Faith,Trust, and Pixie Dust

Welcome to the UA

2012-02-28T08:42:00.002-08:00

I made a video of my campus this weekend.

Ya know, just because I'm obsessed with making

videos. I didn't have any good material and wa-la,

a video of the campus is born.

Enjoy!

I also made this video to force people to come visit me

because the campus is so pretty. :) Now come people!

Academy Awards 2012: Best Dressed

2012-02-27T11:51:00.003-08:00

Academy Awards 2012

Best Dressed

It's my favorite time of year (not really, Christmas time is)

and I've rounded up my favorite picks from last night!

First up:

The Winner

Michelle Williams

Tina Fey looks stunning!

Penelope Cruz was a beautiful princess.

Love the vintage polka dots.

This is from the Vanity Fair party but it's still

gorgeous.

A win in Tom Ford.

Stunn.Ing. Ditta Von Teese at the Elton John party.

This was a close second in my book. LOVE the design.

Same with this one from the Vanity Fair party.

I loved the fun prints! It was a pretty good awards season

and I was very impressed by everyone's dresses.

What did you think?

I rock a lot of polka dots.

2012-02-26T08:00:00.000-08:00

I brake for birds. I rock a lot of polka dots. I have touched glitter in the last 24 hours. I spend my entire day talking to children. And I find it fundamentally strange that you’re not a dessert person. It freaks me out. I’m sorry that I don’t talk like Murphy Brown. And I hate your pants suit. I wish it had ribbons on it or something just to make it slightly cuter but that doesn’t mean I’m not smart and tough and strong.

-Jess. New Girl.

I am a New Girl regular and LOVE this show. I always

say (and so does everyone around me) that Jess is a

mixture of me and one of my best friends. I love this quote.

A letter to my beautiful mom

2012-02-25T11:41:00.003-08:00

Dear Mom,

You are my hero/ best friend/ confidante/ mom. You dedicated your

life to raising three daughters and I am lucky enough to be one of those

daughters. You spent every day caring for us, making our lunches, giving

us sarcastic little comments on life, maybe telling us things

we didn't want to hear but were necessary,

letting my cry when it was needed and even if it wasn't needed and

knowing exactly what had to be done to make everything better.

Your relationship with dad is what I hope for in my future marriage.

It's so apparent how much you two still love each other and for that, I thank

you. You have given me something to look forward to and not something to

despise like so many of my friends. You have been married 20+ years

and still make each other crack up.

I'm getting teary as I write this because all my life I have been told,

"You look JUST like your mom" and for so long I used to shrug that off

because I wanted to be my own person, but now I take that as the

ultimate compliment. If I can ever be a person/mother/daughter

like you, then I will die a very happy person.

You are a constant light to everyone around you, a dedicated hard

worker, SO loving and giving of yourself, and I feel that so much

of the time that is overlooked. So on your birthday, I hope you

realize how much everything you do IS appreciated and thought

about every day of my life as I continue to grow.

Being a state away from you is INCREDIBLY tough. But I think

our relationship can only grow from here

(even though it is a very strong relationship

now!) and I hope you know how much you inspire me every day.

With all my love. To the moon... and back.

Your daughter,

Allie

Oscar Predictions

2012-02-23T09:29:00.005-08:00

I love The Academy Awards.

I am a huge movie buff and live for the moment when the

movies I took the time to watch and loved are now being

recognized. I love picking them apart, analyzing them and then

watching them again.

Here are my predictions for the Academy Awards 2012:

Best Picture

The Artist

Best Actor

George Clooney- The Descendants

Best Actress

Viola Davis- The Help

Best Supporting Actor

Christopher Plummer- The Beginners

Best Supporting Actress

Berenice Bejo- The Artist

I put a lot of thought into each of these and really have my

fingers crossed that I'm right. Personally, I think that the little

boy in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close should be up for

Best Supporting Actor instead of the Max Von Sydow (the grandfather)

but c'est la vie!

What are your predictions?

I couldn't list all of my predictions so I wouldn't

bore you. So, you're welcome. :)

To Give It up

2012-02-21T13:39:00.000-08:00

I did it again. I let my mind wander into dangerous territories

and I became the worst part of myself. Why do I allow myself to

go there? So much of my day is a blessing. Oftentimes I forget

to thank God for these beautiful blessings and it makes

me want to slap myself silly. I live a beautiful life and I

should be grateful for every sunny day, fresh cup of coffee,

laugh, and good test grade.

Lent is tomorrow and this year I am going to try and make

a more conscious effort to focus on the things I am

grateful for and blessed to have. Spend more time for

reflection, give up all unnecessary shopping (I know,

crazy.) and all soda. It's going to be tough but so is life.

And for the most part, we survive despite life's

rough twist's and turn's.

Do you participate in Lent? If so, what are you giving up?

What I would be buying if I had money...

2012-02-20T11:46:00.000-08:00

I am a broke college girl. No surprises there.

This means that unless my parents decide to give me some

soldi (money in Italian) then I can not go shopping...

which hurts my little shopaholic heart.

The following are the things I would be buying if it

weren't for my lack of funds:

Love the cropped tie shirts.

Peter Pan collar. Done.

Just stop Forever 21.

(Where all the above shirts are from)

Anthropologie is on the right track.

Jean shirt. Floral pants. Oh please, oh please!

What are you wishing was in your closet right now?

Happy Sunday

2012-02-19T08:12:00.000-08:00

Happy Sunday!

Yesterday was weird. I was all complain-y because I

had so much free time (I know, cry me a frickin river Allie.)

After the week that I had, having this free time was just odd. And

then I realized that I should appreciate this time and so

I went off with Kylie, grabbed my sunglasses, and we sat

in the sun people-watching. It. Was. Wonderful.

Oh, and this picture? Yeah... I wore the shirt and skirt

during the day which wasn't bad but then I put

the shoes and the blazer with it and whoa. Too. Much.

I looked like a crazy mom.

Anywho, have a great and blessed Sunday!

Venture to: Gatsby's Pizza

2012-02-18T08:00:00.000-08:00

Kylie and I ventured to Time Market yesterday for some delicious pizza

and even more delicious lemonade. The tables were so cute

with fresh flowers in little vintage bottles and I may have even

applied for a job while I was there. Even better, the pizza

part of the market is called Gatsby's Pizza after The Great Gatsby

a.k.a my favorite novel. It's love, obviously.

I'm feeling thrifty!

2012-02-17T09:30:00.000-08:00

Lately, I have had quite the obsession with "thrifting."

I think it all stems back to my Papa's love for finding some

treasure at a thrift store that no one else noticed. (Or you just

snatched it up before them.)

These are some of my finds recently:

Love the cut off sleeves. So 1960's.

Cutest little crop top you ever did see.

Sweater for $3. Now thats a bargain my friends.

J. Crew shirt for $2. Score!

Shirt with a tie. I'm pretty sure I had one of these

when I was younger and would never take it off.

Literally, my mom had to beg me at times.

"No Allie. You can't wear this shirt every day of the week."

My friends did some adjusting to it because it had sleeves

and was a bit too large but now it should be fine!

Have you gone thrifting lately? Found any treasures?

What I'm Dreaming About...

2012-02-16T12:13:00.000-08:00

My House Next Year.

I'm living with my friend Monica next year in an adorable

little house. We are constantly thinking of how we are going

to decorate and place our mark on the house.

I. Am. Excited.

Here are some inspiration pieces I've pulled from Pinterest.

Love love LOVE this.

We want to place prints throughout the house.

That couch. Just stop it. And the frame wall? Yes.

We have an obsession with maps right now.

If the house is decorated entirely in maps, I wouldn't

be surprised.

Those are branches and this is stunning.

Doing this. Done.

I wish my room there would look like this. The coral

with the white and and navy is just stunning. And wait, is that a

map rug? If so, this is my dream room.

Have a wonderful Thursday!

A Quote a Day...

2012-02-15T09:17:00.001-08:00

“There are no mistakes, no coincidences. All events are blessings given to us to learn from.”

― Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

Saw this on A Blog About Love this morning and it was just too

beautiful not to share.

Happy Wednesday!

Photo from Olivia's Flickr

Fashion Week

2012-02-14T13:42:00.000-08:00

If you didn't notice... it's fashion week in New York.

I definitely spent way too much time looking through

a lot of the collections and I needed to share them somewhere

so it didn't look like I was "wasting" my time.

These are some outfits that caught my eye and make me

wish they were in my closet right this second.

Alice + Olivia

Chanel

J. Crew

Jenny Packman

Chanel

Chloé

Alice + Olivia

Jenny Packman

J.Crew's yellow obsession right now is wonderful!

Those pants? Those shorts? Yes please!

I also kind of have a thing for Jenny Packman right now.

I love the more muted colors.

Have you seen any of the collections thus far?

Also, I can't believe I could have the chance to go to

Milan Fashion Week this time next year.

Some one pinch me.

Sedona Getaway

2012-02-13T08:00:00.000-08:00

My parent's came down to Phoenix for the weekend

and we decided to leave Phoenix behind and head to Sedona.

I had never been and was very excited.

Let me tell you, Sedona is stunning. If someone didn't

believe in God before, I believe it only takes one visit to

Sedona to change one's mind. God was present everywhere

in Sedona. I feel so blessed that my parents came to visit me

and we decided to visit this beautiful place.

Name Change and Other Happenings...

2012-02-09T08:56:00.000-08:00

Good Morning!

This weekend I am off to Phoenix! (Or more accurately, today

I am leaving for Phoenix.) I'm giving myself a 3 day weekend. :)

My parents are coming to visit at the most perfect time. A

breakdown is bound to occur at any moment with all the work

I've got on my plate and therefore, I am SO happy they are here.

In other world news, my name is now Ellie. Didn't know that?

Neither did I.

Awkward...

Starbucks got my name wrong... again. Big surprise. haha.

At least it wasn't Holly like the other day. I can't even

explain where that one came from. Maybe they were feeling

creative?

Either way, have a wonderful weekend!

Some Thoughts

2012-02-08T09:37:00.000-08:00

the other day I saw the question: "if you could go back and change something,

what would you change?" written on the back of a wall. at first i thought about it

and then i was a little frustrated. not really with the question, myself, or the world

necessarily but just in general.

why should we think about going back and changing something?

each and every move that we make, every day, affects our future

and helps us to grow. i don't personally regret anything that i've

done because they have all gotten me to where i am now.

isn't that the point though? to pick up the pieces and move on

from the past instead of dwelling in it? maybe i was just looking

into the question too much but i thought maybe some other people

could have some feedback. :)

A Quote A Day...

2012-02-07T08:57:00.000-08:00

Thoughts for your Monday...

Have a good one!!!

Bisbee/Tombstone Adventures

2012-02-06T07:03:00.000-08:00

On Saturday my friends and I decided to get out of the dorms

and head out to see what Arizona has to offer.

We stopped in Tombstone and Bisbee and I have to say

that Bisbee is my new favorite little town.

Here are a plethora of photos from that day:

Enjoy!

Jason Wu Target Line

2012-02-04T09:43:00.000-08:00

I have a list of things that make me extremely happy.

This list includes things like:

68 degree days

Boudin bread fresh from the store

frolicking

finding that perfect new shirt/skirt/dress

hugging loved ones

making lists

taking the perfect picture

etc.

and then there's Target.

Without a doubt, when I need a good pick-me-up

I go to Target. My mom and close friends knew that if

they ever wanted to find me, look for the Target sign.

It's my happy place. I don't even need to buy anything, I just

like to look around.

But now Jason Wu has a new line for Target coming out on

Sunday and I. Am. Excited.

Let's just say I would totally camp out for this like a

middle schooler waiting for Twilight.

I want this cat shirt from the commercial... please?

I'd wear this every day until someone made

a comment.

I could use a new bag...

I yelled at the TV I got so excited when I saw

this dress in the commercial.

All the above please.

What about you? Are you excited?

My Sister's Cooler Than Yours

2012-02-03T09:31:00.000-08:00

I don't know if I ever mentioned it before,

but my sister is a gangsta. She's SO gangsta that she even

wears her Cinderella musical sweatshirt every where she goes.

Check it:

Believe me now? :)

This was for her church's youth group and I think

it may be one of the best things I've ever seen. The blonde

guy, Scotty is also like a brother to me so technically I have

two siblings in the video! Look at me. ;)

Have a great weekend!

Can We Talk About...

2012-02-02T07:39:00.000-08:00

How excited I am to study abroad in exactly a year?

It seems to far off but when I think of everything I have to

accomplish before I go, I feel like the time is going to go by

very, very quickly. Orvieto looks like such a quaint town

and I can't wait to become immersed in Italian culture and

the language.

For example, I actually get really excited to go to Italian

every day. This is big. I used to hate going to my language

classes in high school and even last semester.

A little motivation goes a long way.

Here are some photos:

They just got their first snow in 10 years! Crazy!

These pictures are so beautiful with the freshly fallen snow.

Can't. Wait.

Fill in the Blank... Sometimes series!

2012-01-31T15:06:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos of me contemplating life, just for you. I knew you were just dying to

see some. I thought they fit this "Sometimes" series from Young People in Love.

I get weirdly excited about watching that bouncy ball video for Sony. Don't ask, just watch. HERE!

I feel overwhelmed with gratitude when someone does something unexpectedly nice for me or for a stranger.

I can't stop thinking about how season 3 of Downton Abbey a) won't be on in Britain until the Fall and b) not on in the

U.S. till 2013. NOT. OK.

I just want to eat cheddar bunnies. I'm eating them now.

I am kinda a bad person and don't text people back very fast.... or at all. Sorry.

I wish I could dye my hair the color Rachel McAdam's was when she was promoting The Notebook. Blonde

with a few light strands of pink. Sick.

I just don't understand the allure of tramp stamps. Really??

I can't believe how close I am to having my parents come visit me and seeing Phoenix for the first time!

I strongly consider spending a lot of money on a nice camera. I am obsessed with mine.

Want to continue this on? Copy the bold parts of the sentences and add on your own

endings!

SAG Awards Gown Update

2012-01-30T06:19:00.000-08:00

I think all that needs to be said in this post is that

the stars definitely one-upped their outfit choices

from the Golden Globes. These SAG awards

gowns are stunning and unique and I loved

them all so much that I just decided to show you

9 of my favorites.

What do you think?

I'm obsessed. Can I PUH-LEASE have this?

Viola Davis stuns in this beauty.

I also want this gown. So classy.

Can I be princess for the day in this gown?

So sparkly and feminine.

The neckline. Enough said.

The cut. And she looks so stinking happy

wearing this gown!

Hottest couple award goes to these two. Love

the color of her gown.

This is the dress I dream about. The color and cut

are just stunning. Brava Diana! Love the hair as well.

A day at the zoo

2012-01-29T07:19:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, my friend and I went to the zoo.

We documented the trip and put a great song to it.

You're welcome to watch the video. :)

Outfit Post?

2012-01-27T07:00:00.000-08:00

I know what you're thinking...

this girl's got another outfit post??

And yes, I do. I have this thing for

clothes. I buy a lot of them...

And then when I'm bored with my stuff,

I go through my friend's closets.

Which is what happened here.

This outfit is my friend Monica's (last picture)

that her mom got her from Spain.

Yeah, Spain. Big deal.

Therefore, it needed a post.

And then my dorm is just gorgeous

as I've mentioned before so I had to throw

some shots in here as well.

This volcanic rock spans around the entire campus.

I think it's pretty nifty.

And Monica. The photographer and outfit provider.

Outfit:

Dress: Spain

Shoes: Steve Madden

Tights: Target

Lipstick: 99 cent lipstick from Walgreens.

We be classy.

Something to be Shared

2012-01-26T09:19:00.000-08:00

Photo

“Get a life in which you notice the smell of salt water pushing itself on a breeze over the dunes, a life in which you stop and watch how a red-tailed hawk circles over a pond and a stand of pines. Get a life in which you pay attention to the baby as she scowls with concentration when she tries to pick up a Cheerio with her thumb and first finger. Turn off your cell phone. Turn off your regular phone, for that matter. Keep still. Be present. Get a life in which you are not alone. Find people you love, and who love you. And remember that love is not leisure, it is work.” -Anna Quindlen, A Short Guide to a Happy Life

Found this here this morning. Well, technically I found it off

twitter but that's all the same. It's meant to be shared.

Ethel, the Movie

2012-01-24T11:54:00.000-08:00

Remember this post where I laid out my love for Ethel and

Bobby Kennedy and confessed that I cried my eyes out when he

died on the miniseries? Well,

Ethel Kennedy's daughter created a film/documentary

on her mother and I am dying to see it!

It was/ is (?) at Sundance and this was the time

I really wish I had some connections and money

to fly myself to Sundance. Because I would be all

over seeing this movie. I admire Ethel so much and can't

wait till I can see it with the general public.

Don't worry HBO, I'll wait... but not for too long.

A Sudden Realization

2012-01-23T12:33:00.000-08:00

Photo

Have you ever had that moment where you step out of yourself

and realize something pretty profound? That happened to me

at church yesterday (and resulted in me missing a slide for projection.

whoops.) and I couldn't help but tell everyone once mass was out!

The other day I was complaining to my friend that I wanted

a guy to pursue me and be the one that wants me and not always

be the other way around where I like the guy and he likes someone else.

Then that night we went out to a party and I met this guy.

I don't know what will come of this if anything at all, but

he is kind of exactly what I was looking for and let's be real,

begging for. I never thought that expression, "you'll find him

when you least expect it" was true until now. Because honestly,

I was not expecting this at all.

God really does work in mysterious ways, no? It was

kind of the perfect wake-up call.

Has this happened to you? This type of realization?

Last Friday Night

2012-01-21T13:10:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I decided to whip out the camera and snap

some photos of the architecture in my dorm.

These lights hang in the front of the building and I am

kind of obsessed.

These pillars are in the front as well and I'm even

more obsessed with these. The other day I decided

my dorm looks like it should be in DC.

I think I've expressed my love for the windows as well

but just in case, here is a photo of the window and the pillar.

We then went to a hockey game (I now love going to these, I'm

even going again tonight) and we ran into this cathedral that I thought

was breathtaking.

I thought this was a pretty legit shot.

Monica representing America and the UA.

It was a pretty great Friday night.

How was yours?

Outfit post?

2012-01-20T09:52:00.000-08:00

I kind of like my outfit today so I thought I would share it.

I'd also like to point out how large my obsession is with

colored pants. I have a red pair and am DYING for a blue or

green (or both) pair. Literally, I would spend some of my

non-existant money to get me a pair. That's saying a lot.

Note: the excessive amount of garbage. my apologizes.

but i did vacuum the room yesterday. i had a Monica moment.

In other college life news, I am thinking about getting a job.

Any thoughts/opinions? I have a pretty big load of schoolwork

and volunteering/church activities going on, but I absolutely hate

not making money anymore. This girl likes to shop. In order for me

to shop, I need the dough. Starbucks is looking like a pretty nice option right now.

Currently Listening...

2012-01-19T08:55:00.000-08:00

"Lend me your hand and we'll conquer them all

but lend me your heart and I'll just let you fall.

Lend me your eyes I can change what you see

but your soul you must keep, totally free."

-Mumford & Sons

Lately, I have felt songs more deeply. Understood the lyrics on an

entire new level and almost cried over how intensely I was feeling

these songs. It's not like anything drastic has happened recently and

I'm vulnerable, I think I've just found some amazing artists

that really stretch the boundaries and write beautiful lyrics.

Here are some of my favorites:

Little Talks- Of Monsters and Men

And of the Avett Brothers

Bon Iver

Half Moon- Blind Pilot

People Say- Portugal. The Man.

The Civil Wars

Fleet Foxes

Phil Wickham

It's Real- Real Estate

Rivers and Roads- The Head and the Heart

I Won't Give Up- Jason Mraz

Golden Globes 2012

2012-01-17T13:28:00.000-08:00

If you thought I would let an awards show pass

without discussing the gowns, you have another

thing coming. :)

I have to say, I wasn't too crazy about most of the

gowns and I felt a lot of people went for the safe

route. So let's hope they come out in full force

for the Academy Awards.

First off, my favorite:

Her skin tone with this lavender gown is just too good.

The back. Enough said.

Love this color on her. Plus it looks like it would be

fun to swoosh around in.

After party, but I really loved the color and cut.

Always so original. Not crazy about the lime, but I

like the cut and the dress overall.

The necklace makes this gown.

I just can't. The top is crazy beautiful.

Now can we discuss how many men wore bow ties?

Please say this is going to happen all the time now!

Love him.

Does he not look like Gene Kelley's son?

Lastly, this is not from the Golden Globes, but I love Taylor's

(yes, first name basis obviously) cover on Vogue. The pictures

are so boho and chic. Check them out if you have the time.

And because I'm blabbing on about pretty things, I had to

share this video/commercial. It's so pretty with all the colors

and the music, it should be illegal... but not, because if all

commercials were like this, I would actually watch them without wanting

to hurt someone. :)

Birthday Outfit!

2012-01-16T10:09:00.001-08:00

Remember my post on my birthday dinner and the 49er's

game? (Go 49er's!!!!) Well, I decided I would share my outfit

with ya'll (woo go South!) and see what you think.

I am really proud of my dress because it was only $20

and the comfiest, prettiest dress I ever did see.

So without further adieu, here are some pictures

from the night.

I'm obsessed with the back.

We went out to eat at this restaurant called North and the food

was delicioso! Then we topped off the evening with some yummy

gelato. I'm hooked.

Happy MLK day!

Celebratory Weekend!

2012-01-13T09:38:00.000-08:00

Good morning/afternoon/evening everyone!

I have survived my first 3 days of classes! Phew!

Now it is time to celebrate!!!!

Tomorrow I turn 19 but my friends and I are just having

it be a celebratory 3 day weekend! I'm down for that!

To kick it off, we are going shopping today for a birthday outfit,

some new heels, red lipstick, and I am on the search for some

red skinny jeans. Then we are going to birthday dinner #1

since my friend can't go do dinner with me tomorrow night.

2 birthday dinners? Fine by me! Can you say free dessert?

Then tomorrow, I am receiving the ultimate birthday present.

The 49er's are playing the Saint's in the playoff game.

This is the ultimate game for me because these are my

two teams! So in order to cheer them both on (even though

my dad says I have an obligation to the 49ers since I've

been rooting them on since birth practically), I am going

to wear my Saint's jersey (Go #9 Drew Brees!) and

verbally cheer on the Niners.

Is that fair enough?

epic.

Have a great weekend!

A New Obsession

2012-01-12T12:34:00.000-08:00

This show right hurr. (here)

I'm fairly convinced that I was supposed to be British.

Just throwing that out there. My skin tone and way of life

would fit in there a lot more than it does here... maybe.

(This theory has not been tested out yet so please

stand by for confirmation.)

Just look at the clothes and listen to the accents!

And the whole drama behind the Crawley estate is just

too rich. I love it.

Professor Mcgonagall (definitely had to look up that spelling) is also in it.

So there is some motivation to watch it as well.

Plus it's pretty. Like Pride and Prejudice (Kiera Knightley version)

when she is meeting Darcy at day break and he is walking through

that field and the sun is rising just perfectly over his shoulder and

he is wearing that low cut white pirate shirt. Mmhh.

That kind of pretty.

And We Are Back...

2012-01-11T09:09:00.000-08:00

Ladies and Gentlemen...

I am back to school.

To celebrate (?) being back on campus, a bunch of my friends and I

went out to our favorite dinner spot (Wilco). Our server

was terrible (and wanted an 18% gratuity because there were more

than 5 of us. psh) but the food was still delicious as always.

Now that school is back in session, coffee will continue to be

my best friend (even the crappy stuff that I have in my hand there)

and my life will be consumed with studying, volunteering, and church.

So let's get started! But don't worry, I'll fit time in for the little blog. :)

My classes this semester should be interesting. I'm taking Comparative Religions,

Italian 102, Intro to Weather and Climate, a leadership class,

English 102, and this colloquium on Linguistics.

Wish me luck?!

Last Day

2012-01-09T10:30:00.000-08:00

today is my last day at home. :( I'm not exactly excited to be heading back to the desert, but I am excited to see some of the people I left there. Home has been so good to me. The smell of coffee travels from the kitchen to my bedroom each day, luring me out of bed, home cooked meals almost every night, endless hugs from my momma, and constant entertainment from my sisters and dad.

On Saturday, I'll be turning 19 (!!!) and so my mom gave me the above print for my room here. I picked it out in Disneyland when we were there and fell in love with it. It is a Small World print and I love how it has that classic Disney feel. My future child's nursery will definitely be done in a Small World theme.

All good things must come to an end, and so tomorrow morning I am off! But first I'll enjoy this day with coffee with friends, a dentist appointment (ew) and a massage (yay!).

Day Trip to San Francisco

2012-01-08T14:30:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, my family took my grandma and cousin

for a little day trip to San Francisco. Technically my

grandma and cousin live in the Bay Area so it was more

of a day trip for us, but nevertheless, it was a blast!

The weather was unbelievable and we went to this coffee

place called Blue Bottle Coffee and it was to die for.

Literally. And I don't joke about coffee.

I can definitely see myself living in San Francisco

sometime in the future.

You know you have an awesome best friend when...

2012-01-06T15:34:00.001-08:00

She makes you crazy awesome birthday gifts like this:

and gives you cards that say things like this:

best friends for life.

(I'm talking to you Joyce.)

In other world news, the drapes we ordered

came in and because I am not a patient person,

I didn't wait to take all the pictures to post them up on

here and so wa-la here are the drapes!

Aren't they puuurty?

What I'm Loving: Shorts

2012-01-06T08:00:00.000-08:00

I live in Arizona.

Therefore, shorts are my best friend. And skirts,

but sometimes even skirts are too much.

For the spring, I'v decided i'm going to invest in more

shorts because let's be real, I'm going to wear them

a lot.

Here are some that I'm loving:

I want this entire outfit actually.

I think I'm in love with these

Urban Outfitters.

Are you a shorts person? Obviously I am loving

the high waisted trend right now. :)

I Won't Give Up

2012-01-05T10:12:00.000-08:00

Photo: Here

If I leave you with anything today, it should be this:

Listen to Jason Mraz's new song,

'I Won't Give Up.'

It is so beautiful I could cry. One of those

songs that you feel with your entire body.

It's stunning. Listen, and let me know what you think.

New Room Redo! The "After"

2012-01-04T14:15:00.000-08:00

Wa-La!

The room is still not completely finished but it's

as close to being finished as I will get it while I'm

here on break. And I am totally fine with that. :)

Sit back, relax, and enjoy!

Anthropologie knobs

Great Gatsby is my favorite novel

Pinterest inspired me... yet again.

My cousin and I as kids.

Papa's old camera.

This Time Last Year

2012-01-03T08:00:00.000-08:00

*warning. Things are about to get sentimental.

On January 2nd, last year, my car broke down. I frantically called everyone I knew to try and help me and the person who responded was my Papa and my best friend. My Papa immediately came to the theatre (where I was stuck) and tried to figure out the problem on our hands.

That was a year ago.

On February 15th, he went to Heaven.

It still amazes me how much can happen in one year. This time last year my Papa was still here with me and was able to help me fix my car. He was the ultimate fixer.

I guess what I am saying, is that life is unexpected. As much as I love being a planner and knowing what is coming up, I never really know what is going to happen tomorrow or the next day. Only God knows the path.

This time last year my Papa was here and now he has gone before me. I'm grateful for every moment I was able to share with him and for every wheezy laugh I got out of him.

Hello 2012.

Happy New Year from me to you

2012-01-02T18:16:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!!!!!

Piggy back rides.

Sheridan and I.

(yeah, this happened. Dirty Dancing jump=genius idea)

I don't know about you, but my new years eve was rockin'.

(and I hope yours was as well.)

I spent the last 2 days in the company of close friends

and new friends as we holed up in a cabin and rang in

the new year! These are people I am so comfortable

with it is like being with family and I am incredibly

blessed for that. 2011 brought a lot of heart ache

and happiness and for that, I am eternally grateful.

2012, let's do this!

The Before Shots

2011-12-31T08:40:00.000-08:00

Remember when I said I get to design my room back home

because my sister stole my old room?

Well that time finally came! We have been non-stop

busy getting the room as close to finished as possible.

We are missing a few more pieces to the room and we

need to hang a few more pictures but then I can reveal

the "after" shots.

I'm SO excited!

My sisters room was painted this fairytale/garden theme

when she was in second grade and I felt horrible painting over

it all, but it was time. Mostly because it will be a guest room

when I'm not home. I'm not so sure the guests will all want to be

living in a cloud. (Although I thought it was pretty fun for awhile.)

Every piece of the room was painted. Even the ceiling fan and the

air conditioning vent. Talk about a hard core

painting job!

A Thursday Afternoon

2011-12-30T17:21:00.000-08:00

New hurr. (hair) And yes, those are my new Disney pajamas as well.

Oh yeah, and may I introduce you to Baby, my camera.

the cutest little street you ever did see

my go to place for tea and a fruit and cheese platter

I have decided two things.

1) I love my town and this beautiful place called Northern California.

2) I am a Thursday person.

Good things happen on Thursdays. Example: We finished

painting my room and I found a special something or two for

the room. (Pictures of the Before room will be up tomorrow.)

Contain your excitement.

Right now I'm sitting in my new room and listening

to Frankie S. sing me sweet songs on my record player.

Also, what are you doing New Years Eve?

Reflecting on Christmas

2011-12-28T09:23:00.000-08:00

This was the first Christmas without my Papa and feeling his presence around

us was truly magical. His favorite drink was a Manhattan and

so the entire familymade the drink and one was set by his picture.

The rest of the evening was spent

twirling in my Christmas dress, loving being with cousins, getting bumped up

to the adult table (this was HUGE), and admiring the books all the aunts made

for my Grammie to remember Christmas pasts with Papa.

It was a beautiful evening. I hope every one of you had a

wonderful evening as well. :)

Merry CHRISTmas!

2011-12-25T10:48:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos from my Christmas thus far.

From my house to yours...

Have a very merry Christmas and celebrate with the ones

you love. And please help me pray for those who are

not having the Christmas they deserve.

I'm baaaaaack!

2011-12-24T07:56:00.000-08:00

I am back from the happiest place on Earth and Newport Beach! It was

a wonderful vacation and I loved spending every minute with my family.

As much as I LOVE Disneyland, I was definitely ready to come home yesterday

and spend Christmas at home.

And now today is Christmas Eve (and also one of my best friends

birthday!!) and this is where I will be for the next two days...

sitting in front of our tree sipping some hot cocoa.

Tonight my family goes to mass and we usually open one

present before tomorrow. Then we'll watch The Family Stone

and go to bed with sugarplum dreams in our head. :)

Merry Christmas Eve!

I am the ultimate loser because I left the connector for my camera

to download pictures onto my computer and so now I have to figure out

a way to get all my pictures from the trip onto a computer for all to see!

Phew! Wish me luck!

Clothing Obsession

2011-12-15T08:00:00.000-08:00

I know I have posted on my obsession with

Kate Middleton and Pippa's clothes before,

but they just posted a compilation of her outfits on People

and I honestly wish I had each of her outfits.

They are classy and beautiful.

Her wedding dress takes the cake for most beautiful gown

for the year in my book.

I dream about this dress.

And the flowy-ness of this one.

Red hat and shoes? Genius!

And now Pippa!

I want this coat.

and this coat.

I may or may not have a coat obsession

and I am totally ok with it.

Whose clothes were you crushing on this year?

P.S. I'M GOING HOME TODAY! :)

Ryan Gosling... and Cats?

2011-12-14T08:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, my friend stumbled upon this tumblr

and let me just say, it is brilliant.

I don't know if you all have seen the Conan interview

where Ryan Gosling let out the Disneyland cat secret,

(if not, check the video below)

but this person took that idea and ran with it.

And it's a beautiful thing.

Enjoy!

Ryan Gosling and Disneyland.

Is there anything better?

A Shift

2011-12-13T13:28:00.000-08:00

something has shifted.

i can't quite put my finger on it, but something has definitely shifted.

ever since coming back from Thanksgiving break, i have felt more

content here, in Tucson. i think it is probably the fact that i knew

i was going home in a few weeks, but i didn't mind being here one bit.

and you see, i couldn't stand the thought of being here one more day

before thanksgiving.

maybe i'm growing? my heart really does belong in Sacramento,

but maybe i can work on not despising this desert as much.

with the christmas season being here, i suppose

this would be the ideal time to open my heart to new experiences

and new places more willingly.

have you had to open yourself up more to a certain place before?

care to share?

photo

A Quote a Day...

2011-12-12T07:45:00.000-08:00

Photo: Here

And lastly from that period I remember riding in a taxi one afternoon between very tall buildings under a mauve and rosy sky; I began to bawl because I had everything I wanted and knew I would never be so happy again.

-F. Scott Fitzgerald

Hello! I hope you had a marvelous weekend.

What did you do?

I have a new obsession

2011-12-09T17:05:00.000-08:00

and i blame it all on netflix...

netflix put How I Met Your Mother on

it's instant play and I have been watching episodes

like they are going out of style. i can't help it!

they are all so hilarious! Neil Patrick Harris is perhaps

my favorite but then i also love Ted and then there is

Marshall and Lily who are the cutest and funniest

and finally, Robin! How do i decide?

if you aren't on board yet with how wonderful this

show is, here are two clips from the show. the second one

is a compilation of "best" moments. the first is perhaps

the greatest pick-up line ever used, and the third

is a video of Neil Patrick Harris from 1990 when he received

the People's Choice for Doogie Howser. (ignore the out of order

number groupings. i was too lazy to switch the whole sentences...)

Classic.

Awkward and Awesome Thursday

2011-12-08T08:00:00.000-08:00

Guys, you are all in for an awkward and awesome thursday.

I hope you are as excited as I am about this because I've

got one SUPER awkward story for you. :)

So sit back, grab some kettle corn and read.

awkward:

so my friends and i were meeting up with our other 2 friends for lunch.

me: "hey, where are they seated?"

seth: "i just saw them. just go straight."

me: "ok!"

well, when he told me that, my brain somehow determined that the two

people sitting at the table directly in front of me were my two friends we were meeting.

but the thing was... that i did not know those people at all. but my brain, this weird, confusing brain, literally turned my friends into these random people and i almost sat down at this random persons table without even thinking. then this happened:

me: i found them! "blah blah blah" babbling as usual

seth: "allie...what are you doing?"

me: look to people in front of me as i am about to sit down at their table and my face turns from happiness to pure confusion. i had NO idea who this person in front of me was and he definitely didn't know who i was and was SO confused that i was about to sit down with him.

me:"I am SO sorry!"

friends: "bahahahahahahahahahahahah!"

than to make matters worse, my friend monica did the SAME EXACT THING!

But she even hovered her Chick-Fil-A bag over their table all ready to sit down

right as she realized she didn't know these people either.

moral of the story: my brain changes people's faces to match the ones i'm looking for and

i am a completely awkward and embarrassing person.

(did this even make sense? it was slightly traumatizing)

awesome:

1. my classes are all finished!

2. I got my dad an awesome Toilet Golf game for Christmas. (Exactly how it sounds

is how it is.)

3. My friends and I are celebrating the end of the semester by

dressing up and going to dinner.

Note: all these events happened yesterday but needed to be saved for awkward and awesome Thursday!

Hope your Thursday is awkwardly awesome!

Memorable Pictures from 2011

2011-12-07T07:28:00.000-08:00

My friend told me about these pictures that are on Buzzfeed

right now and I just had to share a few. Most of them

are pretty depressing but as photography, I think

they are beautiful. Here are some that I chose to share:

And that's how my heart melts.

This is so disgusting. This was at UC Davis and that is really

close to where I live at home. The fact that the police officers

sprayed people directly in the face with pepper spray

baffles me.

This was a dust storm in Phoenix and I think this is stunning

yet scary!

9/11 memorial on the 10th anniversary

aerial view of the destruction in Japan

What are your thoughts on these and of everything

that happened in 2011 in general? :)

A Quote a Day...

2011-12-06T08:00:00.000-08:00

"Time decides the where and when.

We decide what we keep."

-Sam at Ashore

I read this the other day and it stopped me in my tracks.

So stunning. I had to share for anyone who didn't

see her post. :)

Photo: Here

To Brighten Your Monday

2011-12-05T09:13:00.001-08:00

This week is rough. It's finals week... du du du duuuu.

So to brighten up this gloomy week ahead, I found some

Friends quotes and a Baby Mama quote that I just love.

Enjoy!

I'm hoping that by listening to Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes

that my anxiety level will go down and these finals will

be a piece of cake. ;)

I'll let you know how that goes.

Home: a video about it

2011-12-03T07:00:00.000-08:00

So Thanksgiving posts are just never going to end.

Just so you know. ;)

Now that we are on the same page...

here is a video I put together last night about the break.

My friend picked THE BEST song for this video. I loved

this song already but I didn't even consider it for the video.

How silly of me.

Hope you enjoyed it!

Have a nice weekend!

Happy December 1st!

2011-12-01T09:04:00.000-08:00

Guys... IT'S DECEMBER!

Wow am I excited! Finals always try to get me down during

this beautiful month but you know what, I'm not letting them

this year! It's almost Christmas time and that means in 2 weeks

I am going to Disneyland to see all the Christmas decorations

there and then going home to celebrate with the family. Life

couldn't be better. So finals, you can just stop trying to frustrate

me. Ok? Thanks.

I made this Christmas countdown for above my desk to look at

when I'm feeling overwhelmed. Each day I take one off and it has

an Elf quote on it. Today's is: "It's just like Santa's workshop! Except it smells

like mushrooms... and everyone looks like they want to hurt me."

Got to love Elf.

Finals time errybody! Bringing out the fake candle that flickers

like a real one (heaven!) and the good ole laptop.

Have a great first day of December!

Thanksgiving Crafts!

2011-11-30T12:35:00.000-08:00

Just when you thought the Thanksgiving posts were over,

BAM I come back to show you more! ;)

I did some little art projects while I was home for Thanksgiving!

It was so fun to finally try out some of the beautiful things I've

seen on Pinterest. Here are some of my projects:

Candy turkey. Everybody thought he was fake

but I quickly told them that he was completely

edible and quite delicious... so eat up!

I cut the middle out of those adorable mini pumpkins

you see all around during Halloween and we put a votive

candle inside. They were stunning when they were lit. We also

used the pumpkins as place settings for everyone.

I love these hurricane vases we have at home and once I saw

a picture of this popcorn kernel, red beans, and split peas

combination I knew we had to try it! So we went to

Winco and stocked up and wa-la! So Fall-y!

What crafts did you do to prepare for your Thanksgiving feast?

Disney

2011-11-29T12:58:00.000-08:00

I know I've said this probably a bajillion times before, but I just adore

anything Disney. I can't even accurately put into words how much I love

everything that has anything to do with Disney or Disneyland. It kind of

feels like the child-like feeling you'd get on Christmas Eve or when you

know something really special is about to happen. (Which, let's be real, I

still get that feeling on Christmas Eve too) Like my heart is so full that

it could just burst. I think it has something to do with the fact that

Disney has always given me hope. And I believe there is nothing as powerful

as hope or love.

Then this show comes along and just steals my heart. It's

everything I've ever wanted in a show. Once Upon a Time

leaves me enchanted each week. And plus, I think Ginnifer Goodwin

and I are meant to be friends because we both adore Disney. I mean,

look at her and Josh Dallas (Prince Charming) on the Dumbo ride

in Disneyland! (Which I totally think they should get together in real life

but who am I to butt in like that? ;) ) I just literally spent 2 hours

looking up spoilers or anything on the show because I'm that obsessed.

Does Disney give you that same feeling? If not, what does?

Reflecting on the week

2011-11-28T08:39:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving to me is the beginning of the Christmas season and makes us all pause and reflect upon what we are thankful for before the business of Christmas comes. (So it kind of annoys me when people say I'm overlooking T-giving by listening to Christmas music and watching Christmas movies-no, no I'm not overlooking T-giving. Thank you) Being back home with my family was exactly what I needed. And being back at school isn't too bad since I'll be heading home in less than 3 weeks.

The pictures above are the highlights of my week.

1. Sisters in Half Moon Bay with dad's side of the family

2. Twirling in my Thanksgiving dress.

3. Picking up the best friend at her college!

4. Photoshoot with the little sistor next to the gorgeous trees.

5. Me and my new buddy- Mr. Pumpkin Head man. We got along great.

Hope your weekend was joyous and loving!

This Thanksgiving

2011-11-25T09:46:00.000-08:00

This Thanksgiving, I am so thankful.

Thankful for beautiful people in my life like my crazy

family (pictured above). These people light up my life and

without them, boy would I be lost!

After dinner, we all decided the best way to work off

a big turkey meal was to run outside with the camera,

take jumping pictures (all of them didn't really come out)

and toss around a football in the pitch black.

It's good to be home.

Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T08:00:00.000-08:00

i knew this break was needed but i guess i didn't know how much.

being at home, currently watching Love Actually with my mom and sister, and prepping the house for Thanksgiving, makes me realize how blessed i am. which i guess is the point of thanksgiving. most of the time i overlook this holiday and just think about the food (oh! the food!) when that's not what it's about at all. to me, it's about sharing that delicious food with the people you absolutely love and can't live without. :)

i've been doing a lot of thinking and i've discovered that i may not know where i'll be in 2 years and i may be ok with that. may be. the planner in me is hyperventilating a little bit but i figure it'll all be alright. i have my family behind me, friends next to me, and a future in front of me.

what more can a girl be thankful for this thanksgiving?

photo taken at Sonoma State by moi. The trees in California are unreal right now.

Home is Where the Heart Is

2011-11-19T12:22:00.000-08:00

One thing I miss the most about being home is all the fresh fruit.

My dad always had fresh fruit out on the counter ready for us

to munch on in the mornings. So what did I ask for when he asked what

I wanted for breakfast? Well fruit of course! So he made me a delicious

fruit salad. :)

Being back at home, sitting on my new bed in my new room

(I got moved out of "my room" and put into my sisters old

room) brings back so many wonderful memories. And all this

food in the house and hot cider on my beck and call is too good

to be true. I am one happy girl. Today we are going to Apple Hill

and I'll definitely be taking some pictures. And later in the week

we are going furniture shopping for my new room!!!

I also got a TOMS magazine in the mail! I had never received one before

and loved looking at all the TOMS I wish I could have. :)

Also, my sister is the fairy godmother in my old high school's

production of Cinderella and I get to see her perform tonight!

So giddy!!!

I hope you have a blessed weekend! What plans do you have?

A Quote a Day...

2011-11-17T08:00:00.000-08:00

Photo: here

"She tells me she wants to be a raindrop.

She doesn't mind falling,

as long as she's not alone."

-unknown

(if you do know who this is from,

please tell me! I found it off of tumblr.)

Inspiration

2011-11-16T08:00:00.000-08:00

As you may well know, or maybe not, I am on the 7-8 year

journey of becoming a Speech Pathologist. (And that's if everything

goes smoothly!) It can seem daunting because I'm a wee little freshman

and have so much ahead of me, but then I gain some inspiration.

Last year it was because of The King's Speech that I reconfirmed my

need to continue this journey and then today, this re-confirmation

happened again when I watched the Gabby Giffords story on ABC.

If you don't know who Gabby Giffords is, she is the congresswomen

who was shot on January 8th at a Safeway in Tucson. (Yep, right where I

now live.) Since then, she has fought tirelessly to regain strength,

the ability to talk, walk, and breathe on her own. She is a signal

of inspiration for all, especially here in Tucson. It's no surprise to see a

"We Love Gabby" sign up on a random billboard.

After watching her story, and wiping away a few tears,

I was enamored. I was also struck by how brave her husband

(astronaut Mark Kelly) and Gabby were. If you haven't watched

the special, it's online at abc.com and I would definitely recommend it.

Because Gabby is an Arizona congresswomen and has lived in Tucson

all her life, the UA is a strong supporter of her and her family.

On December 6th, Mark Kelly is coming to give a talk at the UA

and I got tickets! I am so excited to hear his talk and to gain

even more insight into her wonderful and beautiful story.

For Your Entertainment

2011-11-15T08:00:00.000-08:00

I love finding great voices. Those kind of voices

that make you stop and go,"Wow! God gave them an

amazing gift." I thought I'd share these voices with you.

So sit back, grab something unhealthy, and enjoy!

This here is Hunter Hayes and his voice makes me weak at the knees.

He should make it far. Or else I may throw a fit. :)

Then there's this boy. Ronan Parke.

My Lord this boy has talent coming out of his ears!

With a voice like that... well I don't even know.

What are some voices you're loving lately?

As Monday Rolls Around

2011-11-14T07:34:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday!

I am finally going home on Friday and so

this week I am determined to be happy and uplifting!

I got a lot of homework completed over this long weekend

so it shouldn't be too hard. :)
These next two images have been on my desktop for sometime

and they just make me SO happy.
.

a) I love Friends. I especially love Joey. So this littlescene capture right here is just perfect. Plus it's adorable

b) Joseph Gordon-Levitt. I love him. I love his acting,his persona, and he seems like he would be pretty nifty in person as well. He just has that cool factor ya know? And then there's this picture... just too good. :)

marry me?

Have a wonderful day!

New Blog Header!

2011-11-12T13:41:00.000-08:00

Hey errybody!

Happy Saturday to you, and you, and you.

I have a lovely day of essay writing ahead of me

with some Target travels as well (we are taking the bus

so fingers crossed we get there safely ;) ). I just thought I'd

drop by and announce

my new blog header!

thanks to the lovely Lula over at Lollapalooza for

making it for me. :)

What do you think?

Do you ever feel...

2011-11-10T13:36:00.000-08:00

photo: tumblr

do you ever feel like your heart is so full?

so full that you almost feel as if you can't breathe.

but it's not a concerning feeling, it's freeing.

you walk around just beaming because you don't know any better.

this happiness surrounds you and your heart almost can't take it.

that's how i feel.

A letter for Tuesday

2011-11-08T13:38:00.000-08:00

Dear Tuesday,

I wore these shoes today to brighten and sparkle this crazy day that was coming up. Normally, you are wonderful to me. I get off at noon and the rest of the day is ours. But today, not so much. All I've wanted to do is cuddle into bed and ignore the craziness of today and this week. But that's unrealistic. I guess I'll have to face you either way. Between classes, meetings, shots, last time to meet up with a friend, studying and a small group dinner tonight, I don't know how I'll manage. Maybe next week we can cool it down a bit?

But if not, I'll still wear my sparkly TOMS again to brighten you up.

Sincerely,

Allie

Blessed

2011-11-08T08:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I came home to a lovely surprise...

Someone had put this little note in my mailbox! I was dying to

know who this mystery person and started asking around.

Come to find out, it was one of my roommates! How sweet

right?

She knew I was feeling a little down about grades (the smart

comment) and needed some encouragement so she chose a surprise

note. It immediately made me feel uplifted and I was so grateful!

Friends like these are hard to come by. Every day I thank God for

the beautiful people He put in my life. I know the whole roommate

situation could have gone in a completely different situation. :)

I hope you have people in your life that build you up as well!

Weekend Wrap-Up

2011-11-07T08:00:00.000-08:00

This weekend was pretty wonderful. So I thought I would

share some tidbits with you. :)

On Friday:

roasted smores for the first time in Arizona.

Plus, it was blustery and cold outside for the first time

this fall!

Drank hot cocoa with a candy cane out of a mug and it

reminded me of home. Oh home, I miss you.

Some more fire pit action. I love how this one looks like

twinkly lights.

On Saturday:

went to the homecoming football game with my roommates.

We lost (surprise, surprise) but it was still a blast. Afterwards,

I went and saw Friends with Benefits with some other friends.

Sunday:

I had two masses to go to, some yoga, and Once Upon a Time

was on. That day was swell as well. :) See what I did there?

I rhymed.

How was your weekend?

I have found

2011-11-04T16:53:00.001-07:00

photo: here

that oftentimes sadness creeps in.

and usually we allow it to.

we allow this dark creature into our brains

into our hearts without a fight.

but i've also found that if we try,

sadness can be pushed back.

it can be taken by surprise

and transported far far away.

all that's required is the company

of friends to remind us to smile,

a book that's a favorite, or simply

stepping outside.

smell the air and watch the trees dance

and show sadness it's not needed here.

it's truly as simple as that.

It's Those Little Things

2011-11-03T17:51:00.000-07:00

"When we're together, every day is a snow day."

Love it.

I know I probably say it a lot, but those little moments are the best.

The fact that I got my first Christmas cup of the season put a huge

smile on my face today. Oh, and I went on Facebook for the first time

since Sunday and you know what, I realized I don't need it. I can breathe

just fine without it. I was on for maybe 5 minutes, realized I was bored, and

went back off.

I'm feeling good my friends. November has been good thus far. :)

How have the first 3 days of November been treating you?

Hello November

2011-11-02T10:40:00.000-07:00

i'm a big fan of november, december and january. these next three months bring a sparkle to my eye and make me happy just thinking about them. the beginning of november brings so much promise that i can't help but be happy. plus, i'm going home this month. (this is where i am jumping for joy and screaming like buddy the elf when he sees santa.)

it's something about those colder days and holidays. about the crunch of a leaf and having a month where you are reminded to be thankful. about Starbucks christmas cups and hot cocoa around the fire. i love it all.

What I'm Dreaming About

2011-11-01T09:06:00.001-07:00

Anthropologie sent me another email. Duh duh duh dunnnnn.

This time it was on fall clothing. Even worse.

I immediately went online and looked on their website

and fell in love with everything on there. Big Surprise.

Here are a few things I'm dreaming about:

Oh, my. Darling.

Favorite part of colder weather= fun tights.

Perfect Christmas dress? I thought so.

So cozy!

Oh please, oh please, oh please!

Can you say twirl?

Bows!

That neckline!

Oh my. It's love.

Do you see what I mean by swooning over

EVERYTHING on their website! Wow.

A to Z's of Me!

2011-10-30T07:28:00.000-07:00

What is that you say? You want to know the A to Z's of me? Well, sure I'll give you those! No problem! Oh, and that picture of me? It's from last night when I dressed as a Toddlers and Tiara's pageant girl. Be afraid.

A. Age: 18.5
B. Bed size: Twin XL (go college!)
C. Chore that you hate: Cleaning a bathroom. Luckily I don't have to right now.
D. Dogs: Zoey. But she's home in California. :(
E. Essential start to your day: Lying there for a few minutes and checking twitter on my iPad.
F. Favorite color: light blues!
G. Gold or Silver: Gold most definitely.
H. Height: 5’4. Shorty over here!
I. Instruments you play: I can play the piano a wee bit.
J. Job title: Student! Though I wish I had some income right now.
K. Kids: Nope. That would be concerning. But I can't wait to have some someday!
L. Live: hot Arizona (when will it become fall!?)
M. Mother’s name: Denise
N. Nicknames: Allie (real names Allison)
O. Overnight hospital stays: When I was born.
P. Pet peeves: Slow walkers that take up the entire sidewalk. Yes, I am going to walk around you and I hope you notice. Thank you and have a nice day.
Q. Quote from a movie: “I had to give them faith in their own voice. I had to let them know friends were listening.” It's my career motto. (Speech Therapist in training right hurr!)
R. Right or left handed: Righty.
S. Siblings: 2 younger sisters
U. Underwear: Definitely wear it.
V. Vegetable you hate: Asparagus. Yuck!
W. What makes you run late: On the computer for too long.
X. X-Rays you’ve had: My teeth and my knee.
Y. Yummy food that you make: Chocolate chip banana bread. Yum!
Z. Zoo animal: Penguins!

Be Still My Heart

2011-10-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

Do you guys remember having charm bracelets as a child?

Well, I've decided I want one...again. These charms from

Anthropologie are just too good to be true. I got the

email from Anthro the other morning and knew they were

calling to me. They need to stop tempting me like this.

My bank account can't handle it.

This is when you realize how weird I am...

2011-10-28T08:24:00.000-07:00

I got a cozy sweater yesterday. I made a video of me

loving my cozy sweater. And this is when you realize

I'm a complete goofball. oh, and that i also randomly

break out into British accents almost hourly.

and I'm ok with it. :)

On Taking a Stand

2011-10-27T13:41:00.000-07:00

Photo

yesterday i noticed something. after being on facebook, i felt a tad depressed. basically i was feeling bad for myself and realized that this facebook thing isn't helping my homesickness or anything that it should be doing. instead, it was either making it worse or just making me a jealous person. and i don't like being a jealous person.

so i'm taking a stand. for a week, i am going to be facebook-less. it's going to be hard... especially this weekend but i think overall it'll help me with my classes and with my morale. there's no need for something that'll pull me down instead of build me up. am i right?

but i'll still be on twitter and here of course. no worries there. :)

the baby elephant really has nothing to do with this besides the fact that he is SO adorable. i mean really?!

I have the best Best Friend

2011-10-26T15:30:00.001-07:00

I was having a kind of ho-hum day (despite the perfect weather and the fact that I witnessed my first flash mob-nothing like the Modern Family one but hey, I don't live in a sitcom) but then I checked my mail and best friend, Katie, sent me a care package! Oh, happy day!

(also, we watched Pan's Labyrinth in English and holy bezeesus it's creepy!)

Look at all those goodies!

1. Sour Patch Kids-favorite candy

2. Fruit snacks- favorite indulgence (that I wasn't allowed to have as a kid so therefore I make people feel bad for me and give me their fruit snacks. Muah haha)

3. Kleenex-I've been sick

4. Bendy Buddy!-16th birthday party inside joke

5. a letter- I love letters!

6. a Princess Tiana Pez dispenser!- favorite princess

7. Nutella packets- where have you been all my life?

8. Fuzzy socks!- best things ever invented or sewn together.

But wait! There's more!

9. The newest People-I'm a major pop culture fanatic

10. A Keep Calm And... custom made Disney desk topper. (That's

what I'm calling it because I don't know what it's called. So creative!)

Basically, I have the greatest best friend and I want to give her a big hug,

but I can't because we are about 1000 + miles away. :( 22 days!

If you have a friend like Katie, you should give them a hug. Because

friends like these are one in a million. Am I right? :)

What I'm Watching

2011-10-25T12:23:00.000-07:00

I am really picky about what I watch on TV. The way I see

it is that I am a busy college student and don't have a lot

of time to sit around and watching shows I don't love.

Lately, these are the shows that I will drop everything

for at the end of the day and relax and watch.

First up:

Modern Family.

It never ceases to crack me up and remind me of my

family at home. Because honestly, my mom is Claire. No joke.

(and I love her for it)

Second:

Pan Am.

I'm a sucker for anything that takes place during the 1940's

to the 1960's so this fits that perfectly. Everything down to the

clothes, the drama, and the little history lesson is wonderful.

Third:

The New Girl

Favorite new show this season. I have a girl crush on Zooey Deschanel

ever since (500) Days of Summer and in this, she is unstoppable.

Click on the image below to see it better.

And lastly:

Once Upon a Time

This show just started on Sunday and I watched the pilot last night.

I'm also a sucker for anything fairytale-esque so this fits that slot.

The pilot left me intrigued and I can't wait to see what's going to happen

in following episodes and how the characters will develop. And by golly,

is Snow White/Mary Margaret and Prince Charming/John Doe ever

going to be together again?! Ah!

What are you watching?

A Music Kind of Day

2011-10-24T10:14:00.000-07:00

Photo: Here

It's as if itunes and all the artists who released

Christmas albums today knew we needed some good music

put out and gosh darnit, we need it released on a Monday.

Is there any better day lifter than some new Christmas music

by Michael Buble and She & Him? Or say some new Coldplay?

So if anyone asks, I'll be daydreaming today about colder weather, snow,

and listening to the heavenly sounds of Zooey Deschanel and Michael Buble.

Oh, and you should head on over to itunes or where ever you buy your music

and check out these albums. They're perfection.

I'm All Ears

2011-10-23T17:54:00.000-07:00

This weekend my Grammie came to visit me and my cousin and

we went and visited some friends. (Does this not remind

you of Lion Kin 1.5?)

I also got to see what hearing is like for a bat. Preeeeeetty neat.

I've loved having my Grammie here, especially because I caught

my first cold of being in college. She brought me some cookies

and has given me many hugs. Just what the doctor ordered. :)

Hope your weekend has been wonderful!

Let's Hear Some Jazz

2011-10-20T10:14:00.001-07:00

Last night I went to a jazz concert at my school and it was

delightful. Jazz is my kind of music. I like the big band, the way the

sounds wash over you and takes all your cares away, the

ideas of days gone by and if there is some vocals thrown

in, than I'm really in Heaven. The only thing I wish had been

different is if I got to wear a dress like any of the ones below

to such an event. Why don't we dress up fancy for these types

of events? It's a shame really....

I wish each of these were in my closet right now and I had

somewhere wonderful to wear them to. :)

What I'm Loving: Furniture

2011-10-18T12:39:00.000-07:00

You may already know this, but I'm designing my room at home when

I go home for Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks. I am putting a lot of

thought into it and have been loving perusing sights such as

Anthropologie for inspiration. These are some pieces that I found

and love!

This chair. So unique!

I don't even know what to say. I just love this.

This is the dream bed from my childhood. Holy smokes.

Beautiful mustard rug. I want!

This chair looks comfy and it's gorgeous.

Oh, Anthropologie, you never cease to amaze me...

2011-10-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

Here

I hadn’t been paying much attention to things like the sunrise, but that old sun had been coming up anyway. It didn’t really care how I felt, it was going to rise and set regardless of whether I noticed it, and if I was going to enjoy it, that was up to me.

- Jeannette Walls

The Change-Up!

2011-10-15T14:46:00.000-07:00

I have been a blonde all my life. Came out of the womb as a blonde baby

and have stayed blonde ever since...ok, there was a short while where

I was a red head but we don't talk about those times.

But then I started getting these annoying roots...

and my whole family is brunette anyways sooooo...

guess who dyed her hair brunette?!? That's right, me.

It's going to take some serious getting used to but I like it. :)

What do you think?

Big Surprise Tomorrow...

2011-10-14T11:00:00.000-07:00

i'm doing quite the change up tomorrow and i'm SO excited. like jumping up and down kind of excited. (ergo me jumping off a dock)

i'll share it with all of ya tomorrow but for now, you should listen to The Civil Wars because they are beautiful people and sing beautiful songs.

Here's the video to make it easier for ya:

New obsession: Turtles

2011-10-13T13:15:00.000-07:00

this week has been complete mayhem. no time for rest, just absolute non stop studying. can you say fun week?

today after my first midterm of the day (1 of 2) i had some extra time before my second midterm. i had gone to the turtle pond on campus before, but not for a long period of time to just sit there and watch the adorable turtles swim around and let life pass around me.

so today i did just that. i sat on a nice shady bench and studied a bit more while listening to the rippling water and seeing little turtle heads come out of the water. afterwards i looked for some of the bigger turtles and was amazed by their beauty.

i may have a new obsession with turtles and i'm ok with it. plus, just sitting there in this little secret spot on campus was a definite highlight of my week. (is that sad?)

Borrowed Words

2011-10-11T12:59:00.000-07:00

Picture: Here

"and you wake one morning to find you're a better person. filled with the love of an orchestra or the love of small, tangible, wriggly words--and those words open worlds and life thrums along. only different, better. and you live your life as though it is the last night on earth because you already lost everything once and you came back from it so fear doesn't have the same hold. and we're all living on some line, some edge, some axis anyway--might

as well enjoy our own precarious placement in the universe."

-These words were from Meg's blog post. I found them

way too beautiful not to be shared.

Disneyland Love

2011-10-10T10:33:00.000-07:00

I know this has been moving around the blogosphere and other places

but I HAD to share. This just makes me even more excited for

Disneyland and to eventually have kids someday so they can share

in my excitement. Fingers crossed I have a little girl like this one.

Happy Monday! :)

the waiting game

2011-10-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

i'm doing it again. the comparing. it's a slippery slope and i always turn back to it. it's intoxicating. and i always tell myself: STOP! yet, that only throws a sheer cover over the problem and once it rises again the cover is thrown off and i'm back in that abyss.

i know the man God intends for me is out there. i know because i have to tell myself this or else i'll go crazy. it seems like everyone is getting in a relationship left and right and i'm stuck in thick sand. i'm unable to move for myself but perfectly able to watch everyone around me pair up.

i know this is a waiting game but this waiting is getting long and my hope is being strained. perhaps i'm not ready. i need to make a conscious effort to trust in Him and know my path is set.

but my oh my, it is hard.

photo from tumblr.

A Quote a Day...

2011-10-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

Found this picture and this quote off of Tumblr and decided i adore them. yes, very much. and i hope you do also. :)

Beauty

2011-10-07T11:13:00.000-07:00

i'm really lucky. as much as i complain about living in the desert, lately it's like the desert has been showing off. today we have a cool and crisp high of 68 degrees and yesterday there was a high of 66. my roommate and i walked around the older part of campus (stunning architecture) and we saw this little tree grove and i was speechless.

a tree grove in the desert? what? they're orange trees! plus it's by the cutest dorm on campus and the inside looks like main street in disneyland. (yes, we crept in...)

i think finding beauty wherever i am is one of those lessons that has hit me the hardest while i've been here. kind of like the love actually quote at the beginning of the movie (but excuse my lack of a british accent and not sounding like hugh grant)

"if you look for it, *beauty's* actually all around."

amen.

*supposed to be "love"

Something Good

2011-10-06T09:01:00.000-07:00

Picture found Here

lately i've been easily excitable. even more so than i normally am and that's saying a lot. it only takes something small to make me instantly happy and i've decided i like this about myself. yes, i'm pointing out something i like about myself. you heard that right.

so often i find we point out each and every flaw and instead of doing that, i'm going to point out something i enjoy about myself. and if you want to join along, PLEASE do! let's all praise one another instead of putting the other down. amen?

here are some things that make me excitable:

my friend making the whistle sound that you hear when you enter Disneyland. (makes me absolutely giddy)

this weather. yesterday i walked outside and almost cried the weather was so perfect.

thanksgiving coming up and the fact that i get to go home!

new friends and old friends that i can still talk to like a total goofball

and what about you?

What I'm Loving...

2011-10-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

What I'm Loving Right Now:

These beauties. Too bad I am a broke

college student. haha

care packages sent from friends

cute little notes on my lemonade bottle

cloudy days that cool the weather down

my first day of having hot apple cider!!

my new favorite show. Seriously,

if you haven't watched it yet... go to your

DVR and schedule it to record tomorrow!

What are you loving?

all photos from Pinterest or from me.