morning's light

only weeks away

home, originally uploaded by liivia s.

so..christmas is only weeks away. How did that happen?
Snow flurries last night......wasn't it just summer??

This adorable photo reminded me that it's time to start Christmas shopping.


Have had a busy few days....but will try to write more this week!

A Little Distracted

A Little Distracted, originally uploaded by Vintage Pleasure.

Just look at this face!!! What an adorable puppy.

Happy saturday to y'all!

Flower in Green Valley

Flower in Green Valley, originally uploaded by SharonaSF.

it's friday! I'll leave you with a photo by Rona (who has now moved to London!)

It's one of those days. A coworker was laid off yesterday, colds are running rampant around the office.

An unexpected highlight is the reconnection (via facebook, of course) with a classmate from high school. It'll be great fun to catch up with him soon.

This weekend is the usual mix of activities, errands, naps and time with family and friends. Hoping to rent "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" and watching my netflix film I've had at home for two months now... "Bella" and a best-of DVD of the Carol Burnett Show.

Got any big (or small) weekend plans?

[plethora of sneak peeks]

 

[throwing hands up in the air]  I give up.  I will have to make time later to look at every single one of these adorable sneak peeks into amazing, creative, colorful, stylish homes found here at design*sponge.

Some photos that turned my attention to the sneak peeks were these from Beatrice, the author of La Tartine Gourmande:

stormy winter afternoon in a cozy bedroom

stormy winter afternoon in my cozy bedroom, originally uploaded by The 10 cent designer.

same home (10 cent designer's home). Love the bursts of color and the symmetry in the room.

kitchen

kitchen, originally uploaded by The 10 cent designer.

ahhh to have such a clean, shiny, colorful, modern kitchen.

"closed for cleaning"?

 

While sipping a fruit smoothie at a mall kiosk, I glanced over and saw this cleaning cart alone - in the middle of an open area.  Had to get a photo of the sign on the cart - in such an obvious non-restroom area.  Models: Elena + Lauren.

WEEKEND = Dinner with K1 + IKEA with K2 + dinner with K3 + swimming with the four kids of K2 + playing cards with K4.  (Do I need MORE friends whose names begin with K?!)

HIGHLIGHTS:

1) Smothering Salesgirl at Fitness Apparel Store:  "Just so you ladies know, our t-shirts come in two styles:  long sleeved AND short sleeved!!!!"  [Really?  those two remarkable styles?  Was I going to unfold a shirt and GASP in shock, going "WHAT? long sleeved?  what is this?  did the factory make a mistake????????????"]

2)  Went swimming with K2's four kids.  As we left for our cars, the older two kids wanted to see a movie with me.  I hesitate, and K2 jumps in and says, "Don't you kids think she has a life????? You can see a movie another time!"  and of course, "Another time" to a child is like saying "in a year".

3) I was at K2's house and observed little Meghan wearing her twin brother's pajamas.  As K2 mentioned how Meghan doesn't like to wear skirts, we asked Meghan if she's a boy or a girl.  "BOY!!!" Meghan yelled while smacking her brother on the head.  I took photos at the gym's play room on Sunday and just realized now what Meghan's toy of choice was:

Here's a photo of Meghan and Luke together:

noontime glimpses

glimpses from my lunch hour today

[click photos for larger versions]

 

  

grown-up, my foot!

so I arrive at this morning's water class. someone asks me about my new suit. I share the story about how I found swim suits on clearance at old navy's website for ten bucks... and bought two - in different sizes and styles. I share that my MOM offered to buy them for me, saying "Buy two suits. Get super-speedy shipping! The works!" and I assure the women, "I don't *NEED* my mom to buy things for me, I'm an *adult*!......umm.....could someone help me put this equipment on?" During my little speech on being an adult, I'd managed to put on some water cuffs on my arms - switching up the left and right ones AND putting them on upside down. At least my suit was on right side out! Oh...and as a little Friday celebration, the suit I wore today did not fit when it arrived six weeks ago but it fit perfectly today. WOO HOO!

And then last week I was giving a ride to some of my junior high students, and I reached over and scratched my upper arm and went *WOAH, what's that? *(silently). Turns out, I have actual arm muscles. Yep, they do exist. Dropped the girls off and then, yes am admitting this, drove home checking my arm muscles as if they were about to disappear and I needed to verify their existence first. [They're still there. Who'd have thought?!

I am just happy to get a workout in most mornings so that I can avoid the non-workout-guilt that would overcome me on my way home from work - but to find out there are benefits to aerobic/strength training classes?!]

LATER ON...At lunch in a crowded Starbucks today, was on the phone with a friend who is going through a particularly trying time with her roommate. I practically shouted into my phone, "SHE'S NOT LEARNING HOW TO BE AWARE OF THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE AROUND HER." and then realized the irony of that particular statement.

OOPS. My bad.

fashionista in training?

Found some photos from 9th grade. In the first one - I'm on the left - rockin' the skirt/boots combo! In the second one - I'm in the easily recognizable faux-sheepskin vest over a plaid shirt (made special by the gold thread running through it).  

click photos to view full size version

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

cute + kitchen

CUTE

Saturday morning, a phone call.  "Catherine wants to know if you'll take her swimming, to dinner and a movie?" (Catherine being the 8 year old daughter of my friend Kathy.)  We make arrangements to meet up at the gym so Catherine and I can enjoy the family pool (which includes three pools in the children's section, a huge, twisty water slide, and a therapy pool) before going to dinner at Noodles & Co. and then seeing "Beverly Hills Chihuahua". 

At the pool, little miss catherine decides we're going to race - four lengths of the therapy pool.  As we're halfway across the pool, she says from a swimming-on-her-back-position, "Hey - You can do ANYTHING!!" and I smiled at this spot of encouragement from the girl.  That smile was short lived as Catherine soon clarified, "You can swim on your back, or like this, or run..."  Oh.. she meant "You can DO anything" ..to get to the other side.

We had quite the afternoon and evening, and I just received word that Catherine has requested to go swimming and to a movie with me "EVERY WEEKEND!!!!".  Cute!

 

KITCHEN

Here's a kitchen that jumps out at me. Perhaps it's the bright colors that pop against the white appliances.

  image: marie claire maison

been awhile

hmm...it's been awhile since the last post.  have literally been home only to sleep - for the last nine days. am looking forward to a night at home tonight to get home stuff done.  it's early tuesday morning. am up on a non-gym-workout day to get ready, vote, and head to work.

meanwhile....here are some photos I found as I read blogs instead of getting ready this morning!

image from design*sponge

image: histor 

99 cents

Yes, folks, this skirt I'm wearing to work today was a mere 99 cents. It is cute, pink, cotton, and just below my knee. The shape is perfect..and I was on the hunt for a skirt JUST LIKE THIS all spring and summer. When did I find it? Almost-November and at Kmart.

After finding this bargain, I may or may not spend the weekend prowling from kmart to kmart to look for more skirts like this on clearance. Gas is "only" $2.39/gallon around here..so why not? (Not that long ago it was $4.19 a gallon.) I had no idea Jaclyn Smith's clothing line had cute skirts!

[jenna lyons: jcrew]

The beautiful home of Jenna Lyons, art director for J.Crew, is featured in the new issue of Domino.  Loving the dramatic, deep colors, the well chosen furnishings, and just the overall look.  Swooning over it actually.

 

corn maze + pumpkin farm

Visited Treinen Farm (home of Wisconsin's largest corn maze) on Saturday. A cold, windy day - but still worth the drive.  The farm is beautiful with so many things to see and do.  We had so much fun!

 

I don't know this woman or her daughter...but thought they were fashionably dressed!

Linda made rice krispie treats in the shapes/colors of leaves and wrapped them up tidily in a pretty parcel tied with ribbon.

 

These turkeys were being chased by kids...and responded by squawks that sounded just like a dog's bark.  Quite entertaining.

 

I walked around around to get photos of some items I found charming.  The faded, older items appealed to me as I love to mix them with bright, shiny new things!  So this was right up my alley (apart from the moment I spent in the "baby chicks" barn.  One whiff and I was okay to leave that building).

 

This mobile (above + below) was adorable. 

 

 

Every sign was as cute as this one.

 

One building held a fun fort in which kids could play.  A bin held so much corn that it was the ideal place for kids to play in.  Most chose to lie down and make....corn angels?!  Throwing the corn was discouraged.

 

Here's Linda - in the actual corn maze - at the end of a 90 minute walk to find the 8 boxes which held the 8 clues.  Along the way, we wondered why there is no reality show out there that is a combination of "Biggest Loser" and "The Amazing Race"??  People could do incredible workouts in exotic locations around the world.  I'd watch that show.

 

When you found your pumpkins, you could tote them to your car in this little wagon. Naturally, what else would you want to carry them in?!

 

 

I have plans for these signs.  Well, these photos of the signs.  My apartment entrance is on the ground floor. Once you enter the front door, you immediately ascend 20 steps to find yourself in my dining room.  I'd like to enlarge these two photos above and post them where you'd see the "welcome" one as you arrived and "thank you" as you left.  

 

The farm was crowded on Saturday.  So many families!

 

Okay - this picture was on the wall at the restaurant in Madison, and most of us stared at it during dinner.  Tell me this does not look like two men??!  We know it's supposed to be a husband/wife portrait.  When I mentioned that I was thinking  that if I posted this photo here, someone might write in and say "Hey - that's my grandmother in the photo!", Dan said "Who? The one on the left?!"  (ouch!  I know they were told to not smile for photos...but still...)

UPDATE:  We are officially receiving our first snow of the season.  WHAT?!!! Yet I see it out my window right now. 

triples

Kalette, one of my junior high girls, shown here.....taught me more about my mobile phone today while we played cards. K. is in her 2nd year in my junior high group and she's matured immensely in these two years....from a bouncy, hyper 10 year old (the first year of the youth ministry) to this "young woman" as adults like to say.

The weekend is going well. Saturday was a visit to Wisconsin's largest corn maze (in the shape of a dragonfly.it was beautiful) and pumpkin patch. Photos coming soon.

Settling in here for a nap and an evening with a good book. May find time to watch The Amazing Race as well.

Hope your weekend is going well!!

{what we do}

beautiful apartment!  found at what we do

[specials]

It's Wednesday, and in my world, it's called Youth Group Night!  My girls are 7th grade girls - 9 of 'em, and last week was our third week meeting together and we hadn't talked about guidlines while we meet together.  The group decided on the above guidelines...and it worked pretty smoothly.

Eighteen different times (or eighteen hundred times) various girls would start to tell a random story about: a butterfly, the Jonas Brothers, a classmate, a cousin's girlfriend's great grandmother, a shoelace or another "related" topic to our discussion, but to my surprise (each time!) they'd stop the story, remember the guideline about "don't speak randomly" and they'd say "never mind". 

Which reminds me of the time my brother and I used to let caterpillars crawl on us because it was fun.  Remember those days?  The hot sun, bugs buzzing in the background, the shade of a tree, playing outside all day long....umm... why on earth is there a guideline about talking randomly???

This is the first group I've had in three years that has worked together as a group and supported each other.  One week a girl, L.,  didn't want to sit at our table...even though we made room for her.  I asked her to join us.  Then the rest of the girls said things like "It's not the same without you!"...."Our circle isn't complete!"  "Come sit with us!"  And so...L. sat with us.

We were looking for a name for our group so it wasn't just someone saying in a flat voice, "Yeah - the seventh grade girls meet in that room"...now they can shout with enthusiasm, "You're in 7th grade?  GREAT!  THE SPECIALS MEET IN ROOM 104!!" 

 

 

Specials

Special Girls

Special 7's

???

We need a name. 

Every girl wants to make a sign to put on our door....but signs need names.  Suggestions now being gladly accepted below.

paper sets

 

Aren't these paper sets adorable? Blogged about here: sfgirlbybay.  When my brother Randy and I were younger, we'd make little sets out of paper. He'd make a paper briefcase with items inside also made of paper, while I would make a paper purse with paper lipstick, paper comb, etc.

apple

Apple Pool, originally uploaded by aremac.

CRUNCH
CRUNCH


yumm.

I'd forgotten how good an apple tastes.

Apples = Fall


CRUNCH
CRUNCH

ooohh..alpha bits

Post / Archies Coupon Offer, originally uploaded by Waffle Whiffer.

hey - do they still make alpha bits, the cereal? That was a treat when I was younger. And look, Archie Comics. Was exciting to spend my allowance on the bigger comic books...that I devoured in moments and then tossed aside.

So I've done a bit of research online since my "WOO HOO I USE COUPONS!" post yesterday. WHEW... it's an entire Coupon World..did you KNOW that???? holy. cow.

I visited a site and my head is still spinning (quite inconvenient, you know, when you're trying to get through items on a to-do list.... apparently need to add "stop-head-from-spinning" to the list)

I read so much lingo, abbreviations and such and saw photos of people with their "loot" - getting hundreds of items for $10 out of pocket.

Too much going on here to jump into this hobby/full time job of couponing.... I'll remain an amateur and use coupons combined with sales to stock up on items I really need and use, and leave the frenzied buying to others! (Others who have quite impressive stories to share about their treasures!)

documenting

Here's Kalette (she's one of my junior high girls) .....we played cards and drank yummy beverages and took over a table for a few hours Sunday afternoon.  Taught K how to play "shanghai rummy" and we played two full games - a fun way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Speaking of "documenting", here's the same photo transformed at this site.  Looks to me like this was clipped from an old, old newspaper instead of snapped Sunday.

{three wrapped frames}

Hello. I'm not crafty, but last night, I created something new out of something old - which I think qualifies as "crafty".  I have had a set of frames from IKEA's "as-is" section and a roll of pretty wrapping paper - and all has just sat in a closet for two years. Last night I grabbed the frames and in ten minutes had covered the frames with wrapping paper and hung them on my dining room wall which had been barer than bare.

The set of IKEA frames had been $5 because two of the four paper-covered-frames had tears on the front.  No matter - the wrapping paper covered those nicely.

Then I discovered the World o' Coupons - a new savings that I had ignored, not thinking about the benefits. I picked up a copy of the Sunday paper but will get two copies next week for duplicates on the coupons.  This morning was an immersion into saving money.  I spent $18 at Walgreens but had a recorded amount of savings (through coupons, Walgreens coupons and store savings) of more than $21.

OLD SCENARIO:  At home I run out of toilet paper, paper towels, laundry detergent, and dish detergent all at the same time.  "Crapola!" says I, "Now I need them all!" and thus plan a trip to the store where the items are bought at (gasp, I know) full price.  No longer. 

NEW LIFE WITH COUPONS: Today I picked up items for cheap (most less than half price): plastic cups for my game night this weekend, Ajax, Reynolds wrap, chicken stock, paper towels and my favorite lipstick/lipgloss (via Nothing But Bonfires): Covergirl Lipslicks in "Daring"  ($1 off one, and buy one get one 50% off) and my shampoo and conditioner ($3 for both AND I get a free haircut too for that $3.  not bad). 

Yes....I'm going on and on.  Like no one has ever used coupons before or been thriftily crafty at home before.  Any hints/tips you could share?

pretty bride in a Swedish wedding [image via red house]

simple bedroom

a london store

Last night was pretty calm. I had taken photos at Target of ten books I wanted to read and wondered if my county library system had them.  The library had nine of the ten books and three came in last night. So I stacked them up on a shelf at home and gazed at them...wondering which one to read first.  Chose Upside Down Inside Out by Monica McInerney. But also made time to watch How I Met Your Mother because I laugh out loud every time.  Then because of taking cough syrup to manage a cough, I faded away and fell asleep really early, so not one page in the book was read.  That is the goal today at lunch. Eat a pb&j sandwich and start the book. An achievable goal for sure.

overheard

1. Three year old girl at Target, alone, perusing the princess costumes, singing "Baby come back!"

2. Four year old boy at the movie theater, holds the door for me, then runs to join his parents while saying, "Boom Chicka BOW WOW!"

3. Group of teens in the theater hallway, contemplating which movie to crash, and a girl says, "Are we going to the Chalupa one?" *friends stare blankly* Girl realizes it's the "chihuahua" movie, not the taco bell food item movie.

Weekend was good. Saw "nights at rodanthe". Cheesy, cliche of a film. Giggled through it all with my friend. Saturday was dinner and a movie - saw "Read After Burning"... oops..let me try that again.. "Burn After Reading"! LOVED it. Made up for the previous night's cheesy movie. Sunday - played cards and cleaned house for guests arriving next weekend.

How was your weekend?

gwyneth/GOOP

Gwyneth Paltrow has a new website (GOOP) all about style, home and health.  The newsletter is new and was just sent out.  Here are some glimpses.  I'm in love. (and yes, I say that a lot).  I adore the color combo of black/gray/white and would use black tights intead of leggings.

Then I've also, as you know, been going on and on about the Bahia haircut (chin length bob) but a stylist who is also a youth leader with me at church announced that cut would not be right for me but that it should be a bob that is above the shoulder, has some swing to it, and is longer than chin length.  Seems Gwyneth's haircut fits the requirements.  Now if I could just BE Gwyneth by wearing those clothes and having her hair.....

 

 

 

fun with spelling

A coworker addressed an outgoing invoice with - "technoogies" instead of "technologies" in the company TITLE! good thing he's changing it. but he was calling it "technojeez" and I was all "uh..no. that's techNUHgeez - like noogie...when someone rubs the top of your head.."

[I think.]

ring by "bead & toggle jewelry design"

ring by "bead & toggle jewelry design", originally uploaded by sunnygirlwi.

Here's the ring I found at the craft festival on Saturday. The designer is Valerie M. Erato of "Bead & Toggle Jewelry Design".

You know you've made a good purchase when you catch a glimpse of it and smile.

rummaging rewards

The weekend flew by but was full and happy.  How was yours?

FRIDAY  Left a comment on Chez Larsson's post to do a casual swap with someone.  I'm in the U.S. and love Scandinavian style decor magazines and French magazines.  You can still get in on the swapping by leaving a comment on this Chez Larsson post.    Then went out with FreakyBlair to play cards at a local cafe.  By relaxing there for three hours, we were witnesses to quite a bit of drama.  Didn't know my little city had that much drama in it.

SATURDAY Met up with Kirsten to visit a private school's annual barn sale/fundraiser.  I found a few French books and a wire basket while Kirsten found an antique rake (a little hand-held one). We checked out a public school's sale across the road and I found this adorable little desk for three dollars.  Not yet sure how or where I'll use the desk but am happy with the purchase!

 

At a craft festival, Kirsten and I each bought a ring from a local artist. The rings were adorable and quite the bargain in the ten dollar range. 

SUNDAY  Church then lunch and a movie with a friend.  Saw the Simon Pegg film How to Lose Friends and Alienate People.  I saw Simon Pegg months ago in Run, Fatboy, Run and enjoyed that movie a whole lot more. 

{cute!}

My niece, Mimo!

Her hair has, uh, changed a bit!

some prettiness for you {pia ulin}

 

Was out with a cold/flu/fever yesterday and slept the entire day/night away.  Feeling much better now. So much better that I found loads of photos for you! 

On emmasblog were photos by photographer Pia Ulin. Of the 884 photos by Pia Ulin on "Link Image", here are my favorites!

{chez larsson: weeds}

Benita of Chez Larsson has posted about "weeds" and sorting out items at home that need new homes.  I'm a visual learner and appreciated her post full of photos of various items that will be donated or given away. 

I spent 15 minutes last week gathering up items to take to the thrift shop, and this week I'd like to round up items to be given away to friends and books to be donated to the library.

 

Images: Chez Larsson

swedish + crafty inspiration

Perlan photo

 

 

The canvases on the wall caught my eye.

A swedish blog reader helped me find blogs I might like - after I showed an interest in Chez Larsson. There I found more beautiful, colorful homes.

short hair? long hair?

I like the look of long hair. Is it always practical?  turns out...no, it's not.  I've begun taking aqua fitness classes four mornings a week and drying my hair (that's a bit past my shoulders) each time I get ready there has become tedious and time consuming. (at home, I can let my hair air dry and that's that.  I could solve the problem at the gym with a swim cap, I suppose).

As I've written about before, I have been contemplating a bob that I've seen on two people:  Bahia Hafai of "She's Got the Look" and Holly Burns of the blog "Nothing But Bonfires".

Bahia

 

Bahia

Holly

 

TODAY

I was highly caffeinated and thus talkative, and admired a woman's hair at Starbucks.  She had this blonde hair, quite short and textured, and it didn't look like every other haircut out there.  Turns out...she cut her hair last year from a long, long curly cut to a super-short cut and it's beautiful.  She looks quite feminine. (Her husband thinks all women should have long hair. Period.)  And here's the thing.  She cuts her own hair - with no experience.    As we talked about her hair, she suddenly stopped, tilted her head, and announced, "You'd look good with a cut to here.." (gestures just above chin length) "...with the hair curving around your face...and flipping up in the back".

I was speechless because she pretty much described the Holly/Bahia haircut.  Especially Holly's cut in the photo above.   I explained this to her and she was not surprised.  She echoed Holly's words that the shorter haircut combined with my wave/curls would result in a pretty hairstyle.  She then told me her sister is a senior stylist at an Aveda salon nearby.  What more of a push do I need than this to get a haircut ASAP?!

Trish, this cuts-her-own-fabulous-hair woman, was so fun and friendly that we made arrangements to swim at the gym because neither of us have friends who like to swim and have time to go with us. 

So this has been a good day.  I work with youth so much that they become my life.  It's been fun to get to know someone my own age.  (Hey girls from church.  I still love you!!!!)

totally off track.

QUESTION:  Should women have long hair? 

Trish's husband was shocked when she decided on short hair and declared women should have long hair.  Trish then said, "You thought Princess Diana was beautiful, right?"

"Yes"... 

"Did SHE have long hair?"  

(long pause)  "No, she did not."

Trader Joes Posh Bag

Super-cool reusable Trader Joe's Grocery Bags, originally uploaded by pondblue.

Trader Joes named their bag that..the posh bag. $1.99 for a great shopping tote that I use for my aqua classes sometimes and for library books and a host of other things. I own two and picked up one for a friend (FreakyBlair) last night.

I had this urge to drive the 30 minutes to the closest Trader Joes to do my weekly shopping. I found some great sauces for pasta, natural peanut butter for HALF the price of my grocery store's cost for natural peanut butter in a one-pound tub, and some salmon and chicken. OOOHHH and a $4.99 bottle of wine that my sister in law Maya swears is delicious. So I tried it and love it.

In the photo above, the image on the left is on one side of the bag and the image on the right is on the opposite side. I won't even tell you how I stood in front of the bags going "Should I get FreakyBlair the blue one? or the green one?" before realizing - it's one bag.

(bowing. yes....this shows my brilliance!)

Get thee to Trader Joes. Don't stop to ask "what's the big deal about trader joes?" just go. Scoot. See you there.

martha + blogging = what's not to love?

Almost daily, I write here about pursuing organization at home or liking a bright, airy style at home.  I may read a ton of blogs weekly but my interest started with Martha Stewart's style and has continued from there.

So when I found out awhile ago about Martha having a blog....it seemed like a full circle.  Martha Stewart + clean, airy style = my interest in organizing/clean style = reading blogs to find more information on that style = reading Martha's blog.

Her influence continues years after I began reading her magazine for the first time.  I used to like only pale colors and white, but gradually have realized how amazing it is to have bright pops of color.  My favorite colors now include raspberry, orange and lime!  (or are those my favorite snowcone flavors?!  hmm... maybe both)

Since I'm reminiscing about Martha (not that we've met..but I seem to be on a first name basis with her here on this blog)... the highlight of my temping "career" when I lived in San Francisco was working in the west coast office of MSLO for a week while an assistant was on vacation.  Just stepping foot into the office was like breathing fresh air.  I did not want my time there to end! 

Speaking of ending.....it is late. I need to head to bed before this post dissolves into nonsense.

Sleep well and I'll talk to you tomorrow!

S.

{elisabeth + fine little day}

   

 

Elisabeth of Fine Little Day posted these photos of her busy weekend.  Her apartment is filled with such light and beautiful things.  It's these photos I will print out and use as inspiration at home as motivation to get rid of things I keep that are so-so.... in order to have a home that is filled with things I love to use and to look at.

I meant to do that this weekend but ended up resting a lot - perhaps fighting off a cold, not sure.  I caught up on episodes of House and The Closer and played my friend Larissa in round after round of "Word Twist" on facebook. (Larissa lives in Taiwan for another week or so..and her time is 13 hours ahead of my time..so we both play when we're able. We're addicted to the game.)

So there's a renewed determination this week to move my body more often (adding some brisk walks to supplement the "aqua challenge" classes I'm taking) and to get rid of extra things (** things that have no "home" and end up piling up **) at home.  Extra pounds and extra things.... BE GONE!

NOTE: Elisabeth didn't have comments open on her blog so I sent her a quick note about liking her apartment, and she responded with a sweet note. How nice of her!

{fresher than fresh} all natural snowcones

I adore snowcones..just the regular ol' cherry ones that are full of fake stuff. Now that I try to eat mostly fresh foods, snowcones probably don't factor in.....unless they are from Lindsay and her cute trailer. She made snowcones beautiful and good tasting (I imagine they're amazing!)

men/women/conversations/planes

After one long conversation that took place from 1 PM to 11 PM on Saturday with Katie (which was really fragments of about 30 conversations all rolled into one), I remembered how a friend years ago described conversations men have and conversations women have.

MEN: Men like to pilot one plane (conversation topic) at a time. Take the plane up, complete the route, and land the plan. Trip and conversation completed.

WOMEN: Women like to pilot many planes at one time, circling in the sky, and occasionally bringing one in for a landing.

For example, this youth pastor, his wife and I were on a long trip to a teen winter camp. From the front seat, Debbie said something related to a conversation we'd had an hour before that, and I replied - and we continued the discussion easily. Her husband, however, was stumped. He just shook his head and declared himself grateful that I was there to follow Debbie's conversation topics. He then explained the plane/conversation analogy to me and it made perfect sense.

white + jars + see through cabinet doors = heaven

Emma just posted some photos from German photographer Anne Naumann.

I'm in heaven looking at the first photo...because I love white + jars + cabinets with see through drawers and all are in one photo.   *DROOLING*  *chin in hand, gazing adoringly at the monitor*

 

and then there's the cozy simplicity of this bedroom. perfect.

a jar.

happy friday, flicks., originally uploaded by abchao.

I am blogging a LOT this week!
anyway - found this photo from abchao. adore her photos. want to be her....live her life.... wait. off track.

She took salad in a jar for lunch and now I want to as well. I have run out of bags to carry leftovers in to work. No matter - I'll use a jar instead. (no, not cramming my PB&J into a jar... but I often take salad or leftovers that would fit nicely into a jar).

Thanks, abchao!

chocolate fairy visited during lunch today! kisses everywhere!

keyboard kisses + a glimpse of the outside world makes the afternoon a bit sweeter.. (groan)(I know, I know)

 

photos by sunnygirlwi

pink dining room

I rearranged my dining room last night....spontaneous time of moving things around. it's now very...pink.

Two things yet to get for the dining area: a rug and art on the wall. Am mulling over the option to purchase the apartment I live in. Then I could paint and redecorate to my heart's content!

facebook virus

Last night, I had an unusual message in my inbox in Facebook. I opened it, clicked the link and then proceeded to DOWNLOAD the item that said I was to update...which took me to a fake youtube page.   Then my facebook account sent out spam messages to friends...  My virus protection program is now doing a full scan... but I can't believe I clicked those links!

The author of this post did the same thing.....and said that if he'd received the email in a personal account like gmail, he wouldn't have opened it or clicked the link.  But he trusted the person who sent him the message on facebook.

So now I sit here wondering if my computer is infected.  Crapola!

UPDATE:  I ran Windows Defender on my computer and found some software running without my permission.  Deleted it.

I wrote this so you'd be aware that there is a virus in facebook and to be alert for odd messages that may appear. 

• If I'd paid attention and was aware there were bad messages in my inbox, I wouldn't have clicked the link and then DOWNLOADED the item they wanted me to download.  I pretty much invited the bad stuff in. 
• The message was kinda crude and arrived in my facebook inbox from someone who is quite conservative and modest.  I was surprised at the topic....but opened the message. (DING DING DING - warning sign, Sunny, warning sign)
• I should know that most of my facebook messages don't have LINKS - especially ones that don't make sense (the link was full of nonsense).

So if you have facebook, be careful but don't worry too much :)

dangerous paper clip