A PROUD FRIEND.

how cute is my friend katie in this video?!

if you could believe it (i can't) she is EVEN cuter in person!

(she and her family have really really really good genes)

thanks for sharing Peg!

just as you are a proud mom, i am a proud friend!!

LA FLOWER MART.

LA is one of those places where you can literally never run out of fun things to do,

events to plan, and new places to see. I am planning a few weddings for 2011 and one

of which is doing their own flowers for the bouquet and center pieces. i love the idea

of bringing more of yourself into your own wedding (and not to mention saving tons

of money in the process). i have been to hundreds of different flea markets, farmers

markets, and flower marts. NONE of which are as fun as the LA Flower Mart. The

flowers are overwhelmingly beautiful and you literally can be in their for hours.

Last week I went to scope out the scene and see what flowers will be perfect for a June

wedding. I am already envisioning exactly how i want them to be placed on the tables.

I love a good wedding and more importantly the perfect flowers to match.

IT HAS ARRIVED.

i just received my passes to this amazing event!!!

16 days left for both p90x {being done} + coachella music festival!

if only you could see my face right now

(cue music as well...)

i've never been so excited!!!

are you going too? let me know!!!

RIGHT THIS SECOND...

(source: 79 ideas)

i am excited for:

momma and brother coming to town this weekend + homemade jambalaya!

i am craving:

sushi! but then again... when am i not.

i am thinking about:

coachella. so. very. soon!

i am loving:

my daily morning routine.

i am lusting over:

everything on pinterest.

i am feeling:

thankful for my health.

FIRST POSITION.

this is the sweetest/funniest video.

i couldn't help but repost it.

i seriously can't stop laughing.

I'VE GOT A CRUSH.

on this spring nail polish color:

on this chalk board crafty-ness:

on this adorable pup (and the adorable tie):

on this funny quote that i probably have said before:

on rachel bilson's entire outfit:

(source: pinterest)

FUN PHOTO FRIDAY {BIRTHDAY EDITION}

(source: the sweetest occasion)

happy birthday to my gal pal Shauna!

you know the one that does all my paintings!!

not to mention fun eyelashes.

a LOT of craft ideas.

random wall art i ask her to help me with (or do)

ya, you know the girl.

yup. it's her birthday today!

i couldn't paint her a picture and i really wanted to bake her a cake like the one above...

but let's be honest,

i can't top that.

so, this post is all for you lovey!!

you are BEYOND talented.

beautiful.

hilarious.

caring.

generous.

and just a great friend.

(the list could go on....)

i am so lucky to have you in my life............

happy birthday lady!

to MANY more years!!

can't wait to celebrate tonight!

HOMEMADE COOKIN.

My roommates and i cook dinner together almost every night

(and some breakfasts too!)

it's a new love of ours!

we save money, talk about our day, and relax over a home cooked {delicious} meal!

some of my favorites over the last few weeks:

we are getting quite crafty over here!

WEEKEND WRAP UP (IN PICTURES)

hi lovies! do you ever have so much fun over the weekend you never want it to end? ever? yep. that was me last weekend. in fact i was even lucky to have a 3 day weekend since i took monday off to enjoy one last day with my friends that came to visit! i have decided a few things after this weekend: 1.) i have amazing friends 2.) our place can hold plenty of people for a large slumber party 3.) eating chocolate chip pancakes on saturday mornings are our new favorite tradition 4.) laughing really does cure anything 5.) sporting events while a torrential downpour is happening makes for some hilarious stories. 6.) having homemade pizza competitions makes for some amazing dinners!

here are a few of our photos from the weekend:

hermosa pier with the gang:

galaxy home opener in the rain with the girls:

the best homemade pizza night competition (minus the competition):

"hiking" runyon in LA:

my friend jill from Chicago's first ever In-N-Out burger

(the look on her face says it all):

i had the most perfect weekend with everyone in town!

now back to reality, work, p90x, and a mile long to-do list

(all so worth it though!!!)

FOR JAPAN, WITH LOVE.

i've been glued to CNN every chance i get, and i am incredibly saddened by the images + stories of lives lost.

i am happy to take part in the blogger's day of silence.

i donated + i hope you do too.

please post this on your own blog - and spread the word!

ON MY MIND TODAY...

-how terribly sad the pictures + videos are of everything that is going on in Japan. I donated to RED CROSS. hope you do too!

-how drinking juices + doing p90x is not a good combo. ever.

-how it being light out when i get home is pretty amazing.

-how excited i am for the weekend with all the girls in town!

-how this 8 glasses of water a day thing makes me feel good. full. but good.

-how too many of my friends have march birthdays (sigh, love you all but having birthdays on the same day makes my planning hard!)

-how booking a flight for my momma to visit makes me so dearly happy.

-how the container store is my idea of heaven.

-how a very amazing person texted me today saying she is preggos. and since i was in a meeting everyone thought it was totally appropriate to cry. phew.

-how Emily on the bachelor didn't seem so nice tonight. boo.

-how i am almost done sorting mail for my boss. almost.

-how i will never get a regular manicure again. silly gel nails, you have my heart.

-how sad it is i can watch any episode of friends like it's the first time. man, i have an awful memory.

-how crossing things off of my to-do list still makes me happier than anything.

10 PINTEREST LOVES AT THE MOMENT.

1. I want this as my wedding dress one day:

2. I will have a chalkboard wall when i buy my first home that looks like this:

3. I need to make these cupcakes soon:

4. A great DIY project that i need to do ASAP:

5. I want to snuggle every night with this face:

6. Can someone bring me these flowers soon?

7. I can't help but laugh when i see this:

8. a perfect night on the town look:

9. everyone needs a hammock in their home:

10. something about this vintage shirt that makes me happy:

(pictures from pinterest)

i could have pinned hundreds more.

if you have pinterest, follow me here

TO DRINK MORE WATER.

for lent this year i am not giving up anything but rather adding something to my daily routine!

i eat pretty healthy, workout regularly, don't mind having a glass of wine here and there, and will not give up chocolate because i don't eat it that much for it to be a problem!

so, i am going to be drinking 6-8 glasses of water daily.

you might think this is easy but i have struggled with drinking enough water since i found my love for coffee instead.

i feel dehydrated quite often (especially at night) so it's time for my 40 day water marathon.

i am pretty excited since i know for me this will be a challenge!

what are you giving up (or adding) for lent?

i love challenges!

ps. p90x will be very thankful for this new daily addition!

FAT TUESDAY.

yay! fat tuesday is here!

for those of you non-nawlins folk or those who just don't know...

fat tuesday is Mardi Gras, the festival in New Orleans, Louisiana!

"Gras" is French for Fat and "Mardi" is French for Tuesday.

since my family was born and raised in the South...

i take this holiday very seriously :)

going to hunt down a homemade beignet recipe asap!

happy FAT TUESDAY y'all!

MIA-NESS.

Hi loves! Yes, i realize i have been MIA lately. please forgive me for this. in life, i have realized that i try to be too many things to too many people, daily. it's exhausting at times - but i do know, and those who know me, it really does make me, well... me. i just love people so much, and i always want to be there for them, and make them feel loved and as cheesy as it might sound.... makes this world better by loving.

my dad was this way. he would do anything for anyone at any second of any day. no matter what was going on. I'd like to think he gave this gift to me when he passed. and i cherish that so much.

i have been doing a lot of "cleaning out" in my life lately. from silly things like drawers + closets to bigger more important things like old boxes of "important stuff" to even people. and i don't mean that in a mean way whatsoever. i just mean that i give and give and some people in this world are just to negative for me. i feel sorry for those people but also wish them love and hope they realize before it's too late how special this life we have is.

in my cleaning process, i found a letter my dad wrote to me. well, he never gave it to me and also never finished it. but my brother and i found it on his computer the week after he died. i bawled nightly reading this letter for a full year, and reading the words that flew off the paper and into my heart. i keep it next to me in my nightstand to remind me how loved i was (and am).

my dad was proud of me and he let me know it. i won't share the letter because it's something too personal (even though i share everything else with you all!) i read this letter all the time. i read the same letter, but somehow i am either crying, laughing, or both by the end. and every time i finish - i feel i learn something new about him + myself.

i just hope you (yes, you!) realize how lucky you are to live in the world we live in. sure we have trials and tribulations but at the end of the day we have family and friends. and we have love. there's just really not that much else you need.

i guess i just wanted to take today's post to share how blessed and thankful i am to you all. you inspire me to be better and understand when i need a "day" or two, to regroup.

much love,

ROCKSTAR BESTIE.

My BFF ran 26.2 miles today in Napa for her 2nd full marathon

(she is the ultimate rockstar)

congrats chelsea!

so proud of you!