a little glitz

Happy New Year!

For me, celebrating each new year holds extra special significance. My husband and I were married on 1-1-11, and that glitter-filled sparkling evening of New Year's Eve doubles as an anniversary party for us. 

I treasure the memories of my wedding week, having our wedding party and all of our family in town, gathering together the night before the wedding with great food and cheer. I wore a shirt that declared: "Start the new year with me!"

I absolutely loved everything about that night and the following day.

It's also special because I grew up with New Year's Eve being a special night. It happily extended from the Christmas holiday week and rolled over into sparkling cider, creme brulee, bonfires and fireworks, with family and friends all celebrating in the backyard desert of my parent's house.

It's probably my favorite holiday of the year. 

Bangles: Kate Spade, Polish: OPI (glitzerland + when monkeys fly!), Knuckle Ring (shop!): Sweet Peeps on Etsy

This year was the first year ever that I spent away from my parent's house. We stayed here in Virginia, and I don't think I've ever ached for the Arizona desert so badly. The crisp air, the sky at sunset, the crackle of the bonfire. We were very fortunate that some of our friends (who share our festive anniversary, they were married on Dec. 31st!) wanted to spend the night with us, because otherwise we would have been very sad human beings, probably resigned to spending NYE in our pajamas watching Friends. 

(Alright, so that doesn't really sound like the worst thing ever.)

Having a place to be and a party to have gave me a reason to glitz up my nails, wear something sparkly, dab some glitter on my eyelids and pop confetti poppers. It was worth it to resist the pajamas in order to properly celebrate 2014, our very last (half) year in Lynchburg, Virginia.

P.S. A little Insta-look at our fabulous NYE!

birthday!

My best friend and my husband and I left on Friday afternoon to spend the weekend in Washington D.C.!
It was the perfect birthday getaway. Becky had never been, and what better way to spend a birthday celebration than eating out at great restaurants every meal, bike riding around the city, and visiting our favorite monuments?

Right before we left on Friday we had a bunch of cards and boxes delivered for my birthday, and one of them was from my mom, containing three amazing dresses from Ruche and the most amazing blush pink boots, which I'll be wearing very soon.
This dress is one of them! I love it. I've been wanting to snatch up one of their Aztec print dresses for a while, and now I have three of them. I love this one in particular because it reminds me so much of Arizona, my home state and soul home.

One of the bloggers I met through Cara Box, Amanda (see her blog here!), told me about a trip she took to Scotland, and how she remembers writing in her journal that if people had soulmates, then maybe they also had soulhomes - and if so, Scotland was definitely hers.
I absolutely love that idea. I felt a similar connection to Ireland when we went, and it's so poetic to think that Ireland and I were destined to meet.

But if I have only one soulhome, it's most definitely Arizona.

Dress (shop!)/sunglasses (shop!): Ruche, Bangle (shop!): gifted/Kate Spade 

I love this best friend bangle from Kate Spade -- Becky and I made a pact to buy it for each other randomly, and I gave her the gold version on New Year's Eve last year, and she gave this silver one to me for my birthday.

Despite the government shutdown, we were able to have an amazing Saturday in DC!
We even got to witness some fervent patriotism, as busses of veterans arrived and people cheered them on into the WWII memorial while the rangers stood by the open barricades, stating that "the park is closed", but not stopping anyone from entering.
It was a rather powerful display!
At one point, Michelle Bachmann moved the barricade and led a large group of people up the steps into the Lincoln monument - it was open for about ten minutes before the police arrived.
Crazy stuff!

While in town, we hit some of my favorite food spots: Oyamel, Good Stuff Eatery, Filomena, and Georgetown Cupcake!

Here are a few snapshots of the day:

(Yeah, we even saw a fox - happy birthday to me!)

lumberjack

It's pretty stereotypical of me to associate a nice plaid print with a lumberjack - I certainly didn't feel like a lumberjack yesterday.

With my poofy skirt, clinking bangles and bright teal tights, I'd say I was more of a...fairy lumberjack.

Which I'm on board with.

On a side note, these are my very first tights of the season.
I feel rather happy that they're the crazy teal. Who knows what colored tights will show up this fall!

It's funny how the simplest things can really change the way you see yourself.
Small things that other people may not even see, but that seem like such a drastic change to you.
Things like changing which side you part your hair, or getting that small but significant trim that you feel sure people should notice.
Losing a few pounds, changing your makeup routine, using new hair product.

For me, it's when I don't use a bobby pin for my bangs.
Because the thing is, I don't even have bangs anymore. I've grown them completely out, and yet I still stick a bobby pin to the side every single day.
Yesterday, the bobby pin started slipping (which also happens multiple times a day...darn you, fine hair!) and I went to readjust it and clumsily dropped it in the car somewhere, where it shall remain forevermore.

Top: Ross, Skirt: J. Crew, Tights: Target, Boots: DSW, Bangles: Kate Spade

My husband and I went on a date night, bobby-pinless, and when we got home we went straight out to take some pictures before it got too dark.
When I look at these pictures, there's something odd and different about my appearance.
And all it took was the escape of a bobby pin.

flutter on by

I love Monday and Tuesday nights.
For the last few months, we've had two of our favorite friends come over almost every single Mon/Tues for The Bachelorette and SYTYCD (So You Think You Can Dance).
We order pizza, or make crepes, or grab ice cream, and/or make coffee and enjoy some quality television together.
The result is hours of fun conversation revolved around the dramatic happenings of a woman trying to find love and a group of dancers that just want to try and make their dreams come true.
We've had a blast. With the finale of The Bachelorette this past Monday, there was gasping, crying, screaming, laughing, throwing things. It was the best darn 2 hours of television I've ever experienced.
(And by the by, I was #teamChris from the very beginning!)

Dress: J. Crew, Necklace (shop!) (similar!)/Earrings/Shoes (shop!): Ruche
Bangles: Kate Spade

Yesterday's outfit was very minty fresh.
This dress was one of my favorite buys from our local J. Crew Outlet two years ago, our first year living in Virginia.
It has served as one of my favorite go-tos, and has encouraged my love for anything and everything mint in my life.

During Ruche's jewelry sale last week I snatched up one of the very last listings for this layered necklace!
It's absolutely perfect for this monochromatic look, and I can already see it's the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
(Especially since Ruche included a surprise pair of matching earrings for every necklace I purchased! They're the best! I would highly recommend scanning their jewelry section.)

After my husband kindly took these pictures for me out on the damp rainy asphalt, we wandered back towards our front door when we noticed all of our friendly butterflies happily grazing away at our front bushes.
There are literally hundreds throughout the summer, and I try never to take advantage of how beautiful they are to watch.
We spent the next 15 minutes or so just taking a few shots of our dear friends, watching them live their lives, just fluttering on by.

Our front door :)