thee bergdorf brunette

100.

2012-01-30T21:16:00.000-08:00

oh my gracious loves...

did you watch it?
and by it i mean the 100th episode of Gossip Girl...duh.
i do believe it was my favorite episode of gg EVER.
yep, i just went there.
now they have done a lot of pre.tty. fabulous things on this show, especially in the first couple of seasons.
but oh wowwww did they pull out the stops tonight.
from the marilyn monroe/audrey hepburn inspired opening number...

...to a very much married runaway bride.

question is...who does she run with?
and who IS gossip girl?
both those questions are finally answered...
and alls i'm gonna say is neither are who you think.
you know you love it.
xoxo.

happy birthday to you.

2012-01-29T23:53:00.000-08:00

today is thee bff's birthday.

it also, just so happens to be her husband's birthday.

funny how that works. hehe.

i know i talk about her all the time, and honestly all the happy and special things i could say would never even put a dent in truly conveying how much she means to me and what a positive and loving influence she has been, is

and always will be in my life.

{this is the very first party we ever went to together}

{bridesmaid on her wedding day}

{day of her college graduation}

{cutest preggo flapper EVER}

so since i have nearly exhausted my praise on this sisterhood,

i figure it should be her turn to talk.

i sent her a list of a few questions to answer for you loves to get to know her.

mainly because i just feel super sad for anyone that doesn't have an ali in their lives,

or more specifically this actual ali in their lives.

enjoy...

Instead of asking 26 things you are looking forward to in the next year; let’s stick with 2 + 6 which is 8. So what are 8 things you are looking forward to about your upcoming year?

Thank you for not asking for 26 things...I don't think I could come up with that many!
1. Moving to Houston. Although I've enjoyed the last 300 years (okay, it's only been 5, but it feels like 300) that the hubby and I have been in Provo, we are ready to move on from the student life and be closer to our families.
2. Starting a new blog. I am currently working on a DIY/craft blog that I'm going to launch soon. I know, I know, there's already a million other blogs like that out there, but this one's different, I promise. I'll be sure to share it with you so you can let your lovely readers in on it because I'm sure it would peak their interest.
3. Jake to grow up. It may be because I'm a first time mom, or maybe because I know he's not going to stop growing, but I look forward to each new milestone. Next up: sitting up on his own and crawling. I can't wait for walking and talking, too. I'm ready to be able to really play!
4. Continuing to work on my New Year's weight loss resolution. I can't wait to get back into some of those clothes stashed in the top of my closet... who am I kidding, I want to have an excuse to buy new clothes.
5. Winning the lottery. Wait, the chances of that happening are nearly impossible? Okay, then I will go with the more realistic: starting our careers. My hubs is graduating from school in less than three months and has applied for what seems like a million jobs. I have several auditions lined up and an interview for a job teaching music to kids.
6. Singing. I love singing... obviously. I got two degrees in singing and jump at pretty much any opportunity to perform. I have a lot of competitions and auditions lined up and planned for in the next year and I'm working now to be able to kick butt at them.
7. Learning more about myself. I grow up more and more all the time and the majority of that is from learning new things about myself. There are always things to learn about yourself.
8. Doing more of the same. Life is pretty good right now, so I look forward to being able to do more of the same things that I love.

What fun plans do you have for your birthday?

We will probably go out to dinner. My hubs and I have the same birthday, so we usually go out to dinner to celebrate together because neither of us wants to really have to do anything because its our birthday. Plus, there's not really anything super fun we can do when we're living on a student budget and have a baby and nobody around to watch him for free.

If you could share any lesson you learned at 25, what would it be?

Don't be scared. I was scared to finish school, I was scared to have a baby (even though we decided to get pregnant, it was not an accident, it's still scary!), I was scared that both of my best friends were leaving me and moving far away, I was scared of a lot of things. But, guess what? I survived! Not only have I survived, but I've thrived. Things are going to happen in your life that you may not be prepared for, but you shouldn't be scared of those things happening, just embrace them and make the most out of life.

Write the story of our friendship. {in your words…haha}

It was both of our sophomore year of college and we were living in the same condo complex. I think we must have met one of the first few ward activities, but I can't remember exactly which. I do remember that when we met, we just clicked. Jessica is one of those people that everyone loves. I mean, it is really hard not to like her and those who don't are trying not to (not to mention completely crazy!). I guess I'm pretty likeable, too. Either way, we hit it off and never looked back. Through a series of circumstances that I will not disclose here (you never know who's reading!), Jessica spent a lot of time at my condo. My boyfriend, then fiance, (now husband) lived thousands of miles away in Texas so I needed a lot of girl time. So, lots of sleepovers, late-night movie (or Friends) marathons, spa nights, and girl dates ensued. I got engaged over Christmas break and Jessica was a perfect choice for one of my bridesmaids. She's a planner, like me, and has the most fabulous taste (in case you didn't already know), so she was SO helpful in helping me plan (and keep calm). But, I must say that even though we spent so much time together that whole school year and became so close, we became even closer after I got married (and left her in Utah to move to Louisiana). I would say that since I've been married, she and I have become sister-close. We are the kind of friends that can live far apart or close together, see each other every day or 2-3 times a year, talk/text multiple times a day or have a catch up session once every few months. It doesn't matter how often we speak/see each other because we will still be the same friends nonetheless. I love Jess like my own family and am so happy she and I are such close friends.

What is the best thing that happened to you this past year?
Thanks for saving the easiest for last! A LOT has happened this past year, but nothing can hold a candle to having my sweet baby boy back in July. He has completely changed my life for the better and made me a different, better person.

i think, or more like know, what sets her apart is that she literally is thee perfect friend.
not a perfect person, duh.
but definitely a perfect friend.
she never portrays any jealousy towards my relationships with others and makes an effort to welcome all my friends into her life, as well.
she knows exactly what to say and when i need to hear it, she makes any sad situation happy and any happy situation happier.
she is the perfect example of class and generosity.
she knows all my flaws and loves me anyway, knows all my jokes and still thinks i am funny, knows how truly selfish i can be and still thinks i am special.

so happy birthday love.
here's to 26 more together.
xoxo.

california here she comes.

2012-01-28T14:25:00.001-08:00

this is PMACK and moi's self well into our junk food filled road trip to cali last summer.
this picture makes me so happy for so many reasons...
mainly because this is our friendship in a very pretty nutshell.
my head is half way cut off, yet i still manage to have attitude.
i am more worried about what my hair looks like in the picture than driving.
PMACK looks perfect. duh.
the focus of the photo is junk food.
and we have that utah road behind us...
california road ahead of us.

ahem, let me repeat.
utah road behind us...CALIFORNIA ROAD AHEAD.
that's right lovers!!!
my best nice friend ever, thee one and only PMACK, is headed west of louisiana to set up shop for the summer,
and kinda hopefully forever.
when she told me there was a possibility of it happening i was as giddy as a toddler who has just won a tiara.
but when she told me she had accepted the job for realsies i broke down and cried.
like that sheer, 100% happy, life really doesn't get any better than this cry.
because it doesn't...
get any better than this.
xoxo.

a, b, c...

2012-01-26T20:56:00.001-08:00

hey facebook lovers...

I NEED YOUR HELP!!!
and i figure since you all are super awesome and made me winner of not one, but TWO Blogging Awards this past year, that i have come to the right place.
you see my former high school {oxford academy} is currently in the position to receive up to $10,000 from
the Labor Law Center.
all you have to do is go {here} and "like" this page.
for every like they get over the next month,
oxford will receive $1.
get it? got it? good.
{ps...did you read the link for the school? you should}

you know how lots of people look back on their high school days with feelings such as sadness, hatred, loneliness, awkwardness, disdain, bitterness, etc?
well, none of those words apply to my high school experience.
one of the single greatest blessings that has ever come into my life was being accepted to this school.
my years at oxford taught me:
to accept my weaknesses and love my strengths.
to take criticism and learn from it.
to accomplish the goals i set for myself.
that nerdy chic was in before nerdy chic came in.
cher really was right about knee socks.
school doesn't have to be a jail.
that i wanted to be an english major.
that finding confidence in yourself truly is the secret of life.

ya, like a high school can teach you that?
well it can...
and for the lucky 200 kids in orange county each year that are accepted to go to oxford, they understand exactly what i mean.
not to mention, this school literally brought me thee two absolute loves of my life...along with many other friends who i know will never, ever leave my side.
so really, it's the least i can do in terms of giving back.
thanks for clicking.
xoxo.

2012-01-25T19:04:00.000-08:00

she asked.

i said yes.
now the real fun begins.
xoxo.

...in with the new.

2012-01-23T22:09:00.000-08:00

eeekkkk!!!!!!
congrats to new bestie alyssa and her new fiancee ben.
our friendship circle is like oooozzzinnnggg with giddy happiness and giggles these days.
besties on a wedding planning kick easily compare to girls at a 1st grade slumber party spilling names of secret crushes for the first time.
there just isn't anything else like it in this world.
events like these for people that i love so dear make my heart oh so happy.

bestie A definitely falls on my list of favorite things about coming home.
i remember the exact moment i met her almost 5 months ago...and it was kinda like magic.
you know those people you meet in life that you instantly knock down all your walls for?
you trust them without them giving you any reason to and you love them without knowing their flaws.
kinda like you have known them forever.
yep, she is one of those.
she gave me a place to belong when i didn't have one.
and friends to call my own...
including her.
and i am forever grateful for that instant little blessing that has turned into a sister soul mate for life.
xoxo.

yes/no.

2012-01-20T21:51:00.001-08:00

you know the season one episode of glee when will runs after emma while the club sings my life would suck without you and then he kisses her at the end of the hallway and she is in that green coat with the white hat...ya know, that one.
well, i never thought glee would produce another episode on that level ever again.
in my heart, it has forever been the best one.
like, that is the episode i have compared every single episode that has come since to and none have measured up.
some have come closer than others...but none have been on that same gives you chills until you almost cry level.
until this week.
until she sang this song...

but then again, it might also have to do with the fact that my 9th grade choir girl heart will forever love a little grease...

{oh helloooo chord overstreet...welcome to the freakin island}

and that they brought will and emma back into the mix.

considering glee's track record with me over the past year and a half, it really was like finding love in a hopeless place.
best. episode. ever.
bible.
xoxo.

ps- remember how i said chills til you almost cry?
well, i might have lied.
i totally cried in this episode...
the second sue took becky's hand to help her through her heartache, i was dooonnneee for.

wanna be my bestie?

2012-01-16T22:06:00.000-08:00

still trying to figure out if i am going to break my competition with myself and get back on facebook to do thee annual golden globe best and worst dressed album,

oooorrrr...
figure out a way to do it here?!?!
either way, there will be an album by the end of the week.

but until then, i will leave you with my SECOND favorite dress of the night, miss kate beckinsale.
eeek! doesn't she look flawless?
i am in beyond obsession mode over her bracelets and the pictures can't even do this dress justice in showing how it glittered and sparkled with every move she made.
i for realsies hope i can look like this on my wedding day.
not necessarily decked out in the jewels,
but like that fabulous hair and makeup and glowiness.
i guess time will tell if it all works out.
annnnnnd,
because i really love you, i will leave you with my second WORST dressed of the night.
unfortunately i have to bestow this honor on one of my beyond favorite people in hollywood right now.
and it kind of kills me to do it,
but hey...if even i can admit that katy perry wearing angel wings to the grammy awards last year was the dumbest thing since tom cruise married katie holmes than no one is ever excempt from this list.
which means miss emma stone is now our newest member.
waahhhh.
now, i understand lots of people loved this and i can ALMOST see it.
which is probably why i am being tres harsh on her...
because IT HAD TOOOOO MUCH POTENTIAL TO GO WRONG.
and yet it did, so So SO wrong.
the dress itself is not terrible, and it is Lanvin, which is always kind of an ethereal, earthy, funky brand.
but it is too baggy up top for my liking.
and speaking of up top, girlfriend needs to lighten up on the eye makeup.
i mean, does she still have eyes? i can't tell from the heavy black eyeshadow making it's home on her eyelids.
her hair is awesome, as per usual.
but what is going on with her shoes?
are those Jesus sandals?
and worst of all...
THAT BELT!!!
i think g. rancic said it best on fashion police when she sincerely asked if we think she bought that at a cowboy western shop?
boo.
emma i love you and Easy A is still one of my favorite movies every made.
better luck next time lover.

xoxo.

thee envelope please.

2012-01-14T11:59:00.000-08:00

welcome to one of my favorite weekends of the year loves!!!
award season is officially in swing as of tomorrow and i don't know about you, but my heart skips a few beats when red carpet fun begins.
seeing as we have no idea as to who will be wearing what tomorrow night, the only thing we can do before hand is predict who will go home with not just full tummies and lasting memories, but one of those ever coveted gold and marble statues.

so let us first start with my favorite golden globe acceptance speech of all time.
this was sarah jessica parker's first year winning for her timeless role as the crazy, fashionista, love addict carrie bradshaw.
she went on to win the award 3 more times.

and now here is my list of who i would LIKE to see win tomorrow night.
knowing full and well that many of them will not win.

BEST PICTURE {drama}
the help

BEST ACTRESS {drama}
viola davis - the help

wait, are you not CRYING yet...because i totally was.

BEST ACTOR {drama}
ryan gosling - the ides of march
sure i picked him twice, but we need as much gosling face time as possible.

BEST PICTURE {musical/comedy}
bridesmaids

BEST ACTRESS {musical/comedy}
michelle williams - my week with marilyn
as the self-professed biggest dawson's creek fan on this planet...i couldn't choose anyone else for this one.

BEST ACTOR {muscial/comedy}
ryan gosling - crazy, stupid, love
were we not alllll in love with him by the end of this film?
why yes, yes we were.

BEST ANIMATED FILM
rango
always have to support my girl isla.

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
in the land of blood and honey

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
jessica chastain - the help
she was the light and life of this film. you could not help but just fall so in love with her that you wanted to jump right through the screen and give her a big hug.

BEST DIRECTOR
woody allen - midnight in paris
because he made a film about paris, he is my hero.

BEST SCREENPLAY
george clooney, heslov, beau willimon - the ides of march

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
trent reznor, atticus ross - the girl with the dragon tattoo
because it is who my little brother would choose.

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
the living proof - the help

BEST TELEVISION SERIES {drama}
american horror story
pure, hellishly scary, GENIUS. that is what this show is.

BEST TV ACTRESS {drama}
madeleine stowe - revenge
loved her in last of the mohicans, but girlfriend is KILLIN it in this show. literally...with that look she gives everyone. if you watch it, you know the look i am talking about.

BEST TV ACTOR {drama}
brian cranston - breaking bad
this is my little brother's all time favorite show. and recently a good friend got me hooked on it. so basically when you can play the role of a meth cooker and have me rooting for you to not be thrown in jail...you kinds sorta should win an award.

BEST TELEVISION SERIES {comedy/musical}
glee
it's back this season freshly happy and better than ever. and i still love it more than modern family, which doesn't mean i don't love modern family.

BEST TV ACTRESS {comedy}
zooey deschanel - new girl
i don't loooovvveee this show, i know...it's criminal, but i do love her.

BEST TV ACTOR {comedy}
johnny galecki - the big bang theory

BEST MINI-SERIES or MADE FOR TV MOVIE
downton abbey
they should make a reality show based on my mother's obsession over this show.

BEST ACTRESS in a MINI-SERIES or MADE FOR TV MOVIE
elizabeth mcgovern - downton abbey

BEST ACTOR in a MINI-SERIES or MADE FOR TV MOVIE
hugh bonneville - downton abbey

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS in a SERIES, MINI-SERIES or MADE FOR TV MOVIE
jessica lange - american horror story
oh my hell, if she doesn't win this i WILL start a revolt. no one, and i mean...NO ONE on the list of nominees in any of the categories deserves this more than her. heaven help the poor souls that move into her neighborhood.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR in a SERIES, MINI-SERIES or MADE FOR TV MOVIE
peter dinklage - game of thrones

good luck to all the nominees...
but let's get real, the part of the night that actually matters is the fashion.
it's do or die folks and this year i am feeling particularly brutal in my critiquing so make sure to stop by next week for the annual best and worst.
xoxo.

a taste of perfection?

2012-01-12T21:39:00.000-08:00

sooooo guys,
i am clearly not ready to comment on the big elephant in my world's room, aka: katy perry's divorce.

waaahhhh.
i mean, don't get me wrong.
a silly party of me is tres happy.
no, i am not a monster...
but i am happy in that way that you get happy when your bff breaks up with that boyfriend who you kind of always hated but learned to tolerate because she loveed him sort of way.
but still super sadsies and distraught because my girl is clearly hurt.
heartbreak sucks.
especially when your husband, the former sex and drug addict, might or might not have been cheating on you, maxim magazine's hottest woman in the world.
{hooowww does that happen?}

back to me not commenting,
so until i can figure out what i make of this,
which is basically not going to come until she figures out what she makes of this,
i leave you with my favorite katy video...
that just might so happen to coincide with the theme of her new life.

and like for realsies, doesn't she look flawless?
her hair and makeup. the 1940's clothing. THOSE SHOES. the bathing suit that is every one piece lover's dream...
stupid russell brand.
oops, sorry...i forgot i am not commenting.
xoxo.

my heavenly days.

2012-01-11T22:28:00.000-08:00

i'm alive loves, and i promise to write more later.

but i am currently in the midst of picking out thee perfect outfit for my first official charity board meeting tmrw.
running a bake-off competition on friday.
beginning our in-office Biggest Loser Competition monday.
and starting the plans for thee company Super Bowl Party in february.

no no, this is not my social life...
this IS MY JOB!
how did i get so freakin luckY?
xoxo.

well said.

2012-01-08T00:01:00.000-08:00

next stop, vegas please.

2012-01-07T22:54:00.000-08:00

have i ever told you the story about a lovely lady who met her two soulmates in high school and the three have been best friends ever since?

probably so, time and time again...seeing as this is my story.
a story i am thankful on the daily to have.

well loves, months ago kar planned my 25th birthday party in las vegas with us staying at thee paris hotel.
{she knows me well folks, what can i say?}
and wouldn't cha know, then a little thing called life happened and naturally the week of my party turned out to be a week in which i have never felt more like so not traveling
and partying in all my life.
but because best friends don't let you sulk for too long,
i packed my newly 25 year old behind up and we hit the road for a weekend full of everything but what was expected...

ready to hit the road...in my fabulous new birthday gear.

so we pretty much almost died on the trip out, bible.
this was a picture taken at the gas station after our near death experience in which we were so grateful to be alive, and as you can see...in the great state of NEVADA!

only in vegas is breakfast at 2pm a socially acceptable activity.

frozen hot chocolate at serendipity.

dearest kar, our long lost kardashian sister.

birthday shoes are the best kind of shoes.

ready to paint the town pink...and possibly meet prince harry?!?

gosh do i love these girls.

oh hello paris.

i was on paris overload the entire weekend...it's like my little eiffel tower obsessed heart didn't even know what to do with itself.

sometimes you run into random friends from high school on the strip who then can take pictures of you in front of candy shops. true story.

meet my new friends, they even were kind enough to give the little mormon birthday girl a bottle of champagne. yay?

soaking my blistered feet whilst posing with my birthday gift from casesar's palace friends.
speaking of my lovely gift,
here is a video courtesy of three girls who don't know much about popping open champagne bottles...

{sorry i go into this super irritating kourtney kardashian voice in the end, clearly i was on birthday celebration overload...and NO i didn't drink it. duh.}

i am so in love with these girls and all the hard work they put in to making my birthday week the best ever.
i am very used to being the person trying to make the birthday magic happen for others, so when people turn around to do the same for me i am kind of taken aback at the sincerity and love in the gesture.
i owe so much to these girlies this past month, like...i don't even know where to begin.
so i guess i will start it and end it with a big fat thank you.
xoxo.

what a way to make a livin.

2012-01-05T20:03:00.000-08:00

oh my heavenly gracious loves,

i cannot even begin to express all my happy, overly joyed, blissfully themed feelings toward my new job.
is it perfect? no.
no job is.
but let me tell you, this is probably as close to perfection as imperfection gets.

what do i get to do all day?
hold it a hot second, and i will break it down for you...
thee job consists of three different areas.
first, i am the personal assistant to the ceo of the company.
and as y'all know...i LOVE doing little things like this.
i thrive off of making other people's lives easier.
bible.
second, i am one of the chairman of the EPIC committee, which is the in-office charity foundation that works with various causes in the community.
i work throughout the year planning philanthropic events to raise funds and provide an opportunity to give back during the holidays to less fortunate families.
party planning with a cause.
oprah style.
which is the BEST kind of party planning.
third, i am the coordinator of all inner office events.
luckily, i work for a company that understands the idea that happy workers produce the best service, so we are partying it up on the constant to keep up company moral, and because it is just plain fun. hehe.

despite the happiness of my actual job description,
everyone is taught to work with a happy birthday attitude.
birthdays are exciting and fun and full of happiness.
and every time someone wishes you a happy birthday, it feels like the first time you have ever heard it.
my company has brought this kind of an attitude to the workplace, creating an office unlike anything i have ever worked in before.
they have a very specific company culture and i am giddily excited to have the chance to be a contributing part of it.
they work hard, play hard, laugh hard.
and if you ask me, i couldn't ask for anything better.
xoxo.

{photo courtesy of weheartit.com}

so raise your glass.

2012-01-02T14:57:00.000-08:00

as per the usual,

new year's eve was a blast and a half for us on the golden coast. it has forever been one of my absolute favorite holidays,
as i can support any night based around all that sparkles and glitters in a whirl of hope for the future.
my time this year was spent with good friends, good food, good games and good laughs.

naturally, i went with thee katy perry look for the night.

my absolute faaaavorite girls in this town.

team "jesalie" kinda sorta rocked the game circuit.

annual tradition of poppers and confetti at midnight. woo!

part of the midnight gang.
and yes, i changed my outfit...
i imagine kim kardashian did too so just let a princess be.

hope you all had a fun night.
here is to our best year yet!
xoxo.

what would you do...

2012-01-01T19:08:00.001-08:00

...with an extra day?

here is a question that has been asked for seemingly as long as time has ticked,
and clearly never really answered.
but lucky for us my bffs at DISNEY are not only asking the question this year,
but helping with a few answers.
in case you missed their BIG announcement last night during ryan seacrest & dick clark's rockin new year's eve...
watch below.

and to possibly get you in the mood for a little celebration, disney had some help from one republic with their 2012 ad campaign.
which is like...pure happiness, guys.

to say moving to california was my best decision made in 2011 would be an understatement.
because of it, i feel my 2012 possibilities are endless.
so happy new year to all.
come play with us here in anaheim for leap year!
xoxo.

this might be the best day of your life.

2011-12-31T13:10:00.000-08:00

did any of you listen to my advice about going to see
new year's eve?

if you did, then you are already quite aware of thee beyond fab soundtrack accompanying the many star studded stories of that fateful night in the film.
if not, well then you are in for a pleasant surprise.
so as it is...new year's eve,
i figured i would share a few of my favorite tunes from the movie, that may just help you ring in everything happy and bright tonight.

this is the new year - ian axel
{this is the song in the opening credits of the movie}
{and my personal FAVORITE}

new year - kate york

best day of your life - katie herzig

better days - goo goo dolls

raise your glass - pink

auld lang syne - lea michele

happy celebrating my darling friends.
here is to a year full of love, laughter, happiness and growth.
and as oprah says, another chance to get it right.
so raise your glass,
because these might just be the best days of our lives.
xoxo.

and so it goes.

2011-12-30T11:13:00.001-08:00

guys, i am facebook-less!!!

i know, it's like hell has frozen over and lady gaga has started wearing normal outfits.
suuuuuuuuper cray-cray.
i'm gonna stay away for a while and see what happens.
mainly discover all the fun things i can start doing with this new free time i have...
like fall back in love with playing my piano.
explore new places.
meet new people.
spend oooodles of time with my current people.
go a little kindle krazy.
start my new job.
watch the still shrink-wrapped movies on my dvd shelf.
listen to spotify without anyone judging my 15 year old taste in music.
re-organize my life.
enjoy being me...without worrying what the world is doing.
{ps-i FULLY know that all these things can still be done with a facebook account}
{but for now, i will do them without}

this is a very temporary hiatus,
basically a challenge to myself to see if i can stay away.
and i guess if i realize that i don't really miss it,
the temporary will become a bit more permanent.
but like for realsies...that is a long shot from happening people!
i am still me...
and you know me too too well :)

so far i am a day and a half in and doing okay.
no worries, you can still follow my every high-heeled move over {here} on twitter.
or {here} on pinterest.
and, of course, on this lovely little writing space.
xoxo.

live from new york.

2011-12-28T17:28:00.001-08:00

happy birthday seth meyers!

i think you might be the love of my life that will actually never be IN my life.
you make saturday nights worth staying in for,
which takes some talent.
and because i am just about the best fan ever,
i am paying FULL PRICE to go see your movie tonight.
when in fact, i have already seen it.

now if that isn't fake love folks...
i really don't know what is.
xoxo.

a zoo worth visiting.

2011-12-26T18:47:00.000-08:00

oh my gracious loves,

i know i get on here all the time and recommend things or threaten death to those of you with no appreciation for
katy perry.
but if there is ever a piece of advice you take from this blog, please let it come from this post.
piece of advice at hand?
go. Go. GO see we bought a zoo.
like...right now.
before you live another second without this happy, heart warming, funny and incredibly sweet movie in your lives.

based on the memoir of the same title,
the film follows author benjamin mee's life as a newly single father of two.
finding coping mechanisms of his own, mee's oldest son, dylan, is expelled from his local school forcing his father to look at other options.
benjamin decides now is as good a time as ever to uproot the family and raise his kids outside the hustle & bustle of los angeles. he finds the perfect house on 18 acres of land, which also just so happens to be...a zoo.
hoping to give his kids the kind of real american adventure he was able to find being a world traveling reporter in his earlier days, mee buys the property {zoo included} and gives his family and in turn viewers a story that is incredibly hard to forget.
and not cry through :)
directed by jerry mcquire great cameron crowe, the supporting cast of the film is just as perfect as its two stars, matt damon and scarlett johansson.
{and that compliment is coming from a non-scar-jo fan}
mainly little rosie mee, played by the almost too cute to be real maggie elizabeth jones. i love that crowe seemingly realized what a crowd pleaser she had the potential to be and made her a main part of the story. rounding out the cast is colin ford as dylan mee, thomas hayden church as benjamin's overly concerned brother duncan and elle fanning as the quirky, but lovable lily.
from the STUNNING soundtrack to the shots of the animals roaming around the hills of california, i would say almost everything about this movie was blissfully perfect.
showcasing a story about a group of people brought together over quite unlikely circumstances, each of whom are individually in the midst of figuring out how to make life the great adventure people write novels about.
my favorite line of the movie comes when matt damon is talking to johansson about how much he truly misses his wife. he is trying to explain to her what being married to your best friend is like, and he says, "i just wish i could talk to her about how to get over her."
ummm...hello?!?! stay seated please if you have never felt that way before...ya, that's what i thought.
i guess the worst part really was that it had to eventually come to an end.
and what a sweet and sincere ending it came to.
i honestly don't think a single person in that theatre had a dry eye.
at one point mee teaches his workers and family that sometimes in life all you need is 20 seconds. 20 seconds of insane courage, and through that short time of doing things you never would have normally dreamed of doing...great things happen.
or in our case, great movies.

it's love, actually.

2011-12-23T14:32:00.001-08:00

this is only my favorite quote from any movie ever made.
which comes from my favorite christmas movie of all time.
naturally.
this morning we shopped until we dropped to provide a happy christmas for a family that would have gone without.
it was a blast and a half!
sometimes mom and i get a tinsy bit carried away with things like this, but then again...that is half the fun of it all.
and tonight i am off to a community children's home to do christmas manicures!!
i figure i will have a lovely holiday weekend with my family,
why not spend two hours of my time with kids who will not.
plus i feel pretty nails are the basis of a happy attitude.
hopefully my ideas will translate :)

truth be told this isn't the holiday week i had at one point hoped it would be.
for oh so many reasons.
no one will be getting any gifts from me until i start my job. which i guess will make a super happy january for all the loves of my life.
{damn budget!}
i still don't really have an appetite, so the yummy christmas goodies are pretty much lost on me.
{waaahhhhhh!}
slowly realizing people are not who i once thought they were.
{eeek! this one hurts the most.}
and of course, my sweet little bro continues to be away from us and serving his heart out in mexico.
{super proud of him!}

but if there is one thing i have learned this season it is that love truly is all around.
espeically in the places you were never looking.
i have found mine.
and i hope you find yours.
happy christmas and merry holidays to all!
xoxo.

news, news, news.

2011-12-21T23:59:00.000-08:00

i am employed!
yes loves, today i was offered a job...
as i was getting ready to ride the matterhorn.
no joke.
not just any job...but pretty much a dream job that i could not have planned out to better fit everything i want to do all day long for the rest of my life had i tried.
which considering my awesomely control freakish self,
this is saying alot.
promise to tell you more later.
but as for now i spent 16 hours at disneyland today and successfully folded a stroller and loaded it into a minivan at the end of the night, for the first time in my life.
without a hitch.
clearly, i'm super proud.

nighty night.
xoxo.

thee dark side.

2011-12-20T23:05:00.001-08:00

i think it is of no surprise to anyone who has ever so much as looked at me that i am pretty much thee girliest person you will ever meet.

from the curls on my head to my daily wardrobe staple of 5 inch heels...i enjoy being a girl.
through and through.

except when it comes to my taste in movies.
at that moment the glitter, ruffles and bows all take a back seat to anything bloody, gutty, warish, superheroy and everything in between.
i know...it's like the strangest thing since kim's divorce.
mainly i attribute it to the fact that i was raised by brothers.
and if i didn't learn to enjoy such things i would have never won during family movie nights.
sink or swim folks, sink...or swim.
which means, clearly, when this was released my heart stopped a little bit.

to this day the dark knight is one of
my top 5 favorite movies of all time.
i need next summer to come for so many reasons.
xxoxo.

ps- however, let it be known that watching this only reminds me that i will never forgive jo march for not choosing laurie in the modern movie version of little women.
...and just like that, the girly girl is back!
just when you thought i was gonna start wearing cargo shorts or something.

hyped up on thee vitamin d.

2011-12-19T20:28:00.000-08:00

the other night i decided to start another tv marathon and go back to glee beginnings...aka the good days.

so i started from season 1, episode 1.
i am currently in the middle of a lovely little episode entitled vitamin d.
remember that one?
where the kids get hyped up on the kool-aid will's cray cray wife gives to them and they in turn give overly hyper mash-up performances for their glee-off.
basically it holds a very super special place in my heart because my best girlfriends and moi maybe sorta might have done a word for word, lyric by lyric, dance move by dance move re-enactment of the ladies mash-up for a church thanksgiving talent show that year.
i gave the rachel berry speech in the beginning.
duh.
thankfully, the video of us actually giving this performance is nowhere to be found.
yes, miracles do happen loves.
okay that's a lie...but it's very well hidden on facebook.
if such a thing exists?
so instead i will let you get a little taste of what it might have looked like through the eyes of the pros.

and yes, that is me in the pictures above with thee super dark hair and bangs.
i miss those bangs.
and maybe the dark hair.
it was oh so very katy perry.
xoxo.

there are 15 people in this house.

2011-12-18T21:30:00.001-08:00

last night was baby jacob's FIRST birthday party.

i LOVE getting together with my extended family because no matter what kind of day you may be having, what troubles are racking your mind...you get into a room with these people and you are instantly overwhelmed and happy.
two good things.

the overwhelmed feeling might come from the fact that we are all kinda loud people. i prefer to call it enthusiastic for life, thank you very much.
envision the opening sequence of home alone, modernize it a bit and you have a night with us.
my brother and i kept joking last night that one of the chil'ens was gonna get left behind.
the happy part comes from the fact that we are all...well...happy.
in an atmosphere of love and laughter
it is kind of hard not to be.
duh.

here are a few snapshots of the evening courtesy of my 5 year old cousin who hijacked the camera.
she did well, minus a few tops of heads being cut off...

he is my favorite. we are like best friends.

she is such a princess in training and I. LOVE. IT.
seriously, spend a night with this one and you feel like the most important person alive.

our little birthday boy.
just before the cake devouring began.

did i mention our family is full of multi-taskers?!?!
because we are...please just look at everything happening outside of present opening.

our gift.
i guess he might have liked it :)

elmo and jacob singing.

don't let him tell you any different, dad was a big fan of the elephant machine.
i think him and grant played with it for an hour straight.

he just melts my heart.

love. love. love.
xoxo.

o christmas tree.

2011-12-18T21:24:00.000-08:00

please meet the little tree that lives with me in my tiffany & co room.
yes, those are hello kitty decorations on it.
and yes, that is a gwen stefani harajuku lover tree topper.
{courtesy of PMACK and her sephora birthday gift}
below the tree i placed a few of my favorite things...
tiffany. nordy's. louboutins. eiffel towers.
keepin it a whole lot classy and just a little trashy in thee oc this holiday season.

merry christmas.
xoxo.

should auld acquaintance be forgot.

2011-12-17T14:41:00.000-08:00

saw new year's eve last night.
fell totally and completely in love with it.
and then some.
also solidified what i have known for quite a while, which is that seth meyers was put on this earth to fall in love with me.

today is cray cray busy, but i pretty promise to have a full review within the next few days.
until then...take a listen to this song lea michele sings in the film and just prepare to be amazed.
this is already one of my favorite songs,
due to it's scottish origin.
but let me tell you when she opened her mouth and started singing this,
i think my heart stopped beating for a few seconds.
i gives me the full on, down to the bone type chills.
by faaarrrr and away the best part of the film.
pretty sure i cried to the point of my fake eyelashes coming off.
for realsies.

and that would leave one for...

2011-12-14T10:27:00.000-08:00

...ME!!
{can you name that movie quote?}

thanks to all of you fine folks, my little blog won for
favorite pee-in-your-pants-funny blog
AND
favorite singles blog.
i was even presented my awards by ben stein and the ever lovely ex-couple vienna and jake.
yay me!
click {here} to read all about the awards show. hehe.

clearly, this is what i wore...and i know i look so much like lea michele these days that we could be twin sisters.
don't you worry, i am already gunning for the role of body double on glee.
duh.

and because i know you are just dying...
here is my awards speech:
i have to admit i honestly thought i had no chance of winning tonight so i didn't prepare a speech.
{enter batting of fake eyelashes and my fake cry}
but first and foremost, i need to thank anyone i have ever met in my life.
and then i need to thank my queen supreme miss katy perry hudson brand.
even though you married russell and i can't forgive him for being a man who wears skinny jeans, you are my favorite person on this earth that i don't know and you taught me to be a firework in life, rather than a plastic bag.
thirdly, i need to thank every boy who has ever broken my heart because if you hadn't then there is a very real possibility that right now i would be married and participating in my worst nightmare aka: cooking, rather than standing here in a cotton candy pink oscar de la renta gown and louboutin heels, winning an award tonight for being single.
speaking of single, special thanks to kim kardashian for showing the world that no matter what, you always have to follow your heart.
even if it means having a $20 million wedding and then calling it off 72 days later because you just couldn't lie to yourself anymore.
if that isn't courage...i don't know what is.
also thanks to toddlers & tiaras. you gave me so much material to work with this year that i didn't even have to come up with my own jokes.
oh and to my future boyfriend, chris pine. i am sure you will be worth giving up my status for.
God bless you all.

okay, back to reality and for realsies here...
although this is all in fun,
{meaning i hope you grasped my sarcasm in the speech above}
each of you took time out of your days to go over and click for me and i want to say thank you for that!
i guess i look at it that if people care enough about you on the silly things, it goes to show that they will without a doubt be there for you on the big things.
and i guess that is all a girl can ask for in life.
xoxo.

letter to me.

2011-12-13T00:01:00.000-08:00

i love the song "letter to me" by brad paisley.

partly because i just really love him, and partly because i really do loooovvee the song.
have you heard it?
please take a a minute...or four...to listen.
promise it doesn't disappoint.

so the other day i was in the shower {bible} thinking about my year to come.
i don't know about you, but i am always filled with a childlike hope for the fact that nothing is written in stone yet.
and the true possibility that anything can happen.
and with that, i started thinking about the previously mentioned song and got to a thinkin' what i would say to my 2010 self about to embark on all the crazy, fun, uplifting, heartbreaking, one of a kind experiences i have had this past year.
so here it is...
the letter i would give to myself were i to go back in time and meet me on january 1, 2011.
{no worries, typing did not commence until i was safely out of the shower}

dear moi,
well girl, you just got done celebrating a truly hardcore new year's eve in which you were the only single person...anywhere. and sure it didn't feel THE BEST, but you survived, and trust me when i say that by this time next year it won't really matter, so stop focusing on it this morning and move on. in a few days you will be back to utah and i know that makes your heart sink and your stomach ache to think about, but guess the heck what?!?! you move back to CA in 8 months so cheer up buttercup, it's your last winter in the snow. yay!

my first snip of advice would be to go back and let the people in utah love you. you kind of have an issue with letting people into your life. you have been burned. but hasn't everyone? and unfortunately, i can't promise this year won't have it's moments in terms of that, but i CAN promise that you will have equal parts good/great times with people who love you oh so dearly. which means when jodi and mel ask you to move in, say yes. sure you won't agree with them on everything, and you will get into a few huge fights, but the good news is you all survive, and become better for it. and the nights in which you stay up talking in jodi's bed until all hours of the morning will create memories that far outweigh the disagreements. also, don't watch paranormal activity 1 & 2...you and jo won't sleep for daaaays. and always remember how much they love you, and how much you love them. they are good friends, and you will need them.

in february you will meet oprah. i know, i know, this sounds cray cray, but trust me, you meet her! you will literally have her stand right in front of you and she will ask you how you are doing. you don't say anything profound back to her, mainly because you are fighting back tears of shear joy, so just enjoy the moment. a big surprise happens after that...i won't tell you what it is because some things are better left unsaid. but i promise you that you will cry when it happens. so make sure to pack your tissues. also, anne hathaway will be there. and she is just as genuine in person and on commercial breaks as she seems on tv and she wears the prettiest shoes so get ready for that.

you will continue to love your job and you will miss everyone so dearly when you move to CA so enjoy your time with your co-workers. take jean's advice on everything and always listen to lori. she is wise. and she is someone who truly has no ulterior motive other than your best interest at heart. and spend as much time with dianne as possible. she becomes the person you want to be when you grow up. bible. {ps-that is a phrase the kardashian's use when swearing something is true.} speaking of kardashians. don't trust kris humphries. kim marries him and then gets a divorce 72 days later so it would be in the best interest of your time and heart to just not get involved in the wedding. however, do get involved in the royal wedding. make jodi watch all the specials on your dvr about the royal family with you. and make sure to plan on getting up at 2am to watch it all go down. thankfully, mom calls you at 2:45am to let you know victoria beckham is arriving and saves the day because your alarm doesn't go off. then stay on the phone with mom, you have tons of fun talking to her through the whole thing and it WILL be your most treasured mother/daughter moment of the year. and you will cry when kate walks down the aisle. because it is gorgeous and she is gorgeous and it will make you miss london until it hurts. but only reaffirm that moving to scotland for 4 months was the best decision you have made thus far in life.

make sure to take jenna to vegas for her 21st birthday. and then make sure to bring the camera. you will learn lots of fun things on this trip, but most importantly that men of the air force are hot. but you are a lady with standards that need to be kept. so good job, i am sure it will pay off someday. speaking of jenna, trust her and let her become your best nice friend ever. because even when you move, she doesn't let you go. and you have waited your whole life for a friend like that. she will teach you a lot of things, but mostly that you should just be so in love with your life and who you are. and by the end of the year, you will finally start believing it.

like i said earlier, you move to california at the end of august, so make sure to listen to that little voice that tells you one night it is the right decision to make. but also make sure to spend as much time with ali and bryce and the baby as you can before you go. she will remain to be one of the most consistent people you know and love. and it continues to be a miracle that never once have you two gotten in a fight. this year is no different, she is still your perfect best friend. speaking of perfect, things won't be perfect once you get to california, but you won't care one bit because you are home right where you belong.

over the course of the summer and into the fall you will have various experiences that make you so so sooo happy. just go with it. learn to trust and laugh and just let go of your normal control freakish self. and try not to take the days for granted because, unfortunately, they are numbered. and once your number is up it hurts like hell. unlike anything that has ever happened to you before. the good news is you don't eat for weeks and get super skinny. so stop worrying about loosing weight all summer, that extra 10 WILL come off, and then 5 more. just not in the way you imagined :) the bad news is...well, it hurts. and you cry a lot. and spend a lot of time on your knees asking God why something that made you so happy got taken away from you. and i hate to tell you gurl, but you spend thanksgiving in bed. and the day after that, and after that, and after that. but make sure that the monday after when you are sitting on the couch listening to mom's advice that you take it. get dressed and put your makeup on and things will just start falling into place. and then check your email because wendy will send you something you need to hear. and the hurt doesn't really go away, but you learn to live with it. just let the people around you help you. don't get mad at them, because they are only trying to make you smile. let karla and rachal wisk you away to vegas for your birthday because they truly are the best 2 things that happened to you in high school. and even though you won't feel like getting out of the house, go to S's swearing in ceremony. dinner after will make you laugh until your insides hurt and you cry, and it will be JUST what you need on that day. also, listen to katie. and jenna. BUT FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING THAT IS HOLY DON'T GO SEE TWILIGHT. it will only make everything worse.

speaking of katie's, make sure to enter the katy perry thanksgiving contest because GUESS WHAT?!?! you win. and it will be the best night of your year. in fact, it will become one of the best nights in your life thus far. get dressed up and do your hair and let katy and your family help you ring in 25 with a bang. you won't be depressed about turning 25, which is a relief. you actually kind of sort of will totally love it.

share your testimony and knowledge of the gospel with anyone you can. read your scriptures everyday and learn from the lessons they hold. and make sure to write to jameson every week because by the end of the year you will miss him more than you can possibly begin to imagine. you will ache for your friday date nights again where you went to dinner at denny's and let him pick the movies you would go and see, even though he would always pick super boyish movies.

thankfully, you will realize how incredibly blessed you are, so make sure and turn right around and share that with others. serve until you are tired. and then serve some more. and even though you will be scared, go to the bishop's storehouse and serve with mom. and go to all the activities at church. and don't be afraid to make new friends. and smile as often as you can. and most importantly, listen to mom when she sits next to your bed one night and tells you that you don't have to be perfect at life anymore. it's okay if your makeup isn't on when you go to the store and the curls on your head aren't always in place. and it's okay if you fail, and it's okay if you hurt and it's okay to try again. it will be thee single most important piece of advice you hear all year. you will literally feel this weird sort of burden lifted right off your shoulders, and suddenly, everything gets a bit easier from there on out. don't worry, you are still the sassy you that you know now...just a little less perfect. and thankfully so.

and always remember...keep your standards high, your heels higher and when all else fails, act like kate middleton.

xoxo,
me

{photo courtesy of hellogiggles.com}

...thee place where i belong.

2011-12-12T19:25:00.000-08:00

so i have this cousin,
who happens to live in the great NYC.
and although i spend many days pink with envy in terms of the fact that she gets to live in my favorite city, i love her anyway.
like...a lot.
she's got great taste. clearly.
so the other night, on her way home she snapped this photo at a stoplight and sent it to me.

i always get all gooey inside when people think of me.
for realsies.
but i get even more gooey inside when people think of me alongside classy things.
for double realsies.

merry christmas.
from nyc and moi.
xoxo

marry the night.

2011-12-12T11:42:00.001-08:00

first off, this clearly is NOT my favorite things of 2011 list.
things got so busy over the weekend,
including an all out laughable poetry reading last night.
{don't worry, i will blog about it lates}
which means, i haven't finalized the list quite yet.
it WILL happen this week.
i pretty promise.

in other news something incredible happened to me this weekend in the form of an answer to a question that i ask myself constantly.
okay, not constantly...but on a pretty regular basis.
katy perry and lady gaga are equal parts weird.
so why in the world do we love katy and hate the lady?
you see...
i own all 3 of gaga's cds and all 3 of perry's.
i always turn up each of their songs when they are on the radio.
and i know all the lyrics to everything either of them has ever written.
so i could never quite pin point my logical embracing of one and not the other.

and then i watched gaga on ellen this wknd...
and it happened.
i LOVED her.
now don't get all excited and think i'm gonna stop making fun of the meat dress.
because that is my thing, so just let it go.
and it isn't something that is a permanent like, so no worries there.
but in that moment, i really did love her...
not because of her interview.
not because she is oh so talented, blah blah blah.
and not because marry the night is the best elliptical machine song this side of push-it.
but because...SHE PERFORMED IN A PINK TUTU!!!
duh.
because in that moment i realized that my one and only MAJOR problem with this lady is her lack of sweet glam in wardrobe choices.
i just can't get on board with the biker bikinis and torn fishnets.
and i make no apologies for that.
i never have been the cool girl who can like appreciate the sort of french people with unshaved armpits because it's fashion or whatever they say.
i have always been the girly girl who can appreciate the sort of french people who wear red on their lips and the soles of their shoes.
perry is all about the quirky glam and glitz and girly.
where as gaga is a little more hardcore.
therefore, a little less me.

and now i leave you with the clip that changed my view of gaga, not forever, but for a good five minutes.

don't worry katy, your throne as queen of my life is solid.
xoxo.

that's what makes it love.

2011-12-10T12:24:00.000-08:00

if there is one thing that is seriously missing from my life this year, it would be that oprah is no longer on the television to tell me all about her favorite things.

a list that i cannot afford,
but suddenly realize i need one of everything from.
so with this void sitting in my life, i created my very own list of moi's favorite things of 2011.
given the year, there are 11 things on the list.
but since 10 seems like a better number,
i figured i would give you a tiny sneak peak of one today.
you're welcome.

love song by miranda lambert off of her 3rd album, revolution, is like my favorite song of the moment these days.
i honest to gracious cannot stop listening too it.
it is simple.
it is short.
it is everything anyone could ever hope for in life.

check out the album version first, below.
which is constantly on full blast in little lexi.
and then check out her live acoustic version.
with a fun introduction of why/how she wrote it.

come back tomorrow for the full list.
i even checked it twice.
it's a little bit naughty and a whole lot nice.
oprah's got nothin on this.
xoxo.

hell on heels.

2011-12-08T11:21:00.000-08:00

things are super cray cray around here.

lots going on and lots coming up in terms of holiday cheer.
regardless of the obvious holidays this season, did you all know that yesterday was national bestie day?
because it totes was.
bible.
and guess what PMACK did for me??
{probably not knowing her act of kindness coincided with this national holiday}
well, she made me a fancy new profile picture for facebook.
for sure, this is true friendship.
isn't it so precious? and perfect?
i am especially grateful considering this little lady has next to zilch free time these days, as she is busy running the NFL and other things over in florida.

i am also just plain grateful to her,
for being such a happy, hilarious and sincere influence in my life.
and for not letting the fact that there is physically a very large country between us these days get the better of our friendship.
she makes such an effort to keep in contact.
and i don't think she knows how lucky i feel.
because i do.
feel so lucky and blessed.
she is the pippa to my kate.
the samantha to my carrie.
the khloe to my kim.
the miranda to my katy.
the...ahhh...you get the point.

i adore her.
i admire her.
i love her.
she is the best nice friend a girl like me could ever ask for.

ps- jump over and read her blog at the link below.
the hilarity and sparkle you find in life here on this blog is nothing compared to the sass and wit this lady brings on a daily basis.
she is truly nothing less than hell on heels.
http://mouthofthesouf.blogspot.com/

i miss you.

2011-12-05T13:43:00.000-08:00

one year ago tomorrow my sweet grandmother passed away.
i don't talk about her much.
i guess sometimes the things that affect us most in life are the ones we tend to stay the quietest about.
well, for me anyway.

and although i know with everything in my soul that she is happier and healthier where she is now,
i can't help but miss her.
a little bit, all the time.
i try not to think of the moments lots of girls share with their grandmas that i never will...
helping me pick out my wedding dress.
{she had flawless taste}
being in the room with me when i get married.
visiting me in the hospital and holding my future children during their first days in this world.
helping mold them, as she did me.
and i would be lying if i didn't admit i cry every once in a while about the potential memories i will never have with her.
but lucky for me, she left a legacy of lessons for me to cherish always and pass along to my children one day.
click {here} to read them for yourself.
they are ever so dear and precious to me.

and so, in true meredith schwartz fashion, we are off tomorrow.
not to be sad, but instead to find some holiday cheer at what once was her favorite place.
disneyland!
duh.
my darling grandpa is taking our entire family,
{extended and close}
to spend a day celebrating the love we have for each other,
the love we still have for her,
and her life well lived.

dear, sweet grandma...
i miss you.
i love you.
i can't wait to jump into your arms again one day.
xoxo.

25.

2011-12-04T00:01:00.000-08:00

yep, that's me above...

bet ya didn't know i have a huge crush on michael cera?
one that i am convinced will turn into real life love?
nah, didn't think so.
well, seeing as i recently celebrated my 25th birthday,

{with KATY PERRY, in case you missed the 500 previous memos about it}
i figured i would open up my extremely guarded personal life and share 25 things {and one picture} you may or may not have known about me.
so here i am...
enjoy.

25. i have read every issue of instyle magazine cover to cover since 2004. bible.
24. not a day goes by in my life when i don't miss scotland. one day i will go back...and maybe stay forever.
23. i don't like jennifer aniston. honest to gracious katy perry could become her best friend and i STILL wouldn't like her. and nothing anyone {clearly} says about her will ever change my mind.
22. friday is my favorite day of the week.
21. gone with the wind and legally blonde are my two favorite movies of all time. i could sit and quote both of them to you, start through to finish, anytime. anywhere.
20. i read a church based article and an article about a president, country and fashion designer everyday.
19. i collect all things eiffel tower, all things alice in wonderland and all things from the pink kitchen-aid line.
18. i discovered my love for katy perry the morning her very first cd was released and she was interviewed by ryan seacrest. the rest is history.
17. i get along marvelously with my family. for realsies. we are wild and crazy and happy and funny and we love each other to death.
16. one time on a train from london a little girl thought i was a real princess and asked her mom to ask me about it. bless her soul.
15. i hope to never outgrow my extreme and very true love for sex and the city.
14. disneyland still makes me incredibly happy.
13. bff mellie and moi know all the steps to the "push-it" dance in something borrowed. yep {this} one. obvs, i always play the kate hudson part.
12. when i was a little girl i used to run around my yard with a backpack full of tree branches i had cut up that doubled as "wooden stakes" and i pretended i was buffy the vampire slayer and would kill off all the invisible vampires that lurked through our yard {there were tons guys, so don't judge}. the same could be said for the sunday i packed my little brother into our wheel barrel with snacks and a bottle of water and pulled him around the entire neighborhood telling people i wanted to be a pioneer when i grew up. i don't know that girl anymore. clearly...
11. i don't own an ipod. the one i currently use is my little brother's...one he will be taking back in about 12 months so i guess i should start saving now.
10. i am a terrible sleeper.
9. peter pan is my favorite book. i cried when i went to jm barrie's grave in scotland.
8. i love hockey. and football. and baseball.
7. i hope to be remembered as a kind, classy, gracious, positive and funny woman. i have a lot of work to do, this i know.
6. i am terrified to play the piano in front of...anyone.
5. i'm a mormon! not because i was raised one or because it is the only thing i have ever known. trust me, i have questioned my faith, because i refuse to do or be anything in life that i don't 100% believe in, and i not only believe in the church...but i know without any doubt that it is true.
4. i go to comic-con every july with my brothers. and it is my favorite 4 days of the entire year.
3. i love traveling. i also love museums.
2. i own a humidifier shaped like hello kitty. that i don't use. but had to buy.
1. i love a good fairy tale.

music's biggest kept secret.

2011-12-02T16:19:00.000-08:00

this week was thee big announcement of the 2012 grammy nominations.

now, obvs, i was super excited for ms. katy's 2 nominations, including record of the year.
but today i have to share with you one of my favorite groups ever ever ever, who also received 2 grammy nominations for best folk album and country duo performance.
now i know all my rihanna lovers just batted their eyelashes, let out a huge sigh and are already prepared to be bored.
and maybe you will be...
but i found love in this almost hopeless genre of folk music with this duo, and i'm hoping you will too.

the civil wars consists of joy williams and john paul white, who met during a song writing session in tennessee.
despite their southern living location, the name of their band has nothing to do with the historical war, but they explain is rather about the battles people fight in their every day lives. whether it be addictions, conflicts with friends or loved ones, learning to become yourself, etc...we all have those unseen, often all consuming, battles and this is what their music is about.

speaking of music...
their debut album, barton hallow, is an absolute gem.
and here is a short clip about it.

and a little snippet on how they write their music...

this past year they opened on the UK leg of adele's tour,
i discovered them through being an avid taylor swift fan,
who is an avid civil wars fan.
but you may know them more popularly from the song below featured on grey's anatomy and also during rachel's i just got dumped by the love of my life so i will flee to london moment in the movie something borrowed.

is it not the most hauntingly gorgeous song you have ever heard? amen.

if you have a spotify account you can check them out for free {and i promise you want to}.
or just youtube their name and plenty of fun things come up.
happy listening.
xoxo.

thee angels have landed.

2011-12-01T13:37:00.001-08:00

warning: this post is not meant to offend nor upset anyone.

however, i guarantee it will.
and i am truly sorry if it does.
but i'm the girl that dragged her saintly father to a katy perry concert last week sooooo....
it's just me.
take it or leave it.

now that you have all had your disclaimer i am here today to talk all things victoria's secret fashion show.
aka: my 4th fav holiday of the year,
only behind halloween, christmas, and black friday.
as was manifested by me posting the first disclaimer this blog has ever seen, i understand a lot of people out there do not share in my love for this yearly event.
and i totally understand.
but as i was explaining my views to thee mom the other day as we were a drivin...
the bottom line is i am a girl who just loves super pretty underwear.
in the most innocent of ways. seriously.
as a single and well behaved little mormon lady,
all this pretty underwear has yet to become a functional part of my life.
one day it will. i have no shame in that.
and thee bestie could tell you that i am also the girl who tried on thee most gorgeous of nightgowns at h&m last year and almost purchased it under the motto of,
it's fun! why not look good when i go to bed with me, myself and moi each night?
{beat marcher to her own drum...right here}
{but you love me for it and i love me for it too}
{so just let a princess be}

now back to my fashion show...
how does a conservative, straight laced lady find fun and giddiness in an hour long show of girls wearing often less than underwear, walking down a runway with a sideline of men oohhing and awwing?
because i, personally, don't see it as demeaning nor objectifying.
i choose to see it as empowering.
these women exxxxuuuudddeeee confidence,
{or maybe that was just the slow motion camera trying to give me that feeling?}
and are having fun.
or at least pretending to do so.
everything sparkles, everything is pretty, everything is girly.
and i admit i almost jumped out of my seat when they did their final walk to born this way.
although, am i supposed to believe they were all born that way?
because i don't.
nice try victoria's secret.
as girls of the 60's dreamed of being a pan am stewardess, what girl today can {dead to gracious honestly} say she has never even thought about walking down that runway and earning her wings?

are these ladies too skinny?
hell if i know.
one thing i do know is that not once did i look at that runway on tuesday and think,
gosh i want her legs...
because i love my legs. they work perfectly.
sure they are too skinny for my womanly hips, but gosh they look good in shorts.
i am too tall, have a bump in my nose, skinny arms, wrists that are skeletal, big boobs, a derriere that has been the topic of much embarrassing conversation, a tiny waist and huge feet.
{which is a blessing at nordstrom rack}
they are them, and i am me.
because let's get real here peeewwwople, i am neeevvveeerrr gonna have adriana lima's thighs.
but this is ok, because thankfully, mine work just fine.
no need to covet.

and it is with all this in mind that i stop my world on a yearly basis and tune in to watch the fun themes and sparkly ensembles they have for us.
as they explained in the show, the designers spend the entire year making these outfits for the girls.
because not one can be the same, nor can it be the same as anything they have ever worn in years past.
the beading and embroidery is truly breathtaking.
so much attention to detail.
here is a peek of my favorite looks from this show...

for those of you who missed it and want to take a peak,
{here} is the entire show in under 11 minutes.
and until next year...
xoxo.

{guest post} thee fab singer.

2011-11-30T21:37:00.000-08:00

{click (here) to vote for moi in the Blog Awards}
guess what loves??
i have another super special guest post for you tonight!
today was a cray cray busy day & super fun night, so lucky for me {and you} the next guest blogger i had lined up sent in her stuff to me this evening!
her being thee fab singer, aka my childhood friend angela.
i can't dish out enough praise for this lady.
she is such an example to me of someone who embodies class and sass in a way that i can only one day dream of.
she is one of the few people you meet in life who is good.
not in the behavioral sense of the way, but in the personality sense of the way.
she has one of the most honest, sincere and good hearts of any of my friends.
{and her post tonight proves it}
she always looks gorgeous {probs because she toats is} and is as gracious as gracious gets.
don't you love people who are gracious?
it is a rarity these days and a tough skill to master.
one that she definitely has.
i have known angela as long as i can remember.
for realsies.
she has, thankfully, always been in my life.
and wouldn't ya know, last year she married my brother's best friend.
don't you love how life works?
she also has thee most gorgeous singing voice you will ever, ever hear.
and that is not me over emphasizing something for writing purposes as i sometimes/so often do.
i am talking the kind of voice that makes you cry.
every. single. time. you hear it.
bible.
so without further ado...i present thee fabulous, classy and ever lovely angela...

Hello hello hello! My name is Angela, author of the blog Grahangela (grahamandangela.blogspot.com). “Grahangela” is the celebrity moniker my husband’s brother lovingly bestowed upon us. I think it rolls off the tongue just like “Brangelina,” “Bennifer,” and “Speidi.”

I am so honored Jessica is allowing me to guest post. Her blog is one that I follow religiously and I am consistently amazed and amused at her writing style and unique outlook on things. She really does know how to make it “rain glitter” in the blogosphere!

Jessica has given me free reign to post on whatever my heart desires, which sounds great EXCEPT that I am sooo indecisive! I kept vacillating from topic to topic, trying to think of something that would draw tears, provoke thoughts and make you laugh ‘til you fall off your chair. But, really, I’m just not that good. However, I have chosen to write about something that has had a crucial impact in my life. And that is this: TIMING.

Things in life don’t always happen when and how you want them to. Truer words were never spoken, right? We can plan all day, checking off our lists and preparing for any outcome our minds can imagine. But then, inevitably, our path will have a detour. It’s like when you’re driving on the freeway and you find out, only too late, that your exit is closed and you’re forced to find an alternate route. It’s not too much of a stretch to say that our lives are always “under construction.”

When I was a little girl I had everything planned out. I had my list of qualities I wanted (no, more like required) out of my future husband. I had kid names picked out. I thought I’d get married right after high school, pump out five kids all while finishing college in four years and then make it rich, becoming a famous singer (all the while maintaining a Wonder Woman physique). Perhaps I was a little naïve. Or a lot naïve. But as a kid you think you can do anything and you can’t imagine any detours in your perfect plan.

Let’s compare what really happened with what my 10 year old self envisioned. I did finish college and in fact went on to graduate school to get a Master’s in Social Work. I still sing but never made it big. I’m a social worker instead. Rich? No . . . unless you’re counting salary in warm fuzzy feelings instead of dollars. I even got married . . . but at 26. (Gasp!) Still no kids, except for our dogs. The Wonder Woman physique? Well, my husband thinks I’ve got it! He may or may not be biased, though. Did I detour from my original plan? Totally. Am I upset about it? No way! Had things not happened this way, I wouldn’t be the person I am now. The person my husband fell in love with.

It was during life’s detours that I got to know myself. I remember one particular moment when I was discouraged. I didn’t get why life wasn’t happening according to my plan. I think I was particularly disappointed in the fact that I had no eligible men in my life and I thought I was going to be single forever. It was at this time that I got some wise advice from my brother. He told me to be a “renaissance woman.” He said this was the time to better myself in every way – to become the best Angela possible. I’ll admit it sounds cheesy, but some of the best advice in the world comes with its side of cheddar.

I got to work becoming the me I’d always wanted to be. I studied hard, exercised, ate healthy food, read up on topics that were interesting simply for the love of learning, and strengthened my relationships with friends, family and my Heavenly Father. During that time I learned what it is to notice and love the simple things in life. The things I didn’t notice before because I was so consumed in adhering to my life’s plan. It was a truly enlightening time. It was then that I realized it was ok to be alone. It was ok to fail. It was ok to be scared. There were things to be learned in loneliness, mistakes and fear. These were chances to progress. My faith in God, life and myself grew tremendously.

Who knows why timing works out the way that it does? Some would call it fate. Others divine intervention. Others chalk it up to chance. I personally believe that there were lessons God wanted me to learn about myself and the world around me. Lessons I wouldn’t have learned had life turned out exactly the way I expected. Things happen for a reason. Looking back, I wouldn’t trade one bit of what I have now. Yes, life has its bumps, but the positive far exceeds the potholes. Life’s detours have led me to where I am now, with so many unexpected and meaningful adventures and blessings along the way!

how great Thou art.

2011-11-29T12:23:00.000-08:00

{if you are here to vote for the blog awards the link is in the entry below, so just skip on down...or continue to read until you get there}

99% of the time i spend on here i try to keep everything funny and peppy and happy and sarcastic and sparkly, which is exactly the way i like my life.
some may say i don't live in the real world.
and to them i would say, bah, humbug! i just figured out a way to make it rain glitter on an almost 24/7 basis. and i make no apologies.
but lovelies, i am not a ding dong dumb dumb because i know that with that 99% comes the 1% of life that just plain hurts.
and because i like everything on this blog to stay all of the above referenced things,
i take a break when the hurt comes.
because you don't want to read about my aches
and heaven knows...i really don't want to share them.
extremely private person.
party of one...
right. here.

but in spending lots of time on my knees these past few weeks and with my nose in some great and uplifting literature, i have come to the conclusion that...
guess what?
life isn't all about me.
and my problems.
and my hurt.
{cray cray idea...right?}

this holiday season i am not working {yet} and instead of looking at this as a burden because i can't sit still for 2 seconds,
i have decided to look at it as a gift.
now i have the time to dedicate myself to others, rather than myself.
{because changing my nail color every other day really is not necessary in life}
therefore, this christmas season i am yours.
{relatively speaking...obvs}
i have set specific personal goals, as well as more general goals that consist of moi being more aware of those around me, their struggles, and anything i can do to uplift or carry their load.

this morning started with me getting my now seriously skinny behind out of bed at 7:30am,
{guys, i haven't eaten in 2 weeks...i don't even know who i am anymore}
and heading over to the bishop's storehouse.
for those of you not familiar with this term, it is a small market supplied by the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints in which people who have gone to their church leaders and expressed hardship can go and grocery shop without payment.
there are no cash registers.
there is no anger.
just lots of people ready to give love,
and lots of people ready to receive it.

i will admit, the experience had me a bit freaked out at first.
but like i say, if things in life aren't scary sometimes than you never get to the really good stuff.
and i did...get to the really good stuff.
once i stopped panicking i felt this overwhelming sense of gratitude not only for the blessings in my life,
but the undeniably sweet and gracious people i was helping who literally know how to count their blessings one by one.
they caused me to realize how fortunate i am.
and how much i can give.
i don't think they will ever know the impact they had on my relatively insignificant world this morning.
one little girl with bouncing curls came up and asked me to sit and read a book to her while her mom shopped.
and let me tell you loves,
i have never cried while reading a hello kitty book before, {clearly}
but today i did.
it was truly humbling.
and i am forever grateful.

the entire morning i had this song in my head,
and because i love you all and am toats about giving these days, {hehe}
i decided to share my fav FAV jaw dropping, tear jerking rendition with you.
enjoy.
and remember your blessings.

living thee teenage dream.

2011-11-29T12:16:00.001-08:00

{moi all sparkled out for my b-day date with mrs. katy perry hudson brand}

oh my gracious!

i found out this morning that, thanks to all you fine peeps,
this here little blog has made it to the FINALS for thee blogging awards.
honestly, is this how natalie portman felt all awards season?
no wonder she was so happy all the time!
well, that and she was pregnant and in love, but whatevs.
details, details...

please head on over right {here} to vote for moi as your
favorite singles blog
and
favorite pee-in-your-pants funny blog

thank you in advance.
i love and adore all of you.
which is why i am officially back!
{read above post for details}
xoxo.

{guest post} thee texan belle.

2011-11-28T18:01:00.000-08:00

eek!
i promised you all that despite a short break on my part i wouldn't leave you out in the cold, and i'm a lady who keeps her promises. bible.
i am super duper excited for our guest post from my darling and dearest friend, thee texan belle.
i really think you will love her as much as i do.
or like, alllllmmmossttt as much as i do.
you see, she and moi's self became friends our freshman year of college.
not like "hang out after class" friends, but friends who apparently really had all the same interests because we seemed to have all the same classes.
and wouldn't you know, the pattern continued as we had at least one class together every semester until we graduated.
and thanks to blogs and facebook and twitter we have become even better friends now that we live half a country apart.
funny how that happens, huh?
i just adore this girl.
for realsies.
fact: she is an uber talented cake maker.
i mean, we aren't talking just regular cakes or even really pretty cakes with fancy frosting.
we are talking cake boss style cakes...with the themes and the shapes and all the fun little things all over them.
the type of cake you would rather stare at forever instead of eat.
clearly, she will be making my future wedding cake.
although, i have yet to discuss this with her.
anywhoo...
lucky you, it's your turn to adore her too...

Howdy y’all!

I’m so honored that the fabulous Jessica is letting me do a guest blog post for all you lovely, beautiful people while she is taking a little break. I’m really excited to share one of my favorite movies with y’all, but first, let’s get to know each other a little. And by that I mean, I’ll introduce myself.

I am Miss Nesbit, and I hail from the great state of Texas, hence the name “Texan belle,” which Thee Burgdorf Brunette graciously bestowed upon me. You can find my musings on life, grad school, and things I enjoy (and/or obsess about) here (with more frequency) and here (with a little less frequency). I like lots of things, but the important thing to know about me right now is that I love movies.

So much so, in fact, that I try avoiding answering the question “What’s your favorite movie?” because I can’t possibly name just one. I mean, I could no sooner choose a favorite star in the heavens! (Name that movie! Did I mention, I also quote movies a lot, too?) However, I tend to like the comedy genre more often than not, and there are three movies that really define who I am (meaning, I quote these the most, so seeing these films may help you understand me more.):
Galaxy Quest
Houseguest
Mother
All three of these are hilarious and awesome, and I highly recommend them all, but for today I’m going to focus on the less well-known one, Mother.

It was written and directed by Albert Brooks in 1996, and it stars both him and Debbie Reynolds. It has a few other cameo appearances from some people you might recognize and some you definitely should, like Lisa Kudrow. The premise of the movie is that Albert Brooks’ character, John Henderson, is a forty-something-year-old science fiction writer who is not only suffering from writer’s block but is going through his second divorce. After some contemplation, he decides that the problem he has with women (and possibly his writer’s block) must have something to do with his relationship with his mother, played by the amazing Debbie Reynolds.

So in an attempt to figure out what his relationship with his mother has to do with his current situation, he decides to move back in with her. The subsequent situations are incredibly entertaining and hilarious. Debbie Reynolds is excellent and funny, and she does a wonderful job at playing a completely endearing but also a little odd mother. There are so many great lines in this film. For example, this is one of my favorite scenes:

Now can you see why I love this movie so much? There are so many other scenes that are just as great, and you seriously need to watch them all. It looks like it’s not available through Netflix at the moment, but it is available through Blockbuster. (And I’m sure you could find it by other means as well....)

Well, I hope you enjoy this movie as much as I do, and I hope you can check out the other two as well. I’ve loved talking with you and sharing Mother with you, and I’m glad Jessica gave me this opportunity. Feel free to come visit me at my other blogs, and don’t be a stranger, y’all!

speak {vote} now.

2011-11-22T09:55:00.000-08:00

oh my gracious!

i feel like i could not have picked a worse time in life to take a self-imposed blogging break because there are just too many good things happening that need to be posted about.
alas, i am still on a personal break.
no worries, i would never leave you all unattended for too long...
that is just bad mothering.
i figure since i am in a constant state of hurtiness these days,
i would line up some happy guest bloggers for you over the next few weeks.
thee texan belle is the first up...she is hi-larious!
and totally sweet.
she knows just what to say and when to say it, and i am excited for her fabulousness to translate over into your lives.
oui!

anywhoo, i am invisibly here today to let you know that thanks to YOU,
i was nominated for two Blogging Awards!!!
cray cray, right?
well loves, i stopped trying to predict the world once kim kardashian got her totally unexpected divorce, as i am sure you did too.
so not over it, duh.
but, my little labor of love is nominated for:
favorite pee-in-your-pants funny blog
and
favorite singles blog
i toats understand now how tina fey felt once mean girls became famous.
for realsies.
so please please pretty please, as one of my birthday wishes, hop on over to karen's blog {here} and vote for moi.
{make sure to scroll all the way down the list for the ballot}
according to my blog tracker, you wonderful people read from over 70 countries around the world.
eek! i expect my troops to come out in full force! bible.
kidding.
but i sincerely would be so super duper excited if you would take the time to vote.

and as it is thanksgiving, i want to thank you for being part of my little world here.
i never dreamed when i started this blog 3 years ago that i would become so attached to each and every one of you!
special thanks to all your sweet comments and emails over the past week.
during this holiday season i am especially grateful for God, family, friends, y'all, high heels and taylor swift.
xoxo.

california dreams come true.

2011-11-17T11:01:00.000-08:00

consider this a post that is not really a post...

meaning, i am still on an electronic break from life,
but i had to break radio silence for something THIS important...

are you ready for it?!?!?

i don't think you are...

but here it goes...

WE. WON. AN INVITE. TO. SEE. KATY. PERRY'S. FINAL. CONCERT!!!
wednesday, november 23rd
{which just so happens to be the day i was birthed into this world}
which means yes, i am attending her concert 2 nights in a row next week.
and yes, they will be my 5th and 6th times seeing her live.
you see, katy announced last week on the ellen show that she wanted to do something super special for her fans, since they got her around the world in a string of hundreds of sold out concerts.
therefore, she and russell decided to rent out the staples center {no big deal} so that she could give out all the tickets to the concert that night completely free.
well, this morning we were informed that we are the lucky winners of a code to get tix.
and tomorrow is the morning we get to activate our code and claim our prize!!
did i mention the concert is being filmed for her upcoming movie?
because it totally is...justin bieber has nothing on my girl.

see her complete {and utterly adorable} interview right here.

no one thought it could be done.
but i had hope, because my girl would never let me down.
same soul, two bodies.
that is what we are.
happy birthday to moi!

now for realsies i am gone.
until this hurt is healed...or something like that.
xoxo.

the one that got away.

2011-11-16T09:30:00.001-08:00

and so i bid a short goodbye to my little blog and all you fabulous friends.
i really adore each one of you,
but it is time for a break.
i will be back when my heart doesn't feel so hurty inside.
xoxo.

rumor has it.

2011-11-15T23:59:00.000-08:00

glee.

i feel like i walk a fine line with this show.
it totally stresses me out. bible.
some weeks i just adore it so much i want to wrap it up and gift it to every depressed person in this country because it is a guaranteed mood lifter.
and other weeks i seriously hate it.
no, the word hate doesn't even begin to describe how i feel about it on those weeks.
and this feeling has nothing to do with the politics of the show...
{which is why most people hate it/stopped watching it}
it has to do with the fact i think west side story is a boring musical, and since that is the school musical this season, it is alllllllllll they sing.
i am sorry if that statement offends anyone...but it is honest to goodness how i feel.

now back to my show...
granted, it has fallen a long way from it's incredibly graceful first season.
when every episode was a hit and i never thought it possible of having a miss.
now most episodes are a miss and every once in a while you get a hit.
last night was one of those nights.
my holy hell i think my heart almost stopped when idina menzel came out singing lady gaga's you and i.
but for realsies it stopped when this happened...

can i get an amen?

be us against the world.

2011-11-15T09:34:00.000-08:00

while the world is out all caught up in the hunger games trailer,
{sorry loves, i never boarded that ship...oops.}
i am all caught up watching this over and over...

this song is seriously one of her best.
does it not give you chills every time you hear it?
and please, someone fed-ex me that fluffy dress immediately.
it is my birthday week, after all.
xoxo.

ps-today is the day my troops find out if we win our katy concert tickets.
luckily, i already have tickets to the night before.
but with an opening like this...

...you would want to go as many times as possible too.

thee gg round up: the big sleep no more

2011-11-14T20:01:00.000-08:00

oh, it's a great day loves.
i am out of the not so great state of utah, home in my own bed and my computer is fixed!

which means, our gg round up is offically back.

things are heating up and falling apart, as per usual, on our upper east side.

soon to be princess/mom B is up to no good proving that chuck hasn't changed, serena has decided to blog against gossip girl and diana, charlie/ivy and nate have themselves in a it's so awful it's good and i can't stop watching it love triangle.

add to that one bloody masquerade and we have an episode.

here are the thoughts...

-guys, i can already tell you that chuck on a tennis court with a bottle of wine equals B having an audrey hepburn dream in the form of my 2nd favorite AH movie, sabrina. don't judge the fact i can decipher things like this within seconds.

-how is it that nate is thee hottest person on this show and yet, he has thee worst plot lines? is this supposed to be my tv show equivalent of a lesson that looks are not everything?? well, i'm sorry but i'm not doin' what you tell me {said in a mackenzie toddlers & tiaras voice}.

-for the love of everything on this earth that is holy, someone needs to cut dan's hair. i am gonna hold my own personal form of an occupy riot pretty soon. for realsies.

-is that a dead animal around serena's mid-section? holy gracious, i would say we need to kill it...but obviously this has already been done. duh. peta is gonna have a hey day in the morning with this outfit.

-elizabeth hurley has gots. to. go.

-blair's cheetah print dress with a kate middleton-esque fascinator...be still my fashion overloaded heart. and i don't even LIKE cheetah print people.

-is blair ever going to start showing that she is like, future queen mom of the world? or is she gonna be one of those super skinny people that only shows 2 days before they actual birth the child? probably the later.

-spotted: future serena love interest in the form of ivy/charlie's ex-boyfriend. guys, i could write this show. just start sending the paychecks now.

-"but i simply cannot have chuck chucking with my head." quote of the episode.

-nate has the worst taste in women. the worst. it's like, he just needs to fly 3,000 miles across the country and find me already.

-i have more in common with blair than i ever care to truly admit to anyone. bible.

-oh dear hell. i can't publicly admit what i am helling about over here...but oh. dear. hell

-i'm not even really sure what is going on at this party. like, is there a point? could we have picked uglier masks for everyone? i want them to be feathered and bedazzled! pronto.

-YEESSS!!!!! a blair and chuck kiss is always the best part of an episode.

-wait is that a bathtub of blood? guys, i am so confused.

-i don't think there is a single night of the week that all these people don't leave their parties with broken hearts. is anyone ever going to be happy again?

-dan, did you really think that at like 19 you were gonna have a best-selling novel. my gracious, do we really have 2 more years until all these people are finally legal? i feel they are gonna start having kids here pretty soon. oh wait, they already are. thanks B.

-i need blair's nightgown. this is not a want people. i said need.

-can charlie get her terrible hair and life off my show already?

-i have a hard time believing any grandfather would prostitute his grandson out just to "rehabilitate" his image. i don't know...maybe that's just me.

next week is blair's baby shower.

let the fabulous fun {and mommy fashion} commence.

until then...xoxo.

someday i'll fly away.

2011-11-10T21:33:00.000-08:00

well, i am off lovelies...

on a totally last minute get away.
ready to embrace my spontaneity,
and clear my pretty little mind.
until next week.
xoxo.

{photo courtesy of weheartit.com}

show me how you burlesque.

2011-11-09T12:59:00.001-08:00

last night i watched burlesque.

and guess what loves...it wasn't terrible!
it wasn't great either.
but it certainly was entertaining.
and has a surprisingly solid cast.
granted i heard awful things about it which means i went into it with a below zero expectation mark.
and i might be a titch biased because i am a true to the core christina fan.
i also strangely think that girls dancing around to good music in sparkly lingerae, with fake eyelashes and glittery makeup is incredibly glamorous and fun.
{moulin rouge is a top 5 movie in my book}

this is my favorite song/musical number of the film.
it also, just so happens to be the most wildly inappropriate one,
{go figure}
so don't watch if you are easily offended.
i think it's all in fun.
but i know my opinion is not shared by all.

and this was by FAR my favorite costume of the entire film...

{fyi: negative comments about aguilera's weight gain will not be published.}
{she has gained weight...duh}
{but poking fun at it is how our society gets into trouble}

it was a mindlessly fun film.
and sometimes that is all movie watching should be about.

a little island getaway.

2011-11-08T22:47:00.000-08:00

lovelies, it has been a while since we visited {thee island},

and as the weather is changing to the cooler end of the scale,
{which is about 60 degrees for us spoiled california gurls}
i decided it was time to finalize the fall/winter line-up and make some commitments for a few months.

#1--chris pine.
duh.
i mean, is this ever going to change?
will a southern belle ever give up her can of hairspray?
is there really a chance of hell freezing over?
ummmm...no.
clearly.

#2--shane west.
ladies, it's not like we didn't all sit in the movie theatre and simultaneously cry/fall in love with him as he became the man every girl dreams of one day having in the it's so terrible it's good chick flick a walk to remember.
if you are me, then you followed him on over to ER and are now currently watching him in nikita on friday nights.
heaven help my heart.

#3--chace crawford.
ladies, it's gossip girl season and forgive me for having such excellent taste.
don't pretend like you wouldn't sacrifice all your values and then some for this pretty face.

#4--taylor kitsch
well, if you didn't follow my advice to take up a good habit with friday night lights, than i am pretty sure i just proved you wrong.

#5--colin egglesfield.
guys, something borrowed was like the movie of my yeeeaarrr.
didn't hurt they gave me a pretty face to look at.

whelp, i think we learned two things from this excersise...
a.) clearly i have excellent taste
and
b.) i have excellent taste
thank you and you're welcome.
xoxo.

viva la candyfornia!

2011-11-03T09:58:00.000-07:00

watching this video brings two significant feelings...

1. i miss my little brother more than annnyyyything.
{he is serving a mission for our church in mexico, he has been out for 11 months}
2. i am soooo excited for rach and moi's kp concert extravaganza i can hardly stand it. 21 more days!
xoxo

{sometimes for strangeness the youtube windows on this don't show you the full screen, if this case is you...click ---> here to see the whole video}

blustery day party.

2011-11-02T14:11:00.000-07:00

it's super windy outside today.
no worries, i am not complaining...i will take wind over snow anyday, thank you.

and i am snuggled inside doing laundry, cleaning, listening to christmas music and going a bit pyro with the fall candles.
i couldn't really make up my mind this morning as to which holiday to celebrate today.
so i figured a little bit of both never hurt anybody.
yes, i am still in mourning over kim kardashian's divorce.
but it is like super too soon for me to talk about it,
so just let a princess be for a bit.

i have muy fun halloween pictures to share.
but i hate the photo editing feature on my parents computer so i must be patient and wait for mine to return from the electronic hosptial.

happy november to all!
it's the big 25 for me this month.
don't worry, i won't let you forget it.
xoxo.

{photo courtesy of weheartit.com}

too much of a good thing...

2011-11-01T17:40:00.000-07:00

in terms of shopping, today was like a super big day with lots of choices and fun new things to purchase.

my options, due to the fact that i really am thee PERFECT marketing confection of my generation, were as follows:

miranda lambert's new album - four the record
crazy, stupid, love on dvd
water for elephants on dvd
justin bieber's new album - under the mistletoe

due to the fact that black friday is fast approaching and probably most, if not all, of the above options will go on super clearance and the fact that i am on a self imposed super budget...
i only allowed myself the purchase one of the above options.
can you guess the winner?!?!?!?!

that's right.
i am now the proud owner of justin bieber's new album.
{sorry PMACK, i know i have disappointed you}
it is muy festive and fun.
the others are now on my birthday list and you may purchase them for me any time you please.
thank you.
xoxo

2011-10-29T23:35:00.000-07:00

happy halloween weekend!

from my wonderland to yours.
xoxo

just like the movies.

2011-10-28T12:20:00.000-07:00

happy {slightly belated} anniversary to my queen katy.

and her king, russell.
remember how she wore thee absolutely most gorgeous dress i have ever seen in my entire life.
{yes, kate middleton...you loose this race}
oh me, oh moi...it still makes my heart stop beating for a few seconds every time.
i think they have already made it about 364 days longer than any of us ever thought they would.
and as resistant as i was to it at the beginning, i am fully on board this love train now.aren't they like super cute?
go ahead, agree with me.
xoxo

last friday night.

2011-10-26T23:29:00.000-07:00

we took the annual trip over to knott's scary farm for their version of a haunted house, aka: my version of hell.
don't get me wrong, i love it...in that i am so glad i just ran 5 miles sorta way.
you are happy you ran it once it is over.
but the in between stuff gets a little bit much at times.
and seeing as this was my FOURTH year going, i really only had myself to blame for my minor/major meltdown just outside of the endgames maze.
more on that later...

us ladies gathered thee boys and we headed into our fright night with all smiles...
oooobbbviously i had to do some h&m shopping earlier in the day to calm my nerves about the evening, hence my overly cute top.
thank you.

the night started with ghostrider which always has been and always will be my most favoritest ride at knott's.
however, the line is neeevver long enough for us scardy cats who sit there anticipating all the monsters hiding at the exit of the ride just waiting for unsuspecting people, like moi, to walk off all excited from their ghostrider experience and right into their majorly creepy arms.
blegh.
[halloween haunt] consists of 12 mazes throughout the knott's berry farm theme park, along with 3 "scare" zones.
basically, you do not walk anywhere without the thought that someone, somewhere could pop out at you.

my downfall of the night was by faarrrr and away the endgames maze.
{you can watch a live feed of people being terrorized ---> here}
the theme was supposedly that the world was over and all the people left had turned life into a gladiator/eat everyone and everything type camp.
basically i was too terrified to really take in my surroundings the whole time.
max had this great way of walking through the mazes in which he walked fast enough to loose our group, but not fast enough to catch up to the people in front of us.
which means we were always in each room by ourselves.
he was a good sport though and let me cling for dear life to him the entire night.
i also made him turn all the corners first, so they would jump at him before me.
clearly, i am thee most selfless human being on this planet.
duh.
anyhoo, i had made it through the entire maze with no tears {thank you very much} and could see the light at the end of the tunnel...literally.
i was like super proud of myself when suddenly this scary man popped out at me right before the end.
it scared the baby cheesus out of me and i hurried us on up and out of the maze.
due to max's previously mentioned maze pace, we had to wait outside for our other peeps to be done.
well, when little old me turned around to see if they were coming out of the exit, i did not see my friends, but rather creeper mccreeperson from the end of the maze standing right behind me.
he had followed me out!!!
the next few seconds really were a blur folks.
and i can't be held accountable for any nor all of my actions.
i remember a lot of screaming, and some jumping up and down.
and it ended with me buried into max's chest until the man finally took pity on me and just let a princess be.
no, i am not over it yet.

my dearest and darling rach wins scream queen of the night.
i think anyone could hear her coming a mile away.
she is the type of person these people live to see walking thru their mazes.
i ended the night on a no tear note, which is a first for me and i gave myself a well deserved mental pat on the back for that one.
don't expect it to happen ever again.

overall, it was fabulous fun.
i am ready again for next year.
for now...at least.
xoxo

how do you get to wonderland?

2011-10-25T23:59:00.000-07:00

i'm still alive loves!

things have been so criz-crazy the past few days,
and on top of it all i am near deathly ill.
okay, not thaaaaattt bad, but still feeling super yucky inside.
promise to post pictures and stories from this past weekend soon.
it may or may not have consisted of 24 out of 30 hours spent at theme parks.
and a few near death experiences...
{do NOT under any circumstances ride the swings at knott's}
{i don't care what they say about your panoramic view of orange county}

tonight was spent trick or treating at disneyland.
true story.
where you are never too old to stuff your face with the best that nestle has to offer.
now this little girl from wonderland is now off to bed.
xoxo

{photo courtesy of weheartit.com}

the one that got away.

2011-10-19T13:51:00.000-07:00

did my girl kill it on x-factor this week?
why yes, yes she did.
one month and four days until rach and moi's trip to candyfornia!
soooooo incredibly excited.
xoxo.

so long, farewell...

2011-10-19T02:15:00.000-07:00

...to my what once was blonde hair.

i'm a little less elle woods.
a little more bergdorf brunette.
it might just maybe look a bit like this...as it should be.
pictures to come after my fab, fun weekend.
xoxo.

so late, for a very important date.

2011-10-18T16:56:00.001-07:00

{i am a sucker for sleepovers}

things are super cray-cray this week...
my real computer is at the hospital and super sicky, which means i am totally mooching off of my parent's laptop until all is right in my electrical world once more.
i am still recovering from pulling an all nighter with rach on saturday.
{we had mucho fun, as can be seen above from our hot tub @ 2am extravaganza}
tonight i am off to get my hair all did and pretty.
and tomorrow our super special company arrives for the rest of the week and i still have a house to clean!
eek!
thankfully, this weekend will be spent partying it up at knott's scary farm and disneyland.
probably won't be back for a few days.
love you all.
xoxo.

ps-toats changed my halloween costume once more.
now it is just going to be a super secret surprise for all.
i am SOOOOO excited :)

pps- due to the great computer crash of 2011, which happened FIVE MINUTES into gossip girl last night, thee gg roundup will be postponed for a bit.

until the clock strikes 12.

2011-10-15T00:11:00.000-07:00

wednesday night i got to be a super lucky lady and attend a private party after hours at disneyland with thee mom and thee big bro!

they had special offers on merchandise for everyone, and special types of food not normally sold on regular business days.
{free cupcakes?!? count me in}
there was a special presentation of the parade and then they lined the floats up on main street for a few hours for people to take pictures with characters and see everything up close.
naturally, we ate our way through the park and played on all the rides with no lines in sight.

free parade celebration cuppy-cakes.

i looovvveee these drummers at the beginning of the parade.

princess parade.

mary and bert...my favorites.

outside of sleeping beauty's castle.

obviously i was drawn to the thrown...my natural resting place.

inside the newly improved sleeping beauty's castle.

parade floats lined up on main street.

God bless california, disneyland, and america.
xoxo.

friday night lights.

2011-10-13T01:01:00.000-07:00

10 reasons you should be watching...RIGHT. NOW.

{i mean, c'mon peowple...get some smarts here}

10. critic's darling.

"a miracle of a series about bighearted people in small-town america."
tv guide
"what may be the best dramatic series in the history of television. that's right: history."
los angeles times
"simply one of the best-acted, best-written, best-produced shows on television."
usa today
"breathtaking in how it captures ordinary life set against extraordinary passions."
the associated press

9. it's for ruheal y'all. i am blessed with plenty of long live the south! friendships. and they can vouch that the dillion, texas spirit of football isn't just made for tv. people really DO change school boundary lines to keep a quaterback. duh?

8. text from thee dear friend: she was once a doubter {like all of you} and she finished her first run through the entire series last night. i, in fact, received this text from her..."thank you again for showing me the light. i hope to share the love with someone, who like me, won't know what hit 'em. i think i'll start the series again tomorrow."

7. when i grow up, i want to be tami taylor. no joke. Her cutesy outifts, that head of hair, her wit, that southern charm, the smarts, the attitude you don't mess with, the hot husband...and most importantly the marriage that any person in their right mind would pay big money to have themselves. and i mean, she named her daughter gracie-belle. bless her television fake soul.

6. it doesn't go out with the trash. often once a show becomes successful, or moves to cable tv {both of which this show did}, they slut it up and trash it up simply because they can. fnl is 5 seasons of i wouldn't even be embarrassed to watch this with my dad type entertainment.

5. the lights are moving to the big screen. and i can pretty much already guarantee you it will be better than the first {and i LOVED the first}. so before you start seeing previews for it and then decide to watch it on the bandwagon. start now...while you still can be considered an original fan.

4. two words. one name. tim riggins. guys, #33 is the love of my life. for seriousness here...there is no man in the history of the real world or the tv world that does to my heart what tim riggins did to it every friday night for 5 years. no man.

3. clear eyes. full hearts. can't loose. i dare you to watch this show and NOT apply this motto to everything you do in life. from the small things to the real important things like...which brand of laundry detergent to buy this week.

2. and the award goes to... kyle chandler recently won best actor for his turn as coach taylor and the show won for best writing in a series at the emmys. come on, any show that quotes "sweatin like a whore in church" was bound for that podium one day.

1. still not convinced...watch for yourself.

bottom line:
it's the best show in the history of television.
trust me here...
i watch eeevverryyything. i have watched everything.
i love a lot of tv shows.
but nothing compares to this.
xxoxo.

it's almost my party...

2011-10-12T17:13:00.001-07:00

my two darling and best friends have been working
{super hard, seemingly non-stop}
to make thee birthday this year super special.

they have planned a multi-day bash that would make any bergdorf brunette swoon and giddy with joy.
{and seriously is almost a little scary considering how well they know me}

soooooooooooo,
we will be spending a weekend here...
followed by a night with her...only my girlfriends could figure out a way to get to me paris and in the same room as ms. kp all in the same week.
clever ladies aren't they?
might i add they planned this completely on their own,
without any help from me.

happy birthday to moi!
{in a month}
and special thanks to the two loves of my life.
xoxo.

it's the small things.

2011-10-12T13:33:00.000-07:00

monday thee mom went off to get her pretty on
and get her hair did.

she came home with a sweet surprise for me...
my fancy, shmancy, favoritest HAIRSPRAY!
{that as a current professional stay at home person i cannot afford on my own}

now folks, this is thee best can of anything you will ever find in your life.
as was recommended {here} by kate, i can't really endorse this any better than she already has.
a little bit goes a loooooooong way.
and once you spray it on, that hair of yours isn't going any.where.
it's the best thing for volume, hard to curl hair, bangs that are in the awkward phase and frizzy fly always that are hellbent on not being tamed.
it may not come cheap,
but nothing good in life really does.
xoxo.

under the sea.

2011-10-11T11:03:00.000-07:00

super sorry for the break loves,

but lucky for you today i am sick in bed with not much to do but watch my tv shows and catch up with you fine folks.
yay!

this past weekend thee family and moi went to my FAVORITE place in the entire california area...SEA WORLD!
like for realsies, there are very few things i love more in this world.
we have a long running family joke about myself and this park.
wayyyy back when moi graduated from high school our family took a big vacation to florida.
seeing as i was like super wrapped up in being a diva about leaving high school and thinking my life was going to be over, i wanted nothing to do with planning the trip.
once the tears of graduation had passed and i realized i wasn't going to die the day after my graduation party, we headed off for our two week vaca in hot, humid and lovely orlando, florida.
one morning, on our way to disney world, we passed sea world and i innocently asked what day we would be going there on our vacation.
to my horror, shock and awe i was told we WOULD NOT BE GOING TO SEAWORLD on the trip.
i could have cried loves.
my favorite place and we weren't going!
my family explained that since i had refused to help plan the vacation {which is true} they had no idea i wanted to go.
since that day, my obsession with sea world has been our family joke, but let me tell you, my love for this place runs deep and true.
i honestly don't know what it is, but i could go back every single day and never get tired of it.

we started the day off at the dolphin show.
which is a combination of cirque de soleil tricks and dolphins.
aka: fab.

ventured on over to the arctic exhibit and saw the beluga whales.
{or white dolphins, as some dumb dumb dad tried to tell his poor kid}

the polar bear had just woke up from his nap.
suuupppeerrr cranky.

this is like the hit and miss ride of the century.
it really only works for an hour a day and is broken the rest of the time.
but super worth it, it's a family fav.

the seal show was all decked out for halloween haunts.

SHAMU! SHAMU!
kinda a bit sad that the trainers can't get in the water with the whales anymore.
but still fun.

i pretty please want one.

it was trick or treat day and this family had my favorite costumes.
please pay special attention to the baby dressed as a parrot.

night time shamu show.
are you finally getting my obsession with this whale?
i dragged my poor family around that whole darn park to make sure we got as much shamu in as we could.

i woke up sunday morning announcing to my family how much i missed my friend shamu.
already ready to go back!
and yes, free willy was one of my favorite movies growing up.
xoxo.

toddlers & tiaras.

2011-10-05T23:16:00.000-07:00

one of my dearest and darlingest blogging friends thee texan belle tagged me in the above picture on [pinterest].

{one of these days i will have to tell you about thee friendship story with this lady because i kinda sorta just love us}
with the following caption:
audrey hepburn costume. Too cute. Umm I hope one day @Jessica Bradley dresses her future daughter like this.

i mean, obviously this child could already be mine...
her slightly upturned head.
the way she is wearing those oversized sunglasses like it ain't nobody's business.
those pursed lips. like she is about to shout,
nu-uh, i ain't doin that. no.

don't worry miss texas,
when the day comes i will surely take a picture of my child dressed like my idol.
in fact, my dear future daughter will probably have to be ms. hepburn every halloween.
clearly she will have various outfit choices...thankfully audrey played a lot of different roles.
as i feel it will be my duty in life to raise a girl who possesses class like this world has never seen.
duh?
and i hope we are still great friends, when that day comes, so i can send you the picture.
xoxo.

{photo courtesy of [etsy.com]}

livin' the teenage dream.

2011-10-04T01:00:00.000-07:00

shut the front door and guess the heck what?!?!?!?

my bestie/partner in crime/sister from another mister is taking yours truly to see thee one and only,
my idol for a lifetime,
mrs. katy perry hudson brand
on november 22nd to see the last performance of her california dreams tour and to celebrate thee birth of moi.
tickets were insanely expensive {which is why i was not taking myself} and i am seriously too blessed to have people so generous and loving in my life.
i can't wait!
oh my gosh...what am i ever going to wear?

just a little taste of why i am so excited...

sooooooo happy to spend my big night with my 2 favorite ladies on this planet.
25 ain't gonna be so bad after all lovelies.
xoxo.

thee gg round-up: beauty and the feast

2011-10-03T20:00:00.001-07:00

annnnnddd we're back.

another monday has come, and almost gone.
which means gossip girl has presented us with another week of criz-craziness,
aka: thee happiest hour of my week!
{and i have a pretty happy life...which is saying something!}

this week we are presented with blair coming out and officially saying she is pregnant.
of course, the one person she decides to confide in is...dan freakin humphrey.
be still my beating heart?
and beatrice, her fiancee's evil sister, tends to overhear the news and will obvs hang this over blair's head at some point.
chuck is beyond feeling, like literally.
serena and charlie/ivy are skipping out on hollywood and headed back to the upper east side to stir up trouble.
and nate archibald is, well, he is looking good but still sleeping around with the cougar.
{is this storyline boring to anyone else to death?}
here are the thoughts, screams, wishes and upsets from this week's viewing:

-first off, can i say watching gossip girl on my new surround sound is like beyond heavenly bliss. something only a true gg fan could appreciate.

-how is it that blair wears thee most mismatched prints, and yet tends to make eeevvveerrryything go together flawlessly?

-you are pregnant too? we are like sisters now! already the best line of the evening. gosh i love dorota.

-whoooooo is the father? obvs guys i want it to be dan. just let me be in my little dan/blair dream world for a while folks. just LET. ME. BE!

-oh nate's hair looks so good this season. soooooooooooooooo dang good.

-i swear, blake lively's hair is the only head of hair that looks good in a high ponytail.

-i am so over this charlie/ivy storyline. i mean, i'm sorry...but if i wanted to see semi-well dressed stuggling people on tv i wouldn't be watching this show. this is the show i go to escape the real world, thank you very much.

-love the plastic surgery joke. because for some reason, evvverryyooonnee gets their lips done and they all end up looking weird. like you would think with all the flawed lips in past {lisa rinna, meg ryan, catherine zeta jones, courtney cox} people would get the hint that it doesn't work. but they do not.

-loving serena's coral top-shop blazer right now.

-this kitchen scene looks like my ill fated attempts in that gosh forsaken room. seeing as it is a result of nate trying to cook, i feel like this is just another reason why he and moi are meant for each other.

-blair, why are you gonna take fashion advice from a girl wearing a dress that looks like a mexican poncho tied over with a belt. blegh.

-serena is so dumb. like really, really dumb. but heaven knows i love the girl anyway.

-half the time i can't understand what louis says. when is he leaving again?

-guys so i'm kinda thinking blair and dan had sex. and that is the ending to his story that he couldn't have vogue publish. is that too cray cray for even this show? i don't know. but you can bet thee bff and i have already had a text conversation about this possible plot disaster/awesomeness.

-oh my gracious, blair's dress at the charity event. no like for realsies people, oh my GRACIOUS. i can hardly breathe right now.

-this priest is hot. someone has gots to makeout with him at some point this season. just a thought. i mean, you don't hire a priest that looks like that without having some ulterior plot line. do you?

-beatrice just sucks. and she isn't even pretty. which means i am having an even harder time putting up with her than charlie/ivy.

-elizabeth hurley is fine. minus her being the love interest of nate. DATE SOMEONE YOUR OWN AGE NATE. remember the days when you loved blair, or serena, or anyone within 10 years of you? i do. and they were great.

-oh holy hell he is hot.

-is charlie/ivy wearing no pants? or peach colored leggings?

-once again, blair's dress. i don't think you people can even imagine what i am looking at right now. oh and those earrings. matched with the blue purse? heavenly.

-at least blair washes her hands after throwing up.

-what the heavens? she told dan she is pregnant. guys, I LOVE THEM! even if they are never together, the fact that dan is now the person she tells everything to/runs to when she needs help makes me all happy inside.

-ugh beatrice. gag me now.

-okay so i have this new idea: if charlie/ivy were to just let everyone know who she really is, i wouldn't hate her so much. like if she were just a truthful person {haha...on this show?} i would have no reason to want to ring her neck. because she is pretty. and that really is my only requirement for someone to stay on my show.

-this poor cory monteith look alike. beware of the charlie/ivy!!!

-bam people. BAM. i knew they didn't hire that hot priest for no reason. his purpose is to make out in the back of limos.

-how is this show almost over? it has only been on for 7 minutes. i swear.

-looovvving this song at the end.

-guys have i ever told you how much I'M LOVING BLAIR AND DAN right now??? their conversations are like the best things ever.

-oh wow, she is keeping it? say hello to mommy waldorf.

-okay so i'm pretty sure dan isn't the father. but i'm pretty sure CHUCK IS!

-and again, i'm loving this song. whatever it may be...

-blair: what if i loose everything? dan: you'll still have me. I AM DYING RIGHT NOW. DYYYIIINNNGGGGGGGGGGG. like i want to get up and prance around my house. but i won't.

ready to find out who daddy waldorf will be?
tune in next week.
until then...xoxo.

it sorta gives me chills.

2011-10-03T20:00:00.000-07:00

guys, i feel it is no surprise to you that i am like a movie watching queen...
chances are if you haven't seen it, I HAVE.
and probably a billion times, as i tend to not get bored of things too easily.

now i have my favorite movies,
and i have my favorite movie stars.
but would you like to know my faaavvv movie scene of all time?
well, congrats, it's your lucky day and i'm gonna tell you.
see for yourself...

{sorry the quality is terrible}
{but it was the only one i could find}

it never gets old.
never, ever, never, never.
maybe it's because it was filmed in my hometown.
maybe it's because liv tyler is just the cutest, classiest thing since audrey hepburn.
i really don't know...
but i do know it's my favorite.

what's yours?

life in the blue box {part one}

2011-10-02T11:30:00.000-07:00

yesterday i finally took some time to clean up my room and snap a few pictures of it...although, for this record, it is still very much a work in progress.

i need a bookshelf, pictures printed for frames, curtains, etc.
but i have no problem showing it off in bits and pieces of its un-perfected glory.

in terms of my taste in decor, i am not, never have been, never will be the kind of girly girl who has the taste of a professional decorator.
in fact, i find houses with that model home quality vury not me.
{no offense, because chances are those people are going to think this is the ugliest room in the world}
so in terms of decorating my room, i did not want it to look perfect.
some of the colors don't match,
{although i fully plan on getting a new bedspread}
{even i know dark blue and tiffany blue clash}
and i wanted it to still have a very moi quality:
the girl who decides every morning if today she is going to be a lady or a 5 year old disney princess connoisseur.
see for yourself...

as previously mentioned the bedspread has gots to go.
the vanity fair book is something my brother gave me for christmas a few years ago and it is one of my most treasured possessions. it has beautiful, full page portraits of the most famous pictures to ever run in the magazine.
the bedstand is finished off with pictures of my darling little cousins, my autographed taylor swift book and {of course} my hello kitty alarm clock.
the tv is ugly, but hey...i'm not gonna complain.
as for the wall decorations, the paintings were an idea from thee dear friend's college room.
the set is a total of 4 pictures, two of which are displayed here and 2 of which i will be receiving for christmas.
with the top shelf i wanted to pull in my love for disney with my love for everyone in my life,
{promise the empty frames won't stay empty for long}
plus a plaque with my favorite quote:
if for a while the harder you try the harder it gets, take heart, so it has been with the greatest people who ever lived.
{jeffrey r. holland}

this is a messy picture but i wanted to show my favorite {okay, second favorite} addition to the room.
i turned my shoe rack into a magazine/computer/whatever i want it to be stand at the end of my bed.
this idea is courtesy of the set designers in gossip girl, as they did the same thing with balir waldorf's dorm room.
and in case you are wondering where to get your very own edward cullen pillow, i can't help you there. super sorry.
thee gg bestie gifted this lovely addition upon me.

obviously, you can't have a tiffany bedroom without the queen of it all.
this is on the wall you see when you first walk into the room.
i would have shown you the whole wall, but as you can kind of see...underneath the picture ain't so pretty.

the door to the room is on the very left of this picture,
{you can see the white trim around it here}
and behind this entire wall is my lovely closet.
i spent 3 days completely deconstructing the old closet
{like literally...i took shelves out, built new ones, etc}
and now it fits EVERY. SINGLE. item of clothing/accessory/ everything in between i own.
blessed be the day!
the ceiling shelf on this wall houses all my dvds.
and yes, the katy perry picture needs a black frame to go with the rest of the frames.
working on it!

this is my favorite part of the room...
where all the magic happens.
i have always watched those celebrity reality shows
{aka: keeping up with the kardasians}
and wanted a place where all my makeup was set out in one big area so it doesn't get dirty and is easily accessible.
i made it happen.
the drawers are filled with curling & flat irons, creams and brushes.
the sliding shelves on the second level are full of perfumes and hair products, with jewlery and baby loubies in the middle.
and the top shelf is a mixture of my shrine to emily giffin and my headbands.
the picture on the top shelf was done by {inslee hayes} and is one of my favoritest things ever.
each of the books to the left of the picture are written by my beyond favorite author emily giffin.
the picture showcases the heroines from each of those books, reading their novels.
fabulous much? i think yes.

whelp, that's it for now...
as you can see it is an eclectic mix of classy, sassy and happy things that are a daily reminder of how grateful i am for my life and the darling people in it.
once complete i will take pics of it as more of a final product.
but i didn't want you to think the requests for pictures had fallen on deaf ears.
happy sunday loves.
xoxo.

i guess you're stuck with me.

2011-10-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

yesterday i had the beeyooonnnddd fun opportunity to go to a taping of the abc family hit series
Melissa & Joey.for those of you not watching this show, get on it NOW!
it's not brain surgery, but it is a fun 30 minute escape from normal life.
M&J follows city councilwoman mel burke as she inherits her niece and nephew due to the fact that their parents can no longer take care of them.
{mother in jail for money laundering, dad on the run from the cops...no bueno}
as she is a super busy, childless, non-married lady not used to having to take care of anyone else in her life, she hires a nanny...or a manny named joe longo.
joe coincidentally used to work for the mel's bro-in-law, and as a result lost millions in the fall of the company.
let the chaos ensue.

if have never been to a tv taping, it goes a little bit like this:
we arrived at cbs studios and were checked in and sent to one of many lines of tv tapings waiting to be walked back to their studios.
after about 30 minutes, they walked our line on back.
lucky for us, our lot was wwaaayyyy in the back so we got to see tons of other stuidos where they film the insider, et, the talk and the famed studio lot where they filmed will & grace.
we got to walk down a fake nyc street,
along with a suburban neighborhood where they were getting ready to film a scene for csi:ny.
once in our studio they took us through extreme security and escorted us to our seats.
they gave us programs for the evening that looked like this:

and we were lucky enough to sit smack dab in the middle which allowed us to see all the sets for the night.
it looked kind of like a model home all layed out in one big line.
the front yard lead to the front door, which lead into the living room, which lead into the kitchen, which lead into the dining room, which lead into the back yard.
last night's set was a bit different than viewers will remember the house looking,
but all we were allowed to know is that the changes in the house are part of next season's story line.
we waited about 30 minutes for everyone to be seated and then our new friend roger came out as our official studio host/party coordinator/warmer-upper.
we watched an episode of the show to get everyone ready and then it was time to meet our family.
out ran stars taylor spreitler, nick robinson, joey lawrence and melissa joan hart.
i feel i need to interject here and officially say that everyone is prettier in person.
like tv doesn't do these people justice.
now moving on...
as executive producer of the show, mjh took the microphone and welcomed/thanked everyone for coming out. for those of you wondering, she has this instantly calming demeanor.
kinda like someone you have always known. very sweet and fun.
she explained what was going to happen through the night and begged us to keep laughing, even if it was in a scene they had already done 3x.
and then the filming began.
they filmed the scenes in chronological order, so the audience could see the story unfold the right way and therefore react accordingly.
some of the scenes not filmed in the house were filmed earlier in the week.
in that instance they stopped the live taping and had us watch tv screens with the scene on it so they could record us laughing.
they did mess up a few times, and it was funny to see how their individual personalities dealt with having to improv.
{joey lawrence is hi-larious!}
in between breaks and re-sets, roger came out to party with the crowd.
they had an in studio dj to keep the mood upbeat and help us host dance contests
{in which the stars couldn't help but join in on}
and roger quickly became our best friend and by the end of the night everyone in the room knew who jon-michael and i were. eek!
about half way through the taping it was pizza party time {literally} and everyone in the audience was given pizza, water and treats. yay!
after about 4 hours and mmaaannnyyyy retakes later, it was time to say goodbye.
the cast came out for their final bow and then they kind of stuck around while melissa joan hart literally gave everyone, including the extras, a hug.
you can tell she is very much the mom on set.
and that was it.

for any of you in the la area wanting to go to a taping,
head on over to {tvtickets.com} and see if anything interests you. it's completely free!
i can't promise you a pizza party,
but i can promise you fun.
xoxo.

love the skin you're in.

2011-09-29T19:54:00.000-07:00

i often receive compliments on my skin,

{you people really are too kind}
{because i don't feel my complexion is anything noteworthy}
and then am asked what products i use to create the look.
well, the thing with skin is one thing works great for one person but maybe not the other.
however, today i received a text from one of my favoritest relatives ever asking for some skin-sential advice.
so here you go, thee secrets to my really not so flawless skin...
{there are blemishes, i promise}

makeup remover: dr. bronner's magic soap
folks, there is a reason magic is a word in this title because it is seriously just that.
i find mine at my local health food store and use it at night to rub off all that fun makeup i wear everyday.
my skin completely turned around the second i started using this soap, and believe me i have taken pills, prescription creams, chemical peels, etc...nothing has worked like this $5 bar of soap.
it comes in all different scents, but peppermint is my fav choice.

eye makeup remover: vaseline cocoa butter jelly
just rub this all over your eyes and wipe that mascara away.
no stingyness nor black residue!
plus it smells like a hawaiian vacation in a tub.
YUM!

overnight spot treatment: neutrogena rapid clear fight & fade spot gel
ever have one of those yucky blemishes that seems to just get bigger and bigger?
do you have super sensitive skin that creates a scar once the blemish is "clear"?
because I SURE DO!
slap this on at night {and during the day for the really bad ones} and i promise you will see miracles happen.

overnight moisturizer: pond's clarant b3 cream
i like this better than the $50 bottle of clinique even better cream i used to love.
plus, buy this in the travel section of target for $1 and it lasts approx. 6 months, a little certainly goes a very long way.
it is super lightweight and soaks into your skin immediately and helps even skin tone.

my everything gel: aquaphor healing ointment
i actually prefer mine in the little tube so that i can carry it with me everywhere.
{and believe me, i do}
i learned the tricks of this gel from thee kardashian gal's makeup artist.
so what are those tricks?
i put it under my eyes every night and also use it over blemishes i have picked at and are currently super hurty. it creates a thin protectant over them so they don't get worse.
and it is the best chapstick ever!
i have this terrible habit of biting my lips when i am nervous so i put this on them at night and whaaalllaaa...all healed up in the morn.

daytime moisturizer: mac oil control lotion
this may be purchased at a department store, but you drugstore shoppers should be aware that this bottle of loveliness runs at about $20. which really is only a couple dollars more than a good moisturizer from your local wal*mart will cost you.
this creates the perfect light weight canvas to put my makeup on with, helping specifically in my oily zones without taking the moisture out of my face.

foundation: stila one step foundation or cover girl nature luxe foundation
the stila foundation is a God-send from heaven itself. but can get a bit pricey. the reason i love it is a tiny, TINY bit on a foundation brush spreads over your entire face. the magic to this foundation is it is a primer, foundation, concealer and powder in one.
don't think this possible?
well it is.
never in my life have i received as many compliments on my makeup as i have when using this foundation. TRY IT!!
for those on a tighter budget, the cover girl foundation {aka: the taylor swift makeup} works almost as well.
it gives super smooth and effective coverage all over.
it feels kind of like a mousse when you are putting it on your face.
i noticed a huuggeee difference in my skin once i started using this foundation.
plus, it has spf. YAY!

powder: mac mineralize skinfinish
yep, this is my splurge of the group!
but never ever do i regret the meals i sacrifice to afford it.
although almost $30 a container, i promise you, never have your hard earned pennies gone to a better skin product.
powder is a tricky art to master, as it leaves most people looking cakey and fake.
this simply blends in with your foundation creating a super smooth, airbrushed type look all over.

concealer: revlon color stay blemish concealer
this goes on super thick, but in the good way.
once you put this over your blemish 99% of the time it literally blends in so well it looks as if nothing was ever there.
it doesn't dry things out or become crusty 1/2 way thru your day.
and BONUS...it contains salicylic acid to help heal the blemish while it conceals.

under-eye concealer: almay wake-up under eye concealer
i discovered this when i was in my i wanna be like kate hudson phase...i know, i know...not my finest hour.
but it did lead me to thee finest under-eye concealer i have ever used.
paint just a bit of it under your eyes on those mornings where it seems like you didn't get a second of sleep, blend in and poof...dark circles suddenly aren't so dark.

well folks, there you have it.
it takes a village to raise a child.
and a bucket load of products to make me feel pretty.
xoxo.

hello! laughter and fun.

2011-09-28T21:41:00.001-07:00

so due to that whole article i wrote last week on thee new moi and how she trusts people now, i feel like i can trust you all with one of my deepest loves in life.

like something i only share with my best girlfriends.
this would be my absolute obsession over...

want to know my beeeyoonnnddd cray cray way of figuring this site out? here it goes.
sooo way back in snowy february i met this lovely gent.{no seriously, he is lovely and a complete gentleman}
{few people leave me smitten upon first meeting}
{had he proposed...i would have said yes. that's not me being dramatic}

so, naturally, as any gal in this techy century would do, i decided to follow {him} on twitter.
once upon a day, he mentioned a gal pal named sophia rossi. aka: {sofifii}
i clicked over to see what she was all about and oh. my. gosh...
like seriously, i don't think i have ever liked someone so quickly in my life.
the. funniest. gal. alive. the end.
well, a few months later sophia began HelloGiggles with her besties, mrs. zooey deschanel and molly mcaleer.
not only is it perhaps my favorite website out there...giggles is currently set as my home page.
yep, we are in a committed relationship.
BIG steps here people!

upheld by a series of writers {staff and guests} this is like your favorite magazine coming in the mail everyday, for free!
here are some of my recent fav fav articles:

{OMFG! You Need To Watch This}
thee top 3 shows you should be watching.

{Happy Birthday Gwyneth Paltrow}
happy birthday to thee star america loves to hate.

{Effortless Chic Divorce}
maintaining class in one of thee hardest situations you could ever go through

{10 Reasons I'm Not A Kardashian}
like them or leave them, we all fall into this category

{Dear Future Husband}
a letter to a man that does not exist quite yet

so hip hop on over to this site and get ready to not only giggle,
but fall in love.
xoxo.

tune in tuesday.

2011-09-27T23:06:00.000-07:00

i am about two weeks late on this train...
mainly because i have to admit, as much as i have loved the girl in the past, i was SUPER skeptical of thee comback album.

but i am currently in listening obsession over demi lovato's
{unbroken}
girlfriend wins for thee disney diva with a voice that could bring anyone to their knees.
favorite tune is fix a heart.
listen below.

and go Go GO purchase this album.
xoxo.

thee final verdict.

2011-09-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

as of tonight all my shows from my {previous list} have premiered, minus the ones not starting for a few months.
some have been added {pan am},
some have been taken off {modern family, the new girl},
some never happened {breaking bad, i will watch the dvds...promise}.
so what made the final cut?
here is my weekly breakdown...

sunday
9:oo - the good wife
10:00 - pan am

monday
8:00 - gossip girl
9:00 - hart of dixie
10:00 - the playboy club

tuesday
8:00 - glee
9:00 - ringer

wednesday
10:00 - revenge

thursday
8:00 - the vampire diaries
10:00 - it's always sunny in philidelphia

friday
8:00 - nikita

there you have it lovelies.
i am feeling very confident this schedule will bring lots of drama and happiness into my california dreamin life.
xoxo.

thee gg rundown: yes, then zero.

2011-09-26T20:02:00.000-07:00

it's back lovelies!
i am seriously like a girl in a candy store tonight...i don't know about you but i have been waiting for this episode since the second last season ended.
here is where it left us...

chuck showed the ultimate sign of love {or self pity...i vacillate between the two} by almost literally placing blair in the prince's lap. which means she really had no option other than to accept his proposal and put herself in future queen position.
serena was off to california to find herself...like she hasn't pulled that one on us before.
now that chuck had nothing tying him to nyc, him and nate were on their ways to wherever the game of place your finger on the globe and this is where we will go took them.
lily was still on house arrest.
and dan was trying desperately to shut down the feelings for blair.

whelp, the gang is back in all it's glory.
the waldorfs and the humphreys are living it up on the upper east side. one family is planning a royal wedding while the other tries to shut down the humphrey/waldorf love tell all about to be published in vogue.
while chuck, nate and serena are living it up on the golden coast, katy perry style.
and here is our run down....

-oh wow, who gave rufus the makeover? he looks better than ever. and i mean that in a totally i am too young for him but would still take a shot at it kind of way. is there some phrase for the opposite of a cougar? the catherine zeta-jones maybe? just a thought.

-THEY CUT NATE'S HAIR!!! whomever made this decision needs to be given a raise. stat.

-blair's save the dates. classy. i fully believe in doing this. done and done.

-is it just me or does eeevvverryyoonnneee look better this season? or maybe i just missed my peeps that much over summer.

-serena was made for california living.

-this lady is mocking blair's choice for peonies as compared to CARNATIONS?!?! ummmm, excuse me but WHO. ARE. YOU? i can't even comprehend this so, moving on.

-oh my hell. is serena pregnant?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? i just lost my breath.

-blair's flower dress is killing me at this moment. in a good way.

-"los angeles is a plastic surgery layover. not a place you live." i won't take offense to this, only because it was said so brilliantly.

-guys, i still miss nate and serena. only because that much beauty together on a single screen is like so rare these days. can't they just have a child or something for the betterment of the human race?

-hold it, who put rufus in the checkered shirt? no seriously, who?

-is dan still in love with blair? i don't know why i am rooting for this story line, but i so am. not on a permanent basis. but more of a i just need to see it to be satisfied sort of basis.

-kate didn't have to wear diana's dress. so blair should not have to wear this snotty queen's hand me downs. i mean, if only for the fact that us fans deserve a fabulous royal ball gown of a wedding dress to love and adore. and then see her run away in because we all know there is no shot in hell this wedding is actually going to happen.

-oprah reference. let's have a moment of silence for my favorite human being ever!

-and then another for blair's oscar de la renta ballgown.

-ugh! no! vim. why does nate not realize he is hot enough to get women his age. i don't understand the cougar attraction. i'm so over this storyline and it hasn't even started yet.

-isn't this the girl jake gyllenhaal brought to the golden globes because he had just dumped poor tay tay? jenny lewis or something.

-oscar de la renta has never looked so good as in the doorway of the humphrey apartment. in fact, i highly doubt oscar del la renta has ever been in the doorway of the humphrey apartment.

-and once again, a glimmer of hope squashed by that stupid prince. can he just get out of our lives already? he is taking up dead space on the payroll.

-who is this lady on the date with chuck bass related to? because she sure did not get this role due to her acting skills nor her natural looks.

-oh gosh serena. you are seriously like thee most bleeding heart person i have ever seen on tv. why in the world would you listen to this guy's i have student loans and crap speech and be okay with it?

-humphrey! just lie a little and get the girl. stop being so gosh darn noble.

-blair! how can you be so dense? do you not watch the same audrey hepburn movies i do every sunday afternoon? let's get it together here gurl.

-blair's makeup this season is like A+. way to go.

-darota is pregnant. equally fun. but not as dramatic. dang.

-nate has the worse taste in women. he should just fall for me. thank you.

-can blair find the story and then be in love with dan??? i want i need i want i need.

-vanessa. she is bringing turmoil to my life and she isn't even on this show anymore! atleast jenny is out of the picture...i will take what i can get.

-okay, so i guess the peony gesture is kinda sweet. but i am still so on this humphrey/waldorf kick that i can't appreciate it as i normally would.

-hold it. wait. just hold it. BLAIR IS PREGNANT?!??!?!?!?!?!? i need a moment folks. like a looonnggg moment to comprehend this. how am i gonna know what to wear on a daily basis if we are going down this path. my closet...and myself are crushed.

-i thought we'd gotten rid of this blonde girl. i refuse to learn her name only because i keep hoping she will be gone forevah!

in case you missed it,
watch popsugar.com's top 3 moments from the premire below...

until next week.
xoxo.

ready to fall.

2011-09-24T12:31:00.000-07:00

eek! happy fall loves!
as a special welcome to my most favoritest season ever, i decided to give you a sneak peak into the 5 favoritest songs for my current life moments...
{you're welcome}

1. soldier - ingrid michaelson {listen here}
2. you & i - lady gaga {listen here}
3. only prettier - miranda lambert {listen here}
4. you can't stop the beat - glee cast {listen here}
5. part of me - katy perry {listen here}

also, make sure to check out the side bar for new lovelies that i can't stop reading about!
xoxo.

do you trust me?

2011-09-23T00:08:00.000-07:00

to the above referenced, age old question that really never came onto my radar until leonardo dicaprio asked it to kate winslet in what is still one of my favorite movie scenes of all time, {ya, i just went there}
i usually say, no.
i am not someone with an innate sense of trust.
i am extremely guarded.
extremely protective of my life/feelings.
extremely emotionally closed off from 99% of the human population.
no big deal?
wrong. VERY. BIG. DEAL. PEOPLE!

a while back someone told me they thought another person who had started to spend more time with me had suddenly started having a better sense of style, as well.
they said that during the discussion in which this topic was brought up, they both chalked it up to my influence.
and instead of being flattered {as a classy girl would have been}, my first thoughts were...
I WANT MY STYLE BACK! MINE! MINE! MINE!
{selfish wench i am, i know}

i have been hurt in the past.
big deal. we all have.
i am no exception to the rule, nor am i even close to being in the contest for the most hurt person on earth.
but for some reason i tend to be the type of person who instead of learning what trust is through those kinds of bad situations and applying it positively in my life, i have instead built a wall.
we are talking rapunzel tower tall,
lord of the rings style thick wall.
and let me tell you...ain't no one coming thru there too fast.
there is no sharing through the wall.
no letting people climb over it.
no windows and no doors.

and yet, the only person to blame for this large and lovely wall is myself.
no one asked me to build it.
no one forced me to build it.
i can blame fate and luck and bad people all i want...but i built the wall with no help from any of those three.

with this recent move i decided to leave thee emotional baggage of life back in utah.
the hurt, the pain, the betrayal...that girl in ballet class when i was 5 who wore the blue tutu and for some reason i super hated her.
yep, i left it alllllll back there in that big desert.
the baggage felt blah. that state is blah. so i figure, they can be great friends together forever.
because no one is forcing you to be bitter,
or upset,
or down in life.
and now that i am free of said baggage, i feel more me than i have in a very long time.
some say it's because certain lovely people have come into my life the past months that have helped me see things a little more clearly.
others {ahem...myself} would say it's because i am almost 25 and i need to grow the hell up.
either way, i have worked hard to have a very true group of people around me who i don't ever plan on letting go of.
just letting more in.
doesn't mean they won't hurt me.
doesn't mean i won't hurt them.
but what it does mean is that i deeply trust they would never do anything to intentionally affect me...nor i them.
and sometimes, that is all you can hope for in life.
xoxo.

i want. i need.

2011-09-22T00:00:00.000-07:00

so guys, i have a birthday coming up.
and i give any of you permission to purchase these for me.
please. thank you.

so far...so good.

2011-09-21T10:20:00.000-07:00

guys, i'm truly love, love, looovvvinnggg the new shows this season.

and the new seasons of old shows.
here are my thoughts on those who have debuted from thee previously blogged about list:

drop dead diva
we are actually one episode from being done for the season. and i have said it before and i will say it again, if you are not on board this train...get your cute behind up and on it!
there are few shows on tv right now that i love more than this.
it knows how to have heart, but still not take itself too seiously and have some fun with some pretty outrageous guest stars.
i am sure a marathon will be on this wknd as a precursor to the season finale...so watch!

the playboy club
my review of this is going to be super biased because 2 mins before the show i tweeted that the only reason i was giving this show a shot is because i love jenna dewan tatum, and 2 mins later she, yes THE ACTUAL JENNA, tweeted me back.
set in chicago during the 1960's the scene is centered around the playboy club.
it's not a stripper club loves, it's like a members only hooters, except the bunnies have more clothes on than the hooters girls.
the show centers on maureen, the new bunny in town who gets caught in the back room being almost raped by chicago's crime boss, bruno bianchi. luckily, she is found by a hot shot lawyer and she ends up stabbing bianchi in the neck with her heel.
they throw the body in the river and begin a psuedo {but not really psuedo} flirtation to cover up where they both were the night of the disappearance and put on a front for bianchi's son, john, as he begins a not so nice investigation into what happened.
add in tons of intriguing subplots and club dance numbers and you have a solid show.
all in all, it's a fun watch.
less slutty than i had imagined it would be.
probably will be canceled in a few episodes, so i'm gonna enjoy while i can.

the new girl
loved this show. like really really loved it.
new girl zooey deschanel is left with no where to go when she finds her long term boyfriend cheating on her. so she moves in with three male strangers and let the hilarity ensue.
here's the deal loves...i would take drama over comedy anyday.
so as much as i love this show, it's on the same time as ringer, and my tuesday night beyond addictive soap opera is gonna win out.
it's funny, it's cute, it's fresh.
but i have never been one to sit down and watch a comedy week after week.
and this one will be no different.
i will watch it during commercial breaks, and possibly on the internet a few days after.
go ahead...judge me.

glee
it's back!
after my tumultuous feelings toward it last season evened out with a spot on season finale, i was ready to give my high school kids with the big voices another try.
and loves, i'm sooooo glad i did.
it's back to the cutesy, not annoyingly preaching days of old and opened with a hit songlist that included: we got the beat, ding dong the witch is dead and you can't stop the beat.
loving the potential story lines of the season.
and as always, brittany never ceases to make me laugh out loud.
and finn never ceases to make my heart stop for atleast. 2.5 seconds everytime he enters a room.

90210
meh. it has been average since the first episode of season 2 and will continue to be this way until cancellation, which won't happen for a while because somehow, somewhere there are people who actually watch this show for seriousness.
the season opened with the kids making the transfer from summer after high school to college.
it's boring.
none of them went away or did anything with their lives {shocker much?} and yet, i can't stop watching it simply because annalynne mccord's turn as naomi, the high school bad girl turned good girl with an extra sassy attitude {think blair waldorf of the west coast} still continues to amuse me.
and that is that.

vampire diaries
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!
can we talk about how i almost cried at the end of the season opener?
okay, let's not. it's kind of embarrassing...moving on.
for fans of the show we all know stephan sold his soul to klaus {aka: vampire devil} last season to get the cure for damon who had been bitten by werewolf tyler.
stephan and klaus are on a no man left alive tour of the east coast, while stephan's girlfriend, elena, is left back in mystic falls with no inclination of where he is and if he will ever come back.
this episode opens with elena's 18th birthday bash. caroline coming to terms with her bitter feelings toward matt and stronger feelings toward tyler. damon learning that the only way to get the girl is to be nice to her. alaric living with the kids and coping with the death of jenna, elena and jeremy's masters student aunt turned vampire turned sacrifice for all mankind. and jeremy seeing ghosts of girlfriends past.
tune in. tune in. tune in.
that is...if you are ready for another addiction.

ringer
new favorite show of the season. so far.
bridget {played by sarah michelle geller} is a fugitive running from the fbi and the fact that she is the only witness to a major muder. she runs to nyc where her twin sister siohban {also played by smg} is living the essential park avenue princess life with her husband of 5 years and the teenage step-daughter who hates her, juliet. while on a sisterly weekend away in the hamptons, siohban commits suicide and bridget sees the perfect opportunity to stop running from the law. she goes back to nyc as siohban, hoping for a newly normal life, but quickly learns her sister didn't live the perfect existance she wanted everyone to think she was living.
at the end of the first episode we learn that the real siohban not only did not commit suicide, but she is alive and up to no good in paris.

pretty little liars
currently on a break, take the opportunity before the rest of season 3 returns to get all caught up. the liars come back for a special halloween extravaganza at the end of october, so you have plenty of time.
centered around 4 girls being haunted by the ghost of their mysteriously murdered bff, alison, this show gives new meaning to night time soap that keeps viewers guessing and coming back week after week.

flashback to coming home.

2011-09-20T21:55:00.000-07:00

thee drive from utah to ca was nothing less than kind of awful.

by the time i got home i was fully panicked, sick and had to put myself to bed as to not go heywire on any of the guests floating around this house for my brother's birthday party.
let's talk about the forest fire that was across the freeway and therefore shut it down an hour away from home.
or let's not. i'm still bitter. obviously.
so it's a good thing the next morning we all up and adamed ourselves on over to laguana beach for a comfy, cozy and classy birthday breakfast for thee big bro at my favorite restaurant in the world, las brisas.
{aka: the place where ryan seacrest eats. amen.}
we were joined by thee grandpa and two of my favorite people in this state, {graham and angela}.

the restaurant sits right on the ocean, and in order to get the table with a view you need to get there about 30 minutes prior to opening.
no worries, other crazies line up too.
the breakfast is a buffet with any and all breakfast foods you can think of.
even some you can't think of like...
a breakfast enchilada anyone?
the service is IMPECCABLE and you truly feel like an overstuffed princess by the end of it.

{view from las brisas. helllloooo california}

{graham, angela, moi and thee big bro}

{g&a being decoys so i could get a picture of the barely dressed yoga instructor}

after, we walked along the beach for a bit and then it was back home to unpack my two cars of crap...i mean lovely possessions.
and to my surprise about 10 minutes after we got home this lovely lady showed up on my doorstep!
thee highschool bff!

as you can see, she even remembered our birthday boy.
words cannot express how much i have missed this lovely lady over the past two years.
she and i have been thee best of ladies since our overly priced nap during kiss me kate on our nyc 2001 trip.
{happy 10 years rach!}
and in fact, she was the only CA friend who came to visit me the entire time i was living out in middle of nowhere utah.
obvs she has major brownie points for venturing to the land of the unknown :)
also for being an angel and helping me unpack previously mentioned stuff.
special gracias to all who made the day magical,
and less stressful.
i am loving being here.
and miss kp was right, the grass really IS greener here.
but did we ever doubt her?
xoxo.