me with the saddest puppy dog eyes and instead of starting dinner, taking him for a nice long walk....I just lay down on the floor right next to him and shut my eyes....until Romeo is dragging me out the door to go outside. Even if it's for a few minutes- I guess things could be worse right? 

I watch the Kardashians. I'm just going to admit this and also admit that I thoroughly enjoy it. Especially the family trip episodes. So there. 

I wake up David super early on the weekends - and he is clearly not happy but....the weekends are too good to miss in bed - unless it's raining. 

: )

42 things about us.

42 things about us, well because, I thought it'd be fun. 

1. We both love breakfast food- pancakes, eggs, all of it. 

2. He could spend all day lounging around with Romeo (our dog).

3. She never can sit still...ever.

4. They both love watching the show Newsroom every Sunday, 

until she falls asleep, and they watch it Monday night too : )

5. He's a night owl. 

6. She's a SUPER early morning person, and so is Romeo. 

7. She's always cold.

8. He's always hot. 

9. They love Scrabble. No one ever wins - it's always a tie : )

10. He loves golfing - and she's learning. 

12. She likes to sing really loud and makes him listen. 

13. He watches Vampire shows - and she is afraid of them. 

14. He loves when she bakes her homemade cinnamon buns. 

15. They both could eat cereal for dinner every night, if she let them. 

16. Her favorite color is yellow. 

17. He loves the color blue. 

18. They like to walk Romeo every night. 

19. When they first started dating - they'd go to the bookstore for hours. 

20. He cooks like a whiz. 

21. She bakes cookies and vanilla cupcakes for him. 

22. He brings her tea in bed. 

23. He loves to vacuum. 

24. She does the laundry. 

25. They sometimes laugh about nothing at all - or her, because she tripped over the table, over Romeo, or over her own feet. 

26. They can never agree on their future babies' names. 

27. She noticed his smile before he even noticed her-but she'll never tell him that. 

28. He's quiet. 

29. She's loud. 

30. They share a big big love for Romeo. 

31. He took her to see a scary movie on their first date - and she didn't have the heart to tell him that she hates scary movies. 

32. Sometimes they disagree on everything and sometimes they just like to challenge each other. 

33. She's a planner. 

34. He goes along with her plans. 

35. He gives the best hugs. 

36. He asked her to be his wife in the simplest yet most perfect way. 

37. She makes him try all of her 'healthy' food, as he calls it. 

38. He rarely likes her 'healthy' food. 

39. He would rather eat Burger King. 

40. They both love Dunkin Donuts. 

41. They both want to see so many places and always travel. 

42. They both love their dog - David wanted that to be on here twice - to emphasize ; )

H&M online!

If you're like me and get entangled and lost in all of your online "shopping bags" as you are watching tv on a Monday, Tuesday - um - every night of the week, then you will be especially happy to hear that H&M now has launched their online store. As my obligatory fashion post of the month- I am super excited to post this.

As a serial "mixer" of high and low fashion pieces in my wardrobe - H&M is one of my favorite stores that helps me maintain my closet in a budget friendly way of course. So in honor of this great achievement for them - I have compiled a couple of my favorite pieces I have in my 'shopping bag' at the moment- only to add more of course.

I'm a sucker for a nice leather pant in the fall/winter months. I think they can be dressed down and up for a night out. I love the outfit above - but hey, if REAL leather pants are out of the budget-these are pretty awesome and...you can order them online! (the small victories I achieve every day). 

Although it's sad to think about - Fall is almost here. This means chill nights, bonfires, Halloween, pumpkins, and really adorable parkas that can be worn every day. I love the this one. 

Ankle boots!  My previous rant about what Fall means, should have included boots in any form- especially these awesome zipper ankle boots. My favorite. 

Those are just a few of my favorite items on H&M online. Take a look for yourself. It's so much more fun when you can actually purchase the items, instead of attempting to track them down in a frenzy in the oversized stores!

Enjoy : )

It takes some words to make an action.

"It takes a thought to make a word. It takes some words to make an action. It takes some work to make it work....Life is wonderful."

I made a pretty big decision in the realm of decision making this week. Finding my way to that decision was also a task/journey in itself. I had been contemplating my career for a long time--mostly about what I want to do with my life--and where I see myself in 5, 10, 15 years. When I sat down to think about it, I didn't see myself doing what I am today--nor anything close to it. My heart wasn't in it anymore--if it ever was (which I'm not so sure either). I made things work but at the end of the day before crawling in bed, I always imagined what else I could be doing.

The desire to do something different was completely overwhelming--that I couldn't ignore it's elephant size anymore. I took a leap of faith and spoke with David, my mom, and my best friend (all my voices of reason in their own way), and eventually what was knocking on my door was so evident that I had to open it --speaking figuratively here, so you get the point : ) There were too many of those voices saying, (sometimes yelling)... "Vick, you need to just take a leap." Yep, I did just that.

So dun dun dun---I decided to leave my current "day job", if you will and am following another road that hasn't been traveled yet. Changing things up a bit because at the end of the day , change can be a good thing right?

I am continuing with Cupcakes by Vickie, but I am also going back to school (woo hoo) to follow another dream. So here I go. Wish me luck.

I stopped ignoring that little nagging dissatisfaction in the pit of my stomach and decided to make changes now before I wait 10 years and my desires are a distant memory -- yikes that sounds depressing.  This post is NOT meant to be a depressing post - I promise.

The point is -- I have never felt such excitement and happiness in a long time. For something that was so daunting and scary to think about, actually has me feeling lighter than I have in a long time. So...the future holds some great things--and I can't wait to see what is down this road.

Life is meant to be lived, the way we want to live it. I think sometimes we forget that we control exactly how we want our life to turn out. 

Now I am done on my personal rant--but the point is --- Life is too wonderful to be doing something you aren't happy doing.  

Fear stops us from being wonderful sometimes and everyone deserves to be wonderful.