Sep 3rd 2010 10:21:59 am

This post is based on the blogging prompt “What I Did Over My Summer Vacation” from IndieBizChicks’ September Blogging Special.

I already told you about my recent trip to Disney World here and here, but I haven’t shared many photos here, on my blog. (And I know you were just dying to see more… Isn’t that everyone’s favorite activity, viewing photos from another person’s vacation? ha!)

Above you can see Travis, Chelsea, Scott, and me on the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad roller coaster (I think). I love roller coasters! Especially the ones at Disney because they are less painful than other amusement park coasters. It is always amazing how after the ride, the super-long wait in line seems totally worth it. (The four of us took an almost identical photo last year at Disney Land.)

Chelsea and I loved these sparkly Minnie ears. We always end up trying on all sorts of ears and hats while we enjoy the air conditioning in the stores at Disney. I have never bought any (because what in the heck would I do with them once I got home?!), but I think they look quite cute.

Racing through the Speedway ride with Travis…. The Speedway is Chelsea’s favorite ride. While we waited in line to get our turn in the mini cars, we all pondered why they are still gas powered and not the more eco-friendly electric. The exhaust fumes were pretty intense.

So… I am actually still a little embarrassed to be sharing more photos from Disney World. Do not judge me too harshly. I know it is not a very adult vacation, but it was so fun. Plus, if we had gone to Las Vegas, I probably could not share the photos!

5 Comments » Categories: Family, Just for Fun, Travis, Trips

Sep 2nd 2010 04:55:31 pm

This post is based on the blogging prompt “What do you like best about your hometown?” from IndieBizChicks’ September Blogging Special.

The photo of the flat land you see above was taken in Western Kansas. Not exactly my hometown, but close. There is nothing I can do about it, I am a midwest girl – born in Saint Louis, raised in Kansas City, college in Iowa, vacations in Chicago – and everyone can tell. In New York, people go out of their way to tell me I am the most smiley person they have ever met, or that I am too polite, or that I am definitely NOT a native New Yorker. I just don’t think they were prepared for the midwest invasion…

I always wanted to explore the world. I had aunts and uncles who traveled nearly everywhere and I intended to follow in their footsteps, but now that I am away from my hometown in Kansas, I have definitely grown to appreciate it more.

A few of my favorite things about suburban Kansas City:

♥ The wide open spaces.
♥ The Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art where I had my wedding reception.
♥ The running/hiking trails, which are remarkably flat!
♥ The large and numerous movie theaters. (without bedbugs!)
♥ Inexpensive real estate.
♥ The Country Club Plaza.
♥ The freedom to drive anywhere and buy lots of groceries!
♥ My family! xoxo

There have got to be more…. what am I missing?!

I think the thing I like the very best about my hometown is just how comfortable it is. I guess that is what everyone would say about their hometown… even if it is bustling New York City!

p.s. I thought I should add, that while a lot of my personality traits could be traced back to my midwest upbringing, there are also a lot of ways in which I am not a typical midwesterner… my religious and political preferences being two of them. I guess it is never quite accurate to stereotype someone, even when the person I am stereotyping is myself!

p.p.s My brother, who lived for three years in far western Kansas, has informed me that you can’t see the Rocky Mountains from there… so the photo above may actually be from Colorado. (Travis and I have driven across the country twice and I didn’t label my photos extremely well.) So, here is a photo that I KNOW is from Kansas:

7 Comments » Categories: Family, Home, Just for Fun, New York, Projects, Thinking

Sep 1st 2010 11:24:03 am

In an attempt to improve my personal blog and try to increase my blogging enthusiasm, I signed up for IndieBizChicks.com’s September Blogging Special. It is a month-long “eClass” that includes daily emails with blogging tips and prompts. I may not be able to do all of the blogging prompts, but I am going to try to do many of them – starting today!

Today’s Challenge: Get out of your blog reading rut! Crissy challenged us to visit our three favorite blogs and then visit three totally new-to-us blogs that are outside of our comfort zone.

First, 3 of my favorite blogs:

ljcfyi – a daily blog with lots of photos

[i]LoveLife- an artist’s blog on creativity

Oh joy! – a premier design blog

Now, 3 new (and cool) blogs:

100 Layer Cake – This is a very popular blog about weddings. I got married seven years ago, so I don’t really read wedding blogs, but this one is so beautiful! Lots of design and party inspiration.

This Girl is Losing It – A weight loss and running blog (found via). The author has had a lot of success (lost 38 lbs!) and is training to run a 5k, which is very interesting to me right now as I train for a marathon!

Conversion Rater – So this is actually my friend, Pat’s, blog, but it is a bit outside my comfort zone. It is a tech blog with a focus on online advertising and internet startups and Pat really knows his stuff!

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So, I didn’t move outside of my comfort zone too far, but I have added these three new blogs to my reader and hope to gain a fresh perspective by expanding my blog circle. What are a few other new-to-me blogs I should check out?

5 Comments » Categories: Favorites, Just for Fun, Website, design

Aug 17th 2010 11:37:09 am

I am not a religious person, but I have an unshakable faith in the power of love.

…and in the power of sweets!

(I woke up in a terrible mood and I am doing everything I can to shake it, including doodling donuts running away with hearts…)

2 Comments » Categories: Art, Cute Things, Food, Just for Fun, love

Aug 11th 2010 01:06:14 pm

…and now we take a break from our regularly scheduled BlogHer coverage to bring you something slightly more fun…

I have been a diehard fan of Paper Source for quite a while… you can read just a few of my past adoring posts about the stationery store here, here, here, and here. Need another example to illustrate my devotion? One of my first driving adventures when I turned 16 was driving from my suburban home to the Paper Source store at the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City (which at that time seemed like a long and scary distance) to pick up swirly purple paper for a high school art project. Hobby Lobby paper would not do. I even lived across the street from that store for a while after Travis and I got married!

Recently, however, the store has been off my radar… until I browsed through the catalog that was delivered to my apartment yesterday! Of course, all of the excellent paper products were included, but man oh man, do they have some amazingly cute gift items going on right now! These are just a few of the cuties that caught my eye:

Turquoise & Chartreuse Pom Pom Scarf • Owl Stickers • Cupcake Kit • Cupcake Bandages • “Keep Calm and Carry On” Bandages • Cupcake Lip Glosses • Bling Magnets • Matrushka Doll Rubber Stamp • Kitchen Page Flags

I’ve got to keep Paper Source in mind when I need gift ideas! I think you could find something cute for just about anyone there…. do you have any of their items on your wish list?

3 Comments » Categories: Accessories, Crafts, Cute Things, Favorites, Just for Fun

Aug 5th 2010 12:46:45 pm

The very first time I went to Disneyland (with Travis for our high school spring break over eleven years ago), I took a silly photo with the wooden indian statue that they had in Frontierland. I thought it was such a funny photo that I tried to recreate it on my second trip to Disneyland last year. So… when we were in Disney World last week, you know I had to search out that indian for the traditional photo op. I am a huge dork.

5 Comments » Categories: Just for Fun, Photos, Trips

Jul 13th 2010 02:35:16 pm

I stole the idea for this fun exercise in positivity from a really lovely blog, Calico & Co, and thought it was appropriate since this is my 30th year of life on Earth…

Enjoy my list of 30 things I ♥:

I ♥ candy.
I ♥ coffee.
I ♥ sunshine.
I ♥ snail mail.
I ♥ my iPhone.
I ♥ Photoshop.
I ♥ sleeping in.
I ♥ the internet.
I ♥ my husband.
I ♥ pretty paper.
I ♥ video games.
I ♥ funny people.
I ♥ art museums.
I ♥ baby animals.
I ♥ Team in Training.
I ♥ tasty sandwiches.
I ♥ pre-war buildings.
I ♥ exploring NYC on foot.
I ♥ my little chihuahua dog.
I ♥ exercising and seeing results.
I ♥ parties and party decorations.
I ♥ ultra fine point Sharpie markers.
I ♥ real, delicious, healthy, whole foods.
I ♥ cupcakes! (Really, any cute dessert.)
I ♥ finishing a task and/or reaching a goal.
I ♥ my family (extended & in-laws included).
I ♥ fantasizing about my future dream house.
I ♥ sparkling water (acqua frizzante in Italian).
I ♥ uncompromisingly friendly and optimistic attitudes.
I ♥ chatting & laughing with friends (usually at inappropriate times).

…and just one more for good measure…

I ♥ the magical universe – hey, we exist!

4 Comments » Categories: Cute Things, Feeling Happy, Just for Fun, Lovely Things

Jun 10th 2010 02:41:05 pm

So… I am not really sure I want to tell you about this lovely website that I recently found. You see, it is a giveaway site that has really fantastic daily giveaways that you can enter just by leaving a comment. If I tell you about it, then you will enter all the giveaways and it will reduce my already miniscule chances of winning… But, I’m a nice gal, so I’ll spread the love…

You must check out TheBrightSideProject.com! It has really pretty posts featuring the best in style and design, and every day they give something nice away. Sadly, I haven’t won anything yet, but the site has turned me on to lots of lovely things, like the stuff seen above:

• Toy Watch, in white like Chanel
• By Boe reminder bow ring
• Chan Luu wrap bracelet
• Ayofemi Jewelry necklace
• Tarte’s new glam gams bronzing leg stick
• Prismera Design Fiona necklace
• Seychelles sandals
• and… Banter Banners

The daily posts are a quick read and I almost always leave a comment to enter the giveaway… It doesn’t hurt!

No Comments » Categories: Fashion, Just for Fun, Lovely Things, Website, design

May 19th 2010 02:50:03 pm

Recently, I have been reading/viewing the blog Kind Over Matter daily. It is sort of a combo of feel-good indie crafts and positive inspiration. They share hopeful illustrations and quotes multiple times a day. I really like that it is sweet and uplifting without being super-cheesy or specifically religious.

I have been wanting to post my own version of an uplifting illustration in Kind Over Matter style. While I was thinking about what I wanted it to say, the song “Secret Crowds” by Angels and Airwaves kept going through my head. It is a song I listen to often when I run and it always gets me pumped up. AVA (the band name abbreviation) is a side band created by Blink-182 guitarist, Tom DeLonge, and here is a perfectly descriptive quote from my sister-in-law, Chelsea, one of their biggest fans: “AVA is AWESOME!! They’re an amazing punk bank spreading a postive message!” Right on. (Plus, they just came out with a new album, LOVE, that you can download from their website FOR FREE! sweet.)

That is probably too much description for something that was meant to be a quick snippet of inspiration, but just listen to the song. I love how the lyrics use such urgent and aggressive words (violence and fire) to express the imperative of spreading hope and love.

spread hope like fire; spread love like violence

2 Comments » Categories: Feeling Happy, Just for Fun, Thinking, music

May 10th 2010 01:58:07 pm

Some insight into my random mind:

playing –> Angry Birds – It is an iPhone game and it is so fun.

wanting –> Midnight Blue Birkenstocks – for walking around the city and Disney World in July!

wishing –> for this lovely Wiliams-Sonoma Home mirror.

practicing –> Sexy beach hair techniques – I am so terrible at hair styles…

watching –> JUSTIFIED!!! Omg, this is my new most favorite show ever! Timothy Olyphant is the best gunslinger in the world!

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6 Comments » Categories: Just for Fun, Shoes, Television