Thursday, September 30, 2010

Okay, So I Like The Color Purple...

Yes, I happen to like the color purple. I don’t do this kind of stuff on purpose. In fact, it is just something I noticed today… that most of my daily routine to get ready involves my favorite color. Down to the floss! The eye makeup remover works the best for me. I like the smell of the Olay lotion. I am just trying this new face wash (it smells so calming!). The Bed Head stuff works well on my hair. The dentist recommended the floss and mouthwash (don’t blame me for this one!). And well, the dental hygienist asked me what color toothbrush I wanted…and purple was one of the choices! What was I going to pick, red?! I don’t think so. So, though I didn’t do this line up intentionally in all purple, I am quite pleased it worked out that way! :)

Bamboo And A New Blog Design… Two Things I’d Really Like

I have soooo many random blogs that I follow. I will not confirm or deny if I actually stalk them. ;) Each one is so unique in it’s own way, and then I come here to mine, that no body reads, but that I LOVE to write on, and it is so… just not me. So, right now, two things I’d really like…really, really like… are a cute, new blog design, (so I can feel like I am a real blogger… who says I can’t be?!) and a Bamboo. I have so many ideas for it, including for this real blog that I want to have. Maybe one day, but they are nowhere near in my reach for a while!

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Is There Something You'd Really Like Right Now?

Do you have a passion for something? A longing to go do a specific thing? A craving for an adventure? Well, I do. As Summer turned to Fall, I think I began to have a change of season as well. With this cooler weather, and my favorite time of the year at my finger tips, I want to take out my camera, and go on an adventure! Unfortunately, where I live, there is just not that perfect place. I don’t have the ability to travel right now, though I’d really love to. But I have this urge to go out and about with my camera, to discover a new place. Mono is in Omaha, NE right now. To be honest, I had absolutely no clue what he should expect. I’ve never been further west than Chicago! I have my little list of places I’d love to visit, but I never thought Omaha would be one of them. What a surprise I had when I looked at his pictures! It was the perfect place that I have been longing for. The weather is cool and beautiful where he is and there are so many little nooks and crannies, so many opportunities for the perfect little adventure. I have been going over and over his pictures, imagining I was there and picturing the exact photographs I would want to capture as a memory. I’m not sure what I am going to do about this feeling. This feeling of just wanting to be free, to let my passions soar and to be adventurous, courageous and know that I actually can do it! I need a little escape from the every day, but I just don’t know where to find it.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Trying

Do you ever have times when you feel like you’re doing your best and giving it all you have and it just isn’t clicking? Like all that is just not good enough? Days when doors close and people are far away. When things just plain old aren’t going. When you have a million thoughts and questions in your mind with no answers or way to free them from your brain? Today was kinda one of those days for me. I’m hoping for a day filled with more sunshine tomorrow. :) I think on days like today you just have to keep going and never give up!

Sunday, September 26, 2010

"What's In The Box?"

There on the chair sat a small Vera Bradley box. Mono knew it was for him to take on his trip, and I am sure he was wondering what on earth he was getting in a Vera box! We sat down on the couch and I showed him what it was holding inside… Batman fruit snacks, miniature pretzel logs, a package of Cuban crackers, a few Earl Grey tea bags, along with a baggie of my special sugar, some Maple peanut candies and some freshly baked, homemade hot chocolate cookies. I figured, being in a totally new area for a few days, living out of a hotel room and having to drive here and there, he might want a little snack or some tea! So, I got some of his favorite little goodies, baked some cookies and found a box of the appropriate size. I can’t help it was a V.B. box! It’s better than some others it could have landed in! :) I hope he has a nice trip and his little treats are a piece of the comfort of home! Safe travels my Monito! I will see you next week, and enjoy your little goodies.

Saturday, September 25, 2010

U.S. Cities/Places I'd Like To Visit

1. Charleston, S.C
2. Sanibel Island, F.L
3. Seattle, W.A
4. Napa, C.A
5. San Francisco, C.A

6. San Diego, C.A
7. Any cute little ski town in C.O
8. Boston, M.A
9. Maine (I know that’s not a city, but I don’t have a specific place, but I would like to see Maine, preferably along the coast)
10. Arizona – I’d like to see it out there, and especially the Grand Canyon.



I lived in New York. Visited D.C when I lived in Maryland. My best friend lives in Chicago. Been to Disney (Orlando). Vacationed with family in Miami… All these bigger cities people vacation to are common to me. I love them all, but this list I made are places that I have never been that I would like to visit. I love New York, D.C., Chicago and Miami, so they would be on the list above if I could only pick 10 to ever go to. Thankfully though, that’s not the case. :) The U.S. has so many pretty little towns and big cities to visit and I hope one day, to see all the ones I have on this list!

Friday, September 24, 2010

Zebra Stripes And Barbecue




What to eat?!

Oh, I just love this picture. Isn't he so handsome?

Sweet Tea! Nothing goes better with a good, Southern meal!

I liked our booth. A little kid must have been there before me...crayons on the walls. 

Perfect! A bottle for each of us. Authentic for me, Spicy for him!

My meal!

Mono's meal!
 

Mono and I are going out for dinner tonight to Jim ‘N Nicks, and I’m wearing my new, step out of the box, zebra print shoes. I am really “stepping” out of the box with these beauties. For those of you who know me, I rarely step outside of my comfort zone. Yesterday there was a huge sale and I found flats that fit me, are comfortable… and best of all, still stylish! :) I found this pair of zebra printed shoes with some patent leather on them, and something inside of me just clicked with them and we fell in love. :) So tonight, they are making their grand entrance to dinner… at Jim ‘N Nicks. For all of you who don’t live around here, it’s a barbecue place. I know, you’re probably thinking it might not be such a great idea to have brand new shoes with white on them at a barbecue place, but I’m saying, “Live a little. What the heck and why not wear them!?”  No, really, I am thinking to myself, “Should I put a napkin over them?” I spill things. I’m not overly clumsy or anything, I just have bad luck with things like this… spilling (or being spilled on) things on new clothes, getting ink on a new purse. You know, must I go on? But I am looking forward to our night out at dinner, and a yummy Southern barbecue meal with my best friend in the entire world! :) Off I go, stepping out into the real world in a little crazy style!

Monday, September 20, 2010

It's Official. I Am Ready For Fall.

With the temperature staying steady in the high 90′s in mid September, I must just be in denial or something crazy, that fall is not arriving when it should be. I was in the car, driving with my Mom, just a few days ago and the temperature read 102. Crazy. Actually, beyond crazy. But in my little world, it’s officially going to begin the Fall season, on time. So guys, on Thursday, the 23rd, it begins. I arranged my Fall nail polishes, picked out a fresh new lip gloss, took out my scarves (the lighter weight ones) and turtleneck shirts (again, the lighter ones)… and well, my jeans, but they are out year round for me… even on hot 96 degree days like today. :) I know I may not be wearing the scarves or turtlenecks just yet, but just seeing them out is comforting. And the real test of knowing summer is now ending, the last flickers and scents from my Sun and Sand candle are burning out. Autumn Leaves, bring it on! :)

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Thoughts For The Day

I have a lot I want to do today, yet I want to have down time to hang out with Mono. He came over this morning and we had coffee cakes, soooo yummy, and some tea. :) He went back home and it getting stuff done and I am going to go for my run. We have to go out later on, and I want to have everything done so tonight we can just have fun and hang out. I want to clean my car (so does he – his car) and I have to do my painting for the day. My next two challenges after the paintings are going to involve knitting and jewelry, and I have to make sure I get all my supplies that I need to be ready. I won’t start right away, but I don’t want a large gap in between. I know I am going to be a bit rushing with my painting again today, but I hope it turns out okay.  Okay, I better leave for my run!!

Paintings 3 And 4

Well, day three was to use a theme of all whites and creams, with a subject of something I love. It was an easy choice… pearls. I am not really happy with the outcome, but it was quick and I was really busy and just had to let it go and have it be done. I could have worked on it for a while to make more realistic. That’s okay. Today I only had about 25 minutes so I just did something fast. And today’s theme was monochromatic in my favorite color… purple. I chose flowers. Squeezing a painting in and having to be detail free is super hard. I am pleased that I am at least getting them done though!! :)
Here’s paintings three and four:


So those are my two most recent paintings. Tomorrow is Day Five, only three more paintings to go to complete my challenge! :) After this though, I think I have to go back to taking my time and being more realistic. ;)

Thursday, September 16, 2010

One Of Those Kinda Days

It’s kinda one of those days when you just want to curl up with a movie or a good book and not do anything else! Unfortunately today is only Thursday and I have to wait until the weekend for that kind of fun. It’s a kinda hot, rainy day. My run today has to be after dinner and I still have today’s painting to do. I’m not looking forward to leaving my run until this evening and I just have a feeling that today’s painting isn’t going to come out right. I think that is part of my challenge though. Letting that go. I got to sleep an hour extra today which made a little difference. If only I went to be at a decent hour last night… I have Church this afternoon and then when I come home, a quick lunch and I have to sit down to do my painting before I end up with interruptions. I ordered the movie, Letters to Juliet and it is arriving tomorrow! I just cannot wait to watch it!! :) I want to get in my jammies and just cuddle up on the couch and enjoy my movie. :) I told Mono though that I have to make sure that my painting for tomorrow is completed before I get to watch it though. It’s going to be soooo tough not to cheat. Oooh! I’ll post a picture later with my painting for day three. Hopefully even though I feel sluggish, I can push on and get through the day without being lazy. Ciao!

Two Days, Two Paintings

So I have given myself this new challenge… Painting 7 pictures in 7 days, and here are my first two. Before I show you, let me tell you the rules… 1, no drawing first. I have to sit down and just start painting. 2, no thinking, just paint! My problem with my artwork is that I WAAAYYYY over think things until I have been working on it for weeks or even months. Sure the outcome is great, but I need to let go. 3, don’t get up unless it is done, not even to step away to look at it from far away. The ONLY exception is if I need to let the background dry first. 4, no fixing anything. So if I have a mistake in it, that is how it has to stay. 5, each one has a theme and a meaning… and 6, no critiquing it when I am done. I just have to admire what I accomplished. With all that being said, here are my first two. It is taking a lot for me to do these. I desperately want to critique it and fix things, but I am letting ggooooo! ;)

Painting One: 9.14  Rainbow, whimsy, kinda abstract, with a subject of something I love!

A cupcake!! :) I LOVE cupcakes, and with my recent trips to       Georgetown Cupcake, they were really on my mind. If I wasn’t trying to watch what I eat a little better, I’d be making a few dozen this week! What’s your favorite flavor?

Painting Two: 9.15 Black & White, just something quick and fun – that has meaning in it – with a quote.

The night sky! Oh how I just adore looking up at the beauty God  gives us in the night sky! I love the stars, finding the constellations  and if I’m real lucky, seeing a shooting star! My favorite  constellation is what Mono and I call the “m” constellation. It’s  Ours.  :) It is really called “Cassiopeia,” but forget that! “The M  Constellation” is a whole lot better, don’t ya think!? ;) I have always  loved this one. It was even in the movie, “Serendipity.” I thought  that  was pretty cool. :) I like to look for it each clear night, and with  meaning behind it for Mono and I, I thought it would be the perfect  black and white. I am sure I could have been a lot more creative, or  done something more obvious, like a cow, but this is the first thing  that I thought of, and I LOVE it! Can you find the “m” constellation? Do you wish upon a star? Or like in my case, a favorite constellation? :)

So these were my challenges for days one and two. I am looking forward to tomorrow’s! I’ll give you a hint… it’ll be done in all creams and whites. :) Should be fun! Is there anything you can challenge yourself to do for seven days in a row? Maybe cook a new meal each night, document your week in pictures, try a new coffee or tea each day… What can you do?! Have fun!

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Earl Grey and a Little Sparkly Sugar!



Good morning all! I am sitting here, sipping a little hot cup of Early Grey (tea). I have to share with you the F.U.N that I add to it though! Check it out… Can it get any better than that!? There is no other way to use sugar in a dainty little cup of tea, than adding some fun, colorful sugar to it! I hope you all are having a sweet and colorful start to your day as well!

5 Days…5 Paintings…Can I Do It?!

So, here’s my challenge. Paint 5 paintings in 5 days. Not super detailed ones like I usually do. I want to buy 5 different shaped canvases, take 5 different things I like, and just paint. No thinking, just letting loose and paint. I have an awful time doing this, but this is exactly why I am giving myself this challenge. I have themes for each of the 5 days. Here are a few of my ideas… one painting in bright colors, kinda abstract, one monochromatic in my favorite color, one in just whites and creams (pretty much monochrom, but this is basically no color at all), one in black and white (which is kinda going to be black, white and silver, one of the beach in just teals and creams, one for Mono, one with something to do with running, one for Fall, with only earthy tones…. that’s my list (eight there, but what the heck! Maybe I’ll end up with more than 5 paintings!)!! I am pretty much all done with today’s painting and I have the backgrounds of two more painted also. One of those will be for tomorrow. I will try to post a picture of each tomorrow! :) I wish I could paint now, but I really have to go to sleep. I have to be up by 6am. :/ Not something I am looking forward to.  Good night and let the challenge begin!

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

A New York Kind Of Day!

Today I spent the morning with my friend, Katie. She was my very first friend I have EVER had, and not just my very first friend, but my very first best friend. She is still that same special kind of friend that everyone wishes they could have up to even this very day. We’ve been friends for 8932 days! That’s 771,724,800 seconds! Crazy, huh!? ;) No matter how many of those days passed that we haven’t talked on the phone or online, we always pick right back up, as if not a day passed. Being that we live so far away, visits like this are far and few between, and not always long, but I cherish each and every second of it.
So today she drove to my grandparents house (since no car was available for me to meet her) and we spent some time chatting with my Mom (who was the only one home at the time) and we looked at her wedding album and scrapbook she put together from her honeymoon and then, off we went! By the way, she has the most beautiful and unique wedding album I’ve seen! Plus she was a breathtaking bride! :) Last night, Katie asked me where I’d like to go for breakfast and missing a good New York bagel as much as I do, I asked if it would be okay to go to the bagel shop. And so we did! Now, I always have a hard time deciding what bagel to get and what do I want on it. You may not think it’s a hard choice, but when there are a few dozen choices, it makes it difficult for a girl like me. Today I chose an egg bagel, pretty quickly too! The hard part was what I wanted on it. With egg bagels, I like cream cheese and butter. Which to choose. I hesitantly chose cream cheese, wondering if I made the right choice. Next up, Katie! And she orders, egg bagel, with one side butter and one side cream cheese! May I just say, GENIUS!! :) After all these years torturing myself over what to get, she had the simplest answer of them all, a little of each. :) She said that was the result of many times not being able to making up her mind. Apparently, she has had the very same problem many times in the past, and one day, decided to try that… and… it was heavenly! Neither of us cared about the one million calories it probably had. All that was on our minds was soaking up each minute together and having a ton of fun…and of course, how delicious our calorie soaked bagels were! We laughed about old times, caught each other up with some new stories from recent happenings in our lives, etc… And once time was starting to run out, we left the shop and she drove me back here to the house and more of my family was here, so we chatted some more. I heard some stories that I’ve heard before, but still love, like the day she got engaged. I will never forget when I got the call. She had been waiting so patiently… well kinda… ;) for him to propose and all she wanted to do was marry him. And I heard some stories that were brand new. And, after those few stories once we got back home, she had to leave. It was real sad to see her go. :/ Even though it was too short of a visit, it was so enjoyable! It felt like not a day had gone by that we hadn’t talked. She is my forever friend and I look forward to the next visit together! Hopefully next time, Jay and Katie, Gus and I can all go out together for dinner or something. It would be a lot of fun. :)
Katie is a beautiful woman, not only on the outside, but even more, on the inside. She is beautiful, creative, smart, kind, sweet, talented, happy, genuine and lots of fun… Anyone that is blessed to have her in their life is a lucky person. She is truly a gift to me and I love her dearly.
Now, after my whole talk about my morning with Katie, it feels like I should be at the end of my day already… but I have more to say! :) Lucky you! First of all, back up to yesterday. After two flights and an extremely long and boring layover (about 5 hours due to problems with the plane) I arrived on Long Island and my beautiful aunt picked me up. We had a fun car ride coming in to my grandparents house, talking, laughing, the whole bit and then when we got here, I visited for a while and then my parents and I met up with my god-father, aunt and cousin for pizza. I always enjoy seeing them, but again, the visits are just too short. We had a really nice time at dinner, catching up, swapping stories, etc. My uncle was on a break from work so when it was time for him to leave, we all headed on our own ways. We spent some more time with Nana and Popa in the evening and then I had to get to bed early. I was running on three hours of sleep and I was exhausted!! This morning was breakfast with Katie. Aunt Liz came in again today (my aunt that picked me up at the airport) and she took Mom and I too All American for a burger and we sat in the car, talked and called my other aunt… kinda like a family reunion in a car on the phone! haha- And back home we came. Mom and I ran errands today and when we got back to the house we had dinner with Nana and Popa and my Uncle Al (Popa’s brother). My Dad has been up in Massachusetts all day visiting a friend of ours, and another one of my uncles. So it’s been a busy and full day of visiting for all of us. Dad is on his way home now and in the morning we head to the beautiful state of Maryland, which also means, one day closer to seeing Mono. :) Tonight we are just hanging out with Nana and Popa and packing up our things for tomorrow. It has been a real quick visit for me, but a very nice one. I wish there was more time to see more people, but what we’ve had has been lovely. :)
I’ll be back soon NY!