Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for Layla Grace. Three days ago I started following this little lady's journey through life while struggling with Neuroblastoma. She is the most beautiful, pure girl that I've ever seen, only 2 years old. I visited their families website dedicated to her progress and I absolutely lost it. For the first time in a long time I wept, sobbed. She is still living but starting to breathe slowly, she isn't in any pain. PLEASE send your love and prayers to Layla Grace's family. Your kind words make saying goodbye a lot less painful, as it is not at all easy.

You can visit her webpage at www.laylagrace.org and/or follow her on Twitter @laylagrace

God bless you little girl, you have certainly made an impact on my life, xo

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Wishful Wednesday*)

Kelsey at the Seattle Smiths gives a topic every Wednesday for you to "Wish" for...

Today's topic is:

'I wish' .... I could play a character's role in a book and it would be Andie Sachs from the Devil Wears Prada!

This book was SO much fun to read, I was so glad a movie was made from it because it was just as good! Meryl Streep as the big bad boss lady wearing Prada!? Pshh! YEAH!!

Andie, a new college grad with a degree in journalism, somehow lands an interview with Runway magazine (similar to Vogue) and has NO idea what she's getting herself into! She shows up for her interview in a wool cardigan, wool skirt, tights, clunky Mary-Jane shoes, uncombed hair and onion breath (from eating an onion bagel for breakfast). YIKES!

The editor-in-chief for Runway, Miranda Priestly, rips her apart during her interview and yet gives Andie the job as her assistant! Miranda is known to everybody as "the boss from Hell" and gives Andie many tasks that she believes will be impossible to complete. Andie befriends Nigel, the magazine's fashion director, and receives a head-to-toe makeover that completely transforms Andie's character. She walks in wearing the hottest designers and the trendiest haircut and makeup and wows the entire staff. She becomes extremely successful in the industry, working for such a difficult boss such as Miranda! Andie is chosen to go to fashion week in Paris (eek!) and somehow...survives. After returning home she leaves her job at Runway magazine and applies for a small job with a local newspaper, doing what she had always wanted to do in the first place...write. She is shocked to find out that Miranda had given her the best compliments and most sincere recommendation that any employee could ask for.

If you love Vogue magazine, fashion, scandal, fashion, Paris, fashion, makeover stories and, oh...fashion, then you will absolutely LOVE this book (and the movie too!).

Happy Wednesday friends:o)

Top 2 Tuesday...TV Shows!

Taylor over at Jimmy Choos and a Baby Too! does a fun blog for everyone to join in on, Top Two Tuesdays! Hop on over and check it out!

Today topic is...

Top 2 Favorite TV Shows

hmm...that's a tough one!

1. Keeping up with the Kardashians

I can't get enough of this show. I think Kim, Kourtney, Khloe, Kendall, Kyle and even Kris are absolutely beautiful. I love to see what they're wearing, where they're going and yes...the drama (sigh).

2. Project Runway

I think it's due to my large affection for fashion but I have watched this show religiously since it first started a few years ago. Tim Gunn, Heidi Klum, Michael Kors, Nina Garcia, I would love to meet them all. I have always wanted to learn how to design clothes so I basically live vicariously through these wonderful designers who work so hard to be the best. I prefer the styling aspect of fashion so my runners up are...

The Rachel Zoe Project

Real Housewives of Orange County

The City

and because I love Jack Bauer so much...24:o)

Happy Tuesday friends!

"Not-Me!" Monday

Friday night I did not go to the gym and end up pulling a muscle in my neck, leaving me in a ton of pain:o( I did not decide to stay in and make friends with Icy Hot and a heating pad. Fun.
My little brother did not get his license, I was not thrilled to know I have a DD now whenever I need one:o)

Saturday I did not work a double, we were not super busy. I was not thrilled when my athletic trainer from high school came in for dinner (he's friends with my Dad) and gave me some advice for my shoulder injury. This week at the gym will have to be restricted to the elliptical and leg workouts. Ugh!

Sunday I did not take a much needed trip down to the country to visit my Mom-Mom for Sunday dinner. We did not find a big box of my baby pictures that took us almost an hour to go through, I do not LOVE to do this with her! She did not make a wonderful dinner, she does not make the best mac and cheese EVER. It is not a secret family recipe.

I do not have another date this week, I am not excited to see him again. Of course my ex did not decide to call me again this weekend. Ladies, does this annoy you as much as it does with me!? Grr! Why do the ex files always come out when you're starting to date again!?!?

I am not enjoying some java in Starbucks right now and reading the NY Times when I shouldn't be doing a paper for school.

I am not thinking that I need to ask all of you...
What are your fav songs to workout to?
My current playlist:
Party in the USA by Miley Cyrus
Run This Town by Rihanna
Single Ladies by Beyonce
Use Somebody by Kings of Leon
Waking Up in Vegas by Katy Perry
Tonights Gonna Be a Good Night by Black Eyed Peas
Forever Your Girl by Paula Abdul
No Surprise by Daughtry
Vogue by Madonna

To join in the Not-Me Monday fun, visit McKMamas blog at www.mycharmingkids.net


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Friday Awards=Love

Sonja at For the Love of Stilettos passed this fun award onto me just in time for the weekend! Thanks girl, you are too sweet!

If you aren't following her blog, you need to do so, I just love it!

6 things that I am a master in:

1. Keeping in touch and remembering special occasions (I am the girl who loves snail mail, I send cards to my favorite people for just about any reason I can think of-it lets them know how much I care)

2. Scrapbooking (I've been doing this since I was 15 and it's still something I love to do-I hate keeping my pictures in photo albums, its so BORINGGGGGG)

3. Shopping for less (My Mom tells everyone that she knows about this-I used to love Elizabeth Hasselbeck's show "The Look for Less", so I am constantly flipping through magazines, finding looks that I love and HAVE to have and finding similar pieces...for less! This is one of the big reasons why I love Target so much, they always have at least one or two things that I'm looking for)

4. Showing my love for Philadelphia sports teams (I was a cheerleader for 14 years of my life, it still remains true when I'm watching my hometown teams! I am a girly girl but when I'm watching the games look out! If you are a Yankees/Giants/Dallas/Celtics/Red Sox/Penguins/Steelers fan, you do not want to be near me when the game is on, lol!)

5. Laughing (my best friends describe me as a very happy girl-mostly in large part to them of course! I love to smile, to laugh and to have fun. There is nothing better than laughing so hard your sides hurt:o) 

6. Cooking (baking-ehh, I'm learning. It takes a very talented person to be a successful baker! My Mom-Mom is the northern version of Paula Deen, she has taught me everything I know! I haven't let any dinner guests down yet!)

I am passing this award onto the following 6 ladies who have blogs that I love to read:

1. Brittany at Sweet, Sassy and Oh So Classy
2. Brooke at oofa luffa le
3. Heather at Live. Love. Laugh
4. H Dukes (my fellow GA Bulldog friend) at Deals Steals and Heels
5. Elle at Bubbly Moments
6. Juliana at Blonde Walks Into a Blog

Fill in the Blank and Friday Funnies!

Lauren over at The Little Things We Do does a fill in the blank blog every Friday, visit her to join in!

1. If I could win a medal in an Olympic event it would be: figure skating! I remember watching the Olympics when I was younger and admiring Nancy Kerrigan for her grace on the ice. I was so upset when she got hurt! These athletes make skating look so easy even though we all know its not. I love to watch them!

2. If I was stranded on a deserted island I'd take: sunscreen and my Kindle! I am a summertime beach girl through and through. There is nothing I'd love more than to lay on the beach and read all day, so to be stranded on an island? NO PROBLEM MON!

3. My most irrational fear is: SNAKES! now I'm talking all snakes, no matter what kind. If I ever came across a snake, (which I have) I would freeze up and be unable to move. Seriously. It's that bad. It could be a gardner snake and I would be scared it would have the ability to kill me (you may laugh now).

4. I'd rather ______ everyday than _______ everyday.

Hmm...that's a good one, there are a lot of possible answers.

I would rather learn everyday than work everyday.

I love being in school. I love learning about history. I also cannot wait to teach history for others to learn in school (see where I'm going with this?)

I would rather teach and do what I love everyday than work a 9-5 job in an office cubicle. That environment is just not for me and I give LOTS of credit to the people who do!

5. I am: SO happy that my little brother passed his drivers test!

What a great way to start off the weekend for a 16 year old!?

The deal was if I taught him how to drive, he was my designated driver when I wanted to go out on the weekends! Lucky for him...it starts tonight:o)

6. I should really be: cleaning my room, doing laundry and getting the housework out of the way.

But its FRIDAY!!! This will just have to wait for Sunday when my weekend fun is over.

7. One of my favorite things in all the world is: the beach.

Sand between my toes, the sun on my face, the smell of salty air, and watching the ocean in front of me...ahh It does NOT get any better than that.

 

Kelly over at Keeping up with Kelly & Co! hosts a Friday Funnies blog that I adore, check it out!

I got this in an email from a friend of mine this week and thought it would be perfect for her funny blog today:

Happy Friday friends! Enjoy your weekend!!

Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful that my date tonight went well, he is a great guy who made me smile endlessly; gotta love that!

I'm thankful for my weekly Thursday lunches with my Aunt Karen, we always have so much to catch up on!

I'm thankful for the buddy system my friend Nicole and I have for the gym otherwise my tush would not be working out as much.

I'm thankful that the sun graced us with it's presence today at temperatures were above freezing!

I'm thankful for Faux Tan self tanner made by Bare Escentuals. I've been using it for almost a year now and I LOVE it. It turns out perfectly everytime. I feel so much better when I have a little bit of a glow:o)

I'm thankful that tomorrow is Friday, my little brother is taking his drivers test (good luck B!!) and I could possibly have another date coming up!

Happy Thursday friends:o) What are you thankful for?


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Straight Off the Bookshelf and Some Random Thoughts...

Hi Friends!



As most of you may know I am an avid reader. I try to always be reading something other than my required reading for classes (which is a ton being that I'm a history major). I just finished The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows. If you like post-WWII era stories written in letters then you would like this book. I give it 3 out of 5 stars. Right now I am reading The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson; has anyone read it? What do u think of it?
So blog friends, what do you like to read? Any favs?

I learned today that Lee Alexander McQueen committed suicide and I am just so sad by that. He was a wonderful designer who created pieces that always caught my eye. He had a very hard time coping with his mothers recent death and ultimately died of a broken heart. RIP

Today is Ash Wednesday, thus the beginning of Lent. This means for myself and my fellow Catholic peers, no meat. Do you allow yourself to eat fish on Fridays during Lent? Some people don't, I usually do. Anyway, I'm giving up soda for Lent. I really don't drink that much of it but I thought it would be good to try.

If any of you ladies are fans of Vera Bradley as much as I am, then hurry over to your nearest store and take a look at her new collection. It's adorable. My favorite is the green, blue and brown pattern with the bluebirds sitting in the trees. Great for Spring!!

Oh and before I forget! I shared with you that I have a date tomorrow. I need your advice ladies! I want to wear this cheery yellow cardigan that I have that has a tiny bit of a 3/4 bell sleeve to it, and an open front (so cute!). I am also wearing my diamond studs and a necklace of pearls and clear crystals on a tiny gold chain. What color shirt do I wear under the cardigan?? I have a pewter tank, a darkish pewter/grey scoopneck tee from JCrew with tiny ruffles around neckline or do I wear a simple white crewneck? Thoughts?

Happy Wednesday! Xo


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Top 2 Tuesday...Dream Vacations!!

My Top 2 Dream Vacations Are...

1. Turtle Island, Fiji

Remember when Trista, the first Bachelorette, married Ryan on national tv?? I thought they were the ultimate couple so of course I googled their honeymoon destination...

This is where they went. Ever since then, I'm still fantasizing over it.

Turtle Island is a remote island in Fiji making it one of the most desired getaways for celebrities. It's absolutely breathtaking. My favorite thing about this place? The private bungalow villas that are literally on the beach (seen above).

2. Rome

I have ALWAYS wanted to go here. I've decided that when I get married, this is where we are going for our honeymoon. I would wager a smaller wedding for the ultimate Roman honeymoon anyday. Italy is just breathtaking. The people are warm and inviting. The food is incredible. The wine...well, nothing compares to that. The art, the architecture, the history, the scenery, THE CLOTHES...I'm just going to stop here:o)

To join in the Top 2 Tuesday fun, check out Taylor's blog at Jimmy Choos and a Baby Too!

xo

"Not-Me!" Monday

This weekend I did not have a ton of fun, I was not sad when Monday came creeping up...

Saturday I did work a double and did not get to meet up with some friends after I was done. I was not happy to see them, it has not been awhile since the last get together!

Sunday I did not make a surprise guest appearance at my Dad's 45th surprise bday party. He was not so shocked that he started crying when he saw me. This does not make me oh-so-grateful for my wonderful friend that I can proudly call my Dad.

In lieu of a giant birthday cake, we ordered tons of these teeny cupcakes from a yummy bakery just around the corner from Meg's parents house. The red velvet cupcakes were my favorite! yummo:o)

 I have not had my heart broken (on some days, shattered feels like a more appropriate word) by my high school sweetheart a year ago. I do not feel empty, sad and then empowered and strong all within a 24 hour time period. My emotions certainly have not taken a toll but I didn't want Valentine's Day to remind me of any past feelings. I did not take the time to call up two of my favorite girls and we did meet up for lunch before my Dad's party. I did not make a toast to them for "being there when I need them. For being there even when I don't think I do. For being there because friends always need each other." We are not corny but that's what friends are for, right??

I do not have a date this Thursday night, I am not really, really, reallyyyyyy excited to meet him for dinner:o) I do not get really giddy when I get something as simple as an email from him (the butterflies do not make me so happy, I do not think of them as a good sign). I am not glad to know that for every guy out there who will break your heart...there is bound to be someone out there who could possibly put it back together.

I did not have a great workout tonight with my friend Nicole. We have not been working out together and mostly laughing because we end up talking during our workouts for so long that we have stitches in our sides. No pain/no gain, right?

And now it is not time for me to watch 24...I do not look forward to watching Jack Bauer kick some butt every Monday night. This has not become a tradition between my brother and I. I do not get nervous when he gets caught and tortured by people who are intimidated by him. I do not secretly think that Kiefer Sutherland is at times really sexy:o)

Happy Monday friends! Hope you had a great weekend with your special someone! xo

Valentine's Day Love

Selma at Crazy Little World of Mine threw some Valentine's Day love my way today:o)

Thanks girl, you rock! xo

If you aren't following Selma's blog, you need to hop on over and check it out. She is traveling all over the world, I just love reading about her adventures!

The rules for this award are that I have to post where I would like to be in 10 years, and then pass this award along to 10 other blog buddies of mine.

In 10 years I would like to be teaching, taking graduate classes to get my masters degree, and hopefully traveling the world as well:o)

 Like I always say...

Life is too short to be anything but happy:o)

This award goes to:

Sarah at Newlywed Tales
Mindy at Love Always
Chelsea at Chelsea Talks Smack
Kristen at 4.10.10.
Maria at Two Hearts Made Four
Neely at Neely's Nothings
Katie at Loves of Life
Amy at My LaLa Land
Mallory at South Georgia Living (my friend from elementary school!)
and Sonja at For the Love of Stilettos

Hope you all had a great weekend:o) xo

Sushi, Sweets and an Award...It's FRIDAY!!!!!

So remember how I said that I heart Septa for keeping the trains running to and from the city last night? Yeah, not so much...the trains were delayed almost 40-75 minutes as I stood there shivering in the cold wondering if they were ever going to come...and if I was going to miss my dinner reservation for my Dad's bday. Yikes! Nonetheless, at least the trains were running so the people who work in the city could actually be there and make it home safely, just not on time.

We arrived at Morimoto earlier than expected since we changed our reservation several times, so we headed up to the bar that overlooks the restaurant.

VERY cool, the bartender was such a sweetheart! He makes a great drink called Sparkling Ume!

Once our table was ready, we headed down and the fun began.

These are some of the things that we enjoyed for dinner that I thought were really pretty to look at:

If you haven't been to Morimoto, or any Steven Starr restaurant that is, take advantage of a fun night out and GO! You will not be disappointed, trust me! Everything was fantastic:o)

As I mentioned a few days ago, I helped my Mom make some Valentines sweets for my sister's first grade class. Well, the kids have been off from school since Wednesday and won't be back in school until Tuesday now (because of Presidents Day on Monday) so the goodie bags will have to wait a few more days. Here are some pics of the things we made:

and finally, a great way to start off a weekend is to give out a blog award to some of the blogs that I read everyday (and the girls that I adore!).

This award was given to me by Sara over at A Note on the Screen Door. Check out her blog, because when I first read it, I knew we were going to be friends (now you can see why!). She is the true definition of southern hospitality!! Thanks girl!

I am sending this award to the following fabulous ladies:

 Jenna at Daily Loves and Laughs (one of my best friends since high school)

Taylor at Jimmy Choos and a Baby Too!

Kelly at Keeping up with Kelly & Co

Kelsey at The Seattle Smith's

Leslie at A Blonde Ambition
and Iva at Iva Messy

The rules of the award are:

• Share six blogs that you think are over the top and exciting
• Let all of the ladies know they've won the award
• Smile and pat yourself on the back for winning the award:o)

Happy Friday! Enjoy the weekend!

Thankful for Escaping to the City!!

Ok...that's it!! I HAVE to get out of this house! hahaha

For my Dad's birthday, we had made reservations for the wonderful Morimoto restaurant in Philadelphia to celebrate. However, with this awful snowstorm (or two or three) we weren't sure if we were going to make it down there. However, I have made an executive decision and we are GOING:o)  A great big thank you to Septa for keeping those trains running to and from the city! I heart you!

For those of you who aren't familiar with Morimoto, he won several challenges on the Food Network's Iron Chef show. He's amazing. Incredible actually. This man can COOK! He teamed up with Steven Starr and opened up one of his own restaurants that are now located in both Philadelphia and NYC.

My favorite is are his sushi creations:

Now normally, I'm a California roll kind of girl (boring, I KNOW). But tonight I'll be trying just about anything with the exception of caviar, roe and eel. I just can't do it. Maybe if I wash it down with some sake...

So I hope you are all enjoying the snow and watching it melt away because the beautiful sun has finally come out to play:o)

Today is Thursday and I would be blogging about "Thankful Thursdays" however...the only thing that i'm thankful for today is that I will be out and about...FINALLY!

Happy Thursday everyone! xo

Sunny @ Heart, xo

Even though I am in a complete whiteout here in PA, we are making the best of it in my house! I am helping my mom make some yummy Valentines treats for my sisters first grade class at her school. On the menu: chocolate covered pretzels and marshmallows and brownies...all covered with cute pink, red and white sprinkles:o) (Pics to follow later!)

My friend Kelly over at Keeping up With Kelly & Co gave me this blog award today:o)

Thanks for the sunshine girl! You made my week!

Also, check out the awesome treats that she makes at her bakery!

OH my goodness and before I forget...Darcy over at dtaled blogged about these really cool drawings that John Clark from etsy makes from pages of books. I couldn't resist, so I bought this one to hang in my room. It reminds me of the beach, how free and happy you feel when you're there.

What is everyone doing on this snowy afternoon??

Top 2 Tuesday...Dream Jobs!

My Top Two Dream Jobs Would Be...

This was actually pretty easy for me:o)

1. Teacher:o) I'm going to school to be a high school US History teacher so this is obviously my dream job. I was never one of those kids who had an ambition for a different profession for every day of the week (a doctor, a teacher, a pilot, a vet, etc.). I always knew I wanted to be a teacher and now that I'm almost done school, I can't wait to actually teach!

2. World Traveler (ie. Samantha Brown on the Travel Channel) One of my favorite shows is Samantha Brown's show. She gets to travel all around and stay in the nicest hotels in the world. She eats, drinks and has so much fun wherever she goes! Plus, the best part...she does this all as part of her job, so she doesn't pay a thing! When can I start!? :o)

Happy Tuesday everyone! The snow has just started to fall here...we are expecting another 2-3 feet!

To join in the Top 2 Tuesday fun, visit my friend Taylor over at Jimmy Choos and a Baby Too!

My Mailman Delivers Valentines:o)

Today I got my Valentines box from my swap partner! Kristen got her box o' goodies in the mail from me last week but she's a lot more patient than I am and decided to wait to open hers. I know she'll be surprised, I spoiled her a little bit:o) Today I came home after mopeing about with a "case of the mondays" and I saw my mail sitting on my kitchen counter.

I was instantly happy:o) "Oh happy dayyyyyyyy"

I've never really been a big fan of Valentines Day. I didn't like the idea that your beau needed a Hallmark holiday to tell you that he loves you. He should do that everyday. I also don't like the idea of florists marking up the price of those beautiful white roses just to make money for a day. But I've learned that you don't know what you've got until its gone. Because I don't have my Valentine this year, I'm missing it. This swap just goes to show you that you can still have fun on Valentines Day, even if you don't have a boyfriend!
A big shout-out to Katie at Loves of Life for organizing this fun treat!

I opened up Kristen's beautiful box that she put together and I couldn't help but jumping up and down a little! She knew my favorite color is PINK so she wrapped everything in pink and polka dot tissue paper with grosgrain ribbon, what a surprise!

I opened up the card that had a "love bug" on it, he was too cute!

Inside was more than any girl could have asked for! I would have been ecstatic just to have gotten the wonderful card, so thank you Kristen!

I loved everything: pink and green appetizer plates and cocktail napkins (my two favorite colors), Cupids mix of peanut M&M's (my favorite candy), festive ring pops (these are too fun!) and assorted candies, cute little handtowels that I put in my bathroom, Valentines socks, lip gloss, adorable post it notes so that I can make my many to-do's a little bit cuter, FABULOUS reusable bags (one big, one small) that are pink and floral (I will use these everyday) and my all time favorite...

These special little bud vases. They each say "Live" "Love" "Laugh"...what I always write on the back of any envelope that I send in the mail:o)

This weekend, while I was snowed in, I helped my Mom and sister make this eclectic Valentine's banner that we hung in our living room. It was too long to get in one picture...

Happy Monday Everyone!!
We are expecting another 1-2 feet of snow starting late tomorrow afternoon/night so there will be more pics of arts and crafts to come!!

Completely Snowed In*)

Hi Friends!

Last night before I went to bed the Weather Channel was forecasting about 18-20" for my little area in PA. I went to Target (again, what would I do without Target??) to get what I needed for this 'Noreaster that was headed straight for us:

oatmeal

half and half

Tazo Passion tea

pretzels

case of bottled water

soup

mini oranges

toilet paper

magazines

French manicure kit (when I'm snowed in, I'll try anything myself once!)

Carmex strawberry chapstick

We were already stocked up pretty well at my house but I decided that I needed a few more things just in case we were really "snowed in". I'll be honest, I really doubted my friends over at Channel 6 Action News and the Weather Channel. I saw this massive storm covering our entire area but I didn't think it was going to hit us like it did...

I woke up this morning at 7 am and this is what I saw:

A lot more on the ground than last night but def not over a foot.

This picture was at 9:30 am:

blah. "Here it comes," I thought to myself. I absolutely hate snow, lol. I LOVE the sun, surf and sand. I like being warm and opposed to freezing cold.

So I snuggled onto my couch with my big white furry blanket, a mug of hot tea and finished the book I was reading: Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult. Great read, actually it was incredible. All her books are so well written.

Then I watched the Hangover with my Mom and brother, this has become a weekly ritual for us because we love it so much, why stop now??

I got up, looked outside and my jaw dropped.
We measured when the snowfall started to slow down...21 inches!!!

We were officially SNOWED IN.

So for my wonderful blog friends down in beautiful, sunny Texas, this one is for you!

Just kidding, I'm not envious at all of your warm weather, lol! xoxo

My driveway is level with the front door of my house:o(

What is everyone doing on this snowy Saturday??? What do you like to do when you get snowed in?