"I have measured out my life with coffee spoons." -T.S. Eliot

Happy National Coffee Day!

{and because i collect coffee mugs, i couldn't resist this vintage one. i really like this one too}

Wanting to Know you Wens.

I was excited to pick it up Mia Farrow's memoir, What Falls Away on my last used bookshop date but I'll be honest... it had more to do with reading about Woody Allen in her own words. 

And yet, i'm far from that chapter in her life and i can't put her words down. 

on Frank Sinatra: 

"...I thought what a beautiful face he had, full of pain and somehow familiar."

"It might have been right then, as our eyes met, that I began to love him; I felt a column of light rising inside me, pulling particles from dark dead corners.... And when I could look again, behind his eyes was no stranger. Again the feeling of recognition took me by surprise." -page 86 - 88


do you ever read biographies? do share some you've read below please! 

an answer to a prayer.

i had such a fun-filled weekend in Phoenix with my brother and his family including the birthday girl, my now 9 year old niece Brianna. 

here she is with one of her birthday surprises (isn't their new house gorgeous?)

we had an alice in wonderland tea party, complete with the croquet and pin the smile on the cheshire cat {since i was helping with the games, i'm sad to say i only took photos of some of the decorations}.

my brother had some of his friends surprise bri with a fly over, right over the house (seriously!? awesome).

and the next day, brianna had her first horse riding lesson.

as many of you know, my brother is in the national guard and has gone to Iraq on three separate year long deployments. On this last deployment is where he met Christina, the love of both of our lives. :) me and marianne have prayed for my brother's happiness for so long. She is the answer to our prayers... they both are. Brianna was the extra blessing. I was so lucky to be part of her birthday weekend!

and this, i just had to show you! last december bri's class had an art assignment where they had to answer when "a christmas stocking isn't a stocking" and this was her answer: 

i am blessed with an amazing family. beyond blessed.

waiting at the airport essentials.

i caught a late flight into Phoenix, AZ last night to spend the weekend with my brother, his girlfriend, and her daughter in their new house together (it's beautiful!).

best of all, it's for Brianna's 9th birthday (an alice in wonderland themed tea party)!


i hope you have just as fun a weekend planned and i can't wait to read all about them on monday.

happy friday lovies! xo

true story.

while at the grocery store i picked up a snickers bar at the register as a treat for my husband. I came home to surprise him (it's the little things) and i kid you not--- he said he had also bought me something while he was at the gas station. 

what was this little treat for his wife? a SNICKERS ice cream bar. 

usually he gets me reeses mini cups // usually i'd get him peanut m&ms but today we had the same idea.

thanks snickers, you proved i married my soul mate! 

Sharing Sundays... Pretty You & Me.

Today's sharing sundays is more special than most because it's my friend Sarah's Etsy Shop. Sarah is not only a friend, she's actually one of my managers (it goes without saying, the coolest one!).

i blogged about sporting some of her hand made jewelry and below are photos of earrings and a bracelet set she made that i had to have. 

i love the bohemian feel and how little touches make each piece unique with a twist of color. Some of my favorites currently on sale at Pretty You & Me : 

oh this last set of bangles... these will be my next purchase.

lovies, please take a look at my friend Sarah's shop! if you're in need of original hand made creations to adorn your wrists, you won't be disappointed. 

etsy // fb page : Pretty You & Me

happy things to end the week with.

Alyssa in Australia // Micaela in Texas

♥ have i mentioned how i have the best blog readers turned life long friends? Alyssa is the Ginger Spice to my Sporty Spice. She truly is a gem and never fails to make me laugh. Or make my day with a surprise-- case and point: she bought us matching Kate Spade bangles "just because." To remind us to take heart.  Alyssa, i love your heart. xoxo

♥ i've taken to reading in a tub full of bubbles to unwind from the day. Now that it's become chilly (thank-you Autumn!) it's also a nice way to start the day... with a cup of coffee rather than my usual glass of wine at night. I love reading memoirs and was excited to find Mia Farrow's on my last used book shop run ($2 for a hardback? yes!). I'm a huge fan of Woody Allen films but what he did was horrible. I'm curious to read about it in her own words. do you like reading biographies?

♥ this, seen on jackie's blog 

♥ i met my vintage soul sister through my gf jessie's etsy swap. Amanda is also a really talented sewing goddess and had a genius idea to make cute re-usable snack bags. Since my husband works weekends, i decided to custom order one for when i pack his sandwiches:

saucy and i love the way it turned out! amanda was sweet to include the extra little pouch as a gift, because she's sweet like that. In fact... 

use coupon code: FRIEND2FRIEND in her shop and get 20% off! 

mommas, how cute would a snack bag be with your child's name on it? especially for the school year. thank-you Amanda!!! 

and a song to kick off your weekend... Coldplay's new single "Paradise" to celebrate how i can't wait for their new CD!


Happy Friday Lovies!!! what happy things are you ending the week with?

+please leave a link below if you do post-- i'd love to share in your happiness xo

we'll always have Rome.

"i often wonder how are you"

(i love that broken english)

a once-upon a time... 

Wanting to Know you Wens.

"His eyes travel up and down my body like he's checking me for damage." 

-page 25

i love short stories where the characters intertwine and the author goes back and forth to each through the years. like this one and this one i loved and recommend.

share a line from the book you are currently reading?

(don't forget to include the book title!)

i love this birthday girl!

it's this pretty girl's birthday today ♥ Happy Birthday Jessie!!! College brought us together and i am SO thankful we've kept in touch over the years, case and point:

college : mass comm girls! (there's twinkie next to jessie)

celebrating our first friend to get married in 2007 : Adrian's bachelorette in Downtown Ft. Worth (and now she's about to have her second baby and still very happily married). Look at how young we look! ha

at another college girlfriend's wedding 

out celebrating mine and Marianne's 24th Birthday : this feels like a lifetime ago because of the ex on my erm chest... this is why it's so important to have a girlfriend like Jessie. They'll get you through the hard times, the growing pains. 

and years later, they'll celebrate in your immeasurable joy as you marry the love of your life. A friend like Jessie will really understand the weight of everything it took to get to this place in your life. 

trips home now mean trying to get together with our favorite college professor at our old stomping ground (toby's bar). {check out the shots in jessie's hand!}

and most recently, a much needed girls trip to San Francisco to see Claire (here we are at Rubicon Estate in Napa Valley). Jessie got a gorgeous tattoo of the word "imagine" in john lennon's handwriting on her foot -- spontaneously while we were in Haight and Ashbury. i just love that about her! 

once upon a time wichita falls girls on Baker Beach in SF : Katy (inbetween me and marianne) lives there now but you can see her in the group photo of our 24th birthday (the pretty blonde on the far right). All 3 girls worked together at the Newspaper and i love that we believe in keeping in touch. 

sorry for the picture overload, but as you can see we have history-- and words can not express how much she means to me and Marianne. ♥

jessie, i hope you have a fabulous birthday! i foresee many more girl trips, bottles of wine (+beer!), life changing emails/random texts, music, and love in our future. xo 

please drop by her little corner of the internet and help me wish her a happy birthday? and really-- if you haven't read her blog yet, you really should. i am always moved by her words {not to mention you'll discover some good music along the way}.

fanatic.

I'm thrilled about another season of the NFL! bringing out my custom Dallas Cowboys jersey yesterday made me giddy (though i've already asked my darling husband for an updated jersey with my married last name for Christmas). 

yes, even after that ridiculous loss to the Jets i forsee a lot of beer bread, stella artois, and sports bars in our near future.

happy things this week is replaced by things i turn to when instead i'm sick.

yesterday i woke up with a horribly sore throat... the kind that makes you afraid to swallow. the kind that although i'm a girl who loves her coffee... rushed to turn the kettle on, and haven't sipped anything but tea in the last 24 hours. 

♥ my tea set

♥ though it's still a bit warm to pull them out of the closet just yet-- being sick means i've got the nasty chills and if i'm going to feel awful and not bother with make-up (hence, my face not showing in said photo), i'm going to wear my knee high boots to look like i feel just a little better. 

♥ and the only reason i dared think of venturing out of my pjs and bed was i was seriously craving a roasted tomato soup bread bowl from Corner Bakery. i swear i'm the only sick girl who keeps her regular appetite.

♥ dates with my netflix : loved Charlotte Gainsbourg's Jane Eyre portrayal (she is a girl crush of mine). Jane Eyre has always been one of my favorite classics, especially when it helped me through this dark time. 

♥ and i probably shouldn't write about this cos my darling husband might be embarrassed but... i haven't showered since wens. and knew it would probably make me feel better if i did. He might have washed my hair and combed and blow-dried it for me after i told him that's what my Momma used to do when we were little, especially when we were sick. 

that... that is real love. or i'm terribly spoiled and helpless when i feel this sick. 

Happy Friday Lovies!!! what happy things are you ending the week with? (i promise the usual happy things will return next week...)

+please leave a link below if you do a post-- i'd love to share in your happiness xo

or what makes you feel better when you're sick? seen any good movies on instant netflix? i fear this sickness will last til the weekend... your suggestions please! ♥

my Truth, Love & Insight.

Kaileen is one of my very dear blog friends. She is behind a brilliant blog series called Truth, Love, & Insight. The idea in her own words:

"Do you ever stop and think about what it would be like if all us — bloggers, blog readers and other online adventurers — lived in the same neighborhood?

We could meet up at the coffee shop. We would bump into each other at the grocery store. We would go shopping, decorate our homes and play with make up together. We’d borrow each other’s books, share music and cook meals together. When someone new moved in, we would have a big block party to welcome them.

In a lot of ways, the web is like a big city with many different neighborhoods. I’ve referred to (and heard others call it) this community. That’s what it is, isn’t it? A lovely, welcoming and inspiring community."

i just love that image! {dear reader, i would always invite you over for coffee and thrifting dates, just so you know} That was the inspiration behind her series of which i was honored to be part of. Please stop by Kaileen's blog today to check out my guest post. I would love for you to and I'm curious to know how you would answer these prompts? 

thank-you Kaileen for having me! xo

ps. she's hosting a sparkle swap... doesn't that name alone make you wanna sign up?