May Favorites

Another month, but this time filled with the promise of warm weather and the bright colors of summer.  I spent lazy afternoons beside the pool, making new friends with other tenants of our apartment complex.  After such gray, rainy days, I still hungered for color and sun.

Citrus Zinger Water Bottle | The bottom of this bottle comes off separately.  It looks to fit half of a small orange and or lemon perfectly.  The bottle came with infusion ideas; for example, lemon/basil/cinnamon sticks/honey or lime/lavender/ginger/cane sugar, as well as organ/mint/chipotle powder/agave nectar.  The possibilities are apparently endless.  I prefer strawberry fizzy water with a half lemon and mint.

Topoxte Dropwaist Tunic | I am obsessed with this tunic from Anthropologie.  A gigantic portion of my envelope money went to this one shirt, but I regret nothing.  The comfort, the color.  I hope this lasts forever.

Kate Spade Tote | This was a gift from the husband, but it was also a bribe.  I do love negotiations.

Emily Ley Simplified Life Binder | I was looking for something a little bit more permanent to keep track of our finances.  I am obsessively stalking Emily Ley's blog already in anticipation of her Simplified Planner (which releases in September).  While I do love my Erin Condren Life Planner, I am thoroughly impressed by Emily Ley's blog and devotion to putting God at the center of her family and her business.  Her preppy style and well-made products are gorgeous, and I look forward to her 2014 collection of inserts for her new binders.

Sun Hat | This hat was a steal.  I have been trying on various hats, not quite sure if I am a "hat person."  There are some people who are destined to look good in hats all the time (Kate Middleton).  And I was seeking a wide-brimmed floppy hat for those grueling days by the pool.  This hat from The Loft works perfectly, is made of neutral colors to match almost everything, and was on sale (thanks to my mother).  Steal.

Week(end) Collection

For a week, Karl was away.  I cleaned, I watched Netflix, I read books, and I went to track practice.  It was odd living the "alone" life, for it was not quite the single life, but I certainly had no one to talk to or bounce ideas off of, or laugh at, or even eat with.  I spent afternoons by the pool, and quite luckily, made some new acquaintances.  But I was very ready to visit Pennsylvania to see friends and family.

While there, I visited with roommates and co-workers, as well as family.  We were forever running (driving).  Although it may not have seemed like we rested, in a way, even though it was for a very short time, it was comforting to be in the arms of family once again.  As I have mentioned before, it still is nice to come back to our own place where I am familiar with my "things" and our habits.  But still, it was calming to see the hills and the greens of Pennsylvania.

Although we had some minor car trouble on our way back (I insisted we fly next time), we made it back in relatively good time.  Thus the unpacking and the laundry has begun.  Our bed has turned into a small desk where I am plotting out dinner and finances, and it is good to wrap myself in my robe once again.

Weekend Collection

Friday's dinner involved walking around countless people and food trucks.  "The Battle of the Food Trucks" was in full force, and believe me, the husband and I got around.  Both of us were happy with our respective selections for dinner, but I was even happier with our selection for dessert.  A salted caramel chocolate, mint chocolate, fudge, and orangescicle cupcake each went home to be devoured over the weekend.  They were well worth the calories.

This weekend brought a visitor from Pennsylvania.  A fellow teacher who loves all things English (in both the British sense and the language sense).  And thus, our great adventure began.

On Saturday, we left early in the morning to drive to Montgomery where the Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald Museum was waiting for us.  Although not extensive, the museum sits in a lovely house where the Fitzgeralds resided when living close to Zelda's family.  Because of in-law issues and the oppressive summer heat, F. Scott was not particularly fond of living Montgomery, and they were never around for long.  However, it was one of the longest places of residence for the Fitzgeralds, including their daughter.

The museum included pictures and memorabilia from Zelda and Scott's respective families, as well as pictures and letters dating from their courtship and on.  Some of Zelda's artwork was on display, and first editions of all Scott's novels!  The excitement and complete nerd-ing out was overwhelming.

Then we jumped into the car and headed to Monroeville, Harper Lee's hometown.  We had tickets to see a performance of "To Kill a Mockingbird" at the courthouse that inspired the events in the famed novel.  It was breathtaking.  The performance was wonderful, and we wanted Atticus to come home and read us a bedtime story.  He was the perfect performer.  A long drive home and a stop at a Waffle House capped off our long Saturday.

Sunday was a day of BBQ and relaxation and that was alright with me.  It's hard to come back down to earth after such an exciting, fun-filled weekend, but I am so glad that such a dear friend was able to visit.

April Favorites

This month was probably my busiest of all the months thus far.  I was looking for quick and easy fixes to issues I was dealing with at the time.  As the cold months left, my skin was doing crazy things, I was completely depressed by the beautiful but dark colors in every room, and I was looking for a little color in every corner.

West Elm bedding | The first thing I wanted to update was our cranberry-colored bedspread.  These lighter, coastal tones of the duvet cover paired well with slate Pottery Barn pillow covers and a matching throw.

Bella Kettle | This "hot pot" or kettle was the perfect colorful replacement.  It earned its spot on the counter.

Le Pens | The office supply nerd inside of me could not pass up the beauty of these pens.  And the fine tip.

Clarasonic Mia2 | For my crazy skin, Karl bought me this long-coveted face cleansing tool for my birthday.  Dealing with all sorts of sun, dirt, and general track grime deep in my pores, this little beauty has lived up to its reputation.

Underarmour hat | Although I hate hat hair, this has been a necessity as the sun comes out longer and hotter every day.  While the other coaches and kids walk around with sunburned scalps and faces, my head is fairing much better.

An Hour or Two

The state track championship was held in Gulf Shores, Alabama. It was three days of sleepiness, watching, and running. And eating, of course.  Karl and I have been meaning to make it to the gulf, but our endeavor was cut short with his work schedule and life.  I am an ardent fan of the beach, and if I wasn't so afraid of storms, I would also be a supporter of coastal living myself.

I was not brave enough to don a swimsuit and jump into the water. But for the hour or so that the kids frolicked and posed for pictures, I dug my feet into the sand and the water.  I let the breeze off the waves tangle my hair.  I thought of big, floppy straw hats to shield my face from the burning sun.  And I imagined coming back to the beach because I do love it so.

Worth It

I will not be able to wear flats or heels for a week or two.  My sock tan line is atrocious to look upon, and I feel like everyone is staring at my feet.  My legs are so tan already, but my feet are still ghastly white.

My earlobes are sunburned.  As well as the back of my legs.  That means they are itchy.  For someone who never has sunburn, this is a slight inconvenience.

I am so sleepy.  I went to bed too late on Friday, only to wake up early on Saturday to fetch the coffee and donuts before another long day.  Saturday I fell asleep at 7:00 pm.  Dinner was missed.

I will ride a school bus for six hours on Thursday.  Then I will ride another six hours to return home on Saturday.  But it's where we are going that makes the trip, the sunburn, the lack of sleep, and the messy tan lines worth it.

Our track team won sectionals.  So it's off to the state meet we go.  Gulf Shores, Alabama.  We'll be at the beach for a little while.  I might even get to enjoy a dinner with real, fresh seafood one evening.  Winning never felt so good.

Weekend Collection

This past weekend brought a car load of family members. I always worry about sleeping arrangements and the lack of certain necessities, such as extra blankets and pillows.  As two young married people, husband and I have yet to acquire "old" comforters and afghans and pillows that have fallen flat.  But eventually, you have to look around the apartment, look into all the rooms, shrug your shoulders, and say, "Alas."

We were much excited to feel the warmth again, with temperatures climbing back into the 80s.  And while by myself I may have sat on the porch or tanned a bit, with family, the weekend was full of food.  Places that Karl and I have discovered in our research on Urbanspoon and my particular taste for stuffed potatoes rather than ribs and barbecued chicken.  And that was fine.  I didn't fire up the oven/stove once.  I am not even sure the microwave was ever used.  Next time I will try to be a bit more proactive in the field of cooking.  I suppose it was a little daunting for me to think about cooking for six rather than the usual two.  So husband did not even ask it of me once, and I am grateful that he neither poked nor prodded the issue.  Next time.

We also took the family to the shooting range using our newly minted membership identification cards.  I am not sure there is anything more "hick" than our newest hobby, but I am rather enjoying myself.  I never saw myself owning a gun, yet alone a pistol, and while maybe I wish our hobby was a bit less expensive, the level of concentration and skill needed is as exciting to learn as it might be to master.  Karl was especially excited to teach his little brother (and by little, I mean, probably taller but younger in age), as my brother-in-law has held an affinity for shooting targets at a younger age.  My sister-in-law and I were just as happy to window shop for the weekend, as she is on a tight budget due to her impending trip to Rome for a semester.  Oh to be young again.

And as Karl shuffled back into the apartment after escorting the family to their car, we smiled at one another and slowly started shifting bits and pieces of our lives back into place.  And now we have resumed to working by day and tiredly ordering Chinese takeout and watching "Suits" in the evening.  But the weekend was lovely, and we will make it another week.