hey there, friends. it’s been awhile, right?

 do you ever have times when you just don’t have anything to say? i was in one of those times for awhile. empty and unsure. but you know what? you don’t have to be sure about everything, all the time. all you have to do is look for the joy in your life, every day. it’s there, i promise.

husband and i are heading to the beach for the weekend on a spontaneous little getaway.  we are going to eat seafood and see old friends and sit in the sand and take pictures and smell the salty air and i just can’t wait.  sunny days are ahead.

Maybe it’s only May, but it sure feels like summer already (especially today), and it’s only going to get hotter.  It doesn’t really help mediate the heat, but one of my favorite summer tricks (which I have posted about before) is to pull out the good old trusty Hawaiian Tropic.

Once the temperatures start to rise and bare legs become a necessity, I like to switch out the normal lotion for a little squirt of this old school sunscreen.  It has a little SPF, and the smell (I think) is just incredible.  The beach is one of my happy calm places, where I am reminded of how big the world is and how small I really am, and all problems feel about the size of a grain of sand.  This coconut-sunscreen smell takes me back there in 2.5 seconds, and it lingers all day.

Another trick? Listening to ocean sounds at work. <3

Do you use pinterest? I have been pinning for a few months now and let me tell you- I love it. From saving recipes to defining my style and looking for hair inspiration, this is probably my new favorite place to park on the internets. Follow along! 

Might have ordered a few things from j.crew’s online sale over the weekend. I used to hate buying clothes online, but I’m beginning to think it’s the new way to go.

I was born on 4/4/85, weighing 4 lbs.  here are a few bits and pieces of my 27th birthday…

My mom came to visit on 4/3 (my brother’s birthday!) and we had cake and ate lunch outside an old train car.

It all started with homemade apple cinnamon pancakes and scrambled eggs, made by husband.

My parents gave me this sweet little ring I had been eyeing on etsy. oui!

My awesome co-workers brought me flowers, a skim latte, and a giant cereal buffet including every kind of topping from pomegranate seeds to chocolate chips. Because cereal might be my favorite food.

Husband rode our orange scooter to come visit me for lunch, and brought club sammies with homemade white bean hummus, avocado, red onion, and sprouts. Topped off with mint tea and eaten under shady trees.

Then I got more flowers! From Mom and Dad.

For dinner (again, chef husband) shrimp with brown rice and avocado, arugula salad, and a hard apple cider. yummmmm.

Homemade blueberry cupcakes with lemon cream cheese frosting and a Happy Birthday serenade…

Not impressed.

The day ended with drinks at a local dive bar, and this card that made me cry.  What a great birthday.

I got so many sweet cards, phone calls, texts, gifts, and messages from friends near and far away.  I’m not sure that I have ever felt so special and loved. Here’s to another year to come of happy moments and tears, silly mistakes and great successes, countless desserts, sunshine and rain, and untold adventures. <3

My birthday is coming up next week, and a few weeks ago a pretty white ipad2 showed up on my doorstep as an early present from husband. To be honest Iwas a little unsure of it at frist, I didn’t know how much I would use it and it seemed silly… but so far i have been loving it.

Yesterday we downloaded a new app called paper (you can see more about it here) and it is so beautiful. It’s like a magical sketchbook, and you can paint with watercolors. I made this springy tree while sitting on the sofa listening to mellow and slightly haunting music last night (birdy, so good) and I love it.

“Be soft. Do not let the world make you hard. Do not let the pain make you hate. Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness. Take pride that even though the rest of the world may disagree, you still believe it to be a beautiful place.”

This quote is on my pinboard in my office, and its one of my favorites.  Image is of Hanauma Bay in Hawaii, via pinterest

I love these rings from Emerson Fry’s recently launched spring collection.  Howeveerrr… they are $148. So, since I will not be spending $148 on one any time soon, I went hunting for pretty finger jewels on a more budget friendly website (forever21)…!

similar, $3.80.

zebra! I love him! $6.80.

in keeping with my recent heart love, a little pink heart for your finger. $1.50.

“There are times in the lives of most of us when we would have given all the world to be as we were but yesterday, though that yesterday had passed over us unappreciated and unenjoyed”

- William Edward Hartpole Lecky

Just wanted to share a little quote from a book I’m reading- The Happiness Project- that struck a chord with me this week.  It’s a good reminder to recognize the little bits of joy that are hidden throughout every single day of life… sometimes they get obscured by the big scary or important things.  But really, at the end of the day- the little bits make it all worth it.

(still haven’t forgotten about our last 2 days in Paris…. don’t worry! I know the suspense is killing you!)

Yesterday I woke up to a pink sky in Paris…

 and today I woke up at 4:36 AM in my little red barn house. Which feels completely unreal.

At this point I feel a little sad, a little happy to be home, and mostly tired.  I’ll be posting the last two days (sniff!) tonight (maybe?) and this week…