button love

Source: flickr.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Source: lillyella.blogspot.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Source: blog.craftzine.com via Kelly on Pinterest

I really admire beautiful buttons - maybe because my paternal grandmother left my dad a gorgeous collection when she passed away, and I always enjoyed looking at them when I was growing up. Aren't these fashion pieces both fun and pretty? The purse is especially beautiful.

memorial day

Lake Erie, 2009

Hello, everyone! I hope you're having a great three-day weekend. So far I am! I spent time with Dan and his family, my family, and today I'm going to the beach with two of my very best friends. Right now, however, I'm going to indulge myself in a social studies teacher moment.

A lot of people don't understand the difference between Veterans' Day and Memorial Day. Quite simply, Veterans' Day is meant to honor those who served/serve in the military, while Memorial Day began to honor those who died in the line of duty. Memorial Day still serves that purpose today, but has also become a time of year that many family and friends take to honor their deceased loved ones.

So while you are relaxing on this day off, take a moment to remember why it was declared a federal holiday in the first place. If you are able to, try to share with a child what this day means. It is never to early to learn "gone, but never forgotten."

weekly gems

Source: etsy.com via Kelly on Pinterest

• Recipes I can't wait to try: Grand Marnier French toast with strawberries and almonds, slow cooker chicken tortilla soup, blueberry rhubarb deep dish pie, strawberry rhubarb crisp, and rose cookies.
• Do you wear a sleep mask? Why you should consider it.
• Some bad financial habits you should avoid.
• Memory Lane is an awesome collection of vintage magazines - take a look!
• Did you see Justin Timberlake's most recent hosting of SNL? Here are some of his best skits.
• Marie Claire's wedding guide.
• Interesting news about the splitting of household chores.
• Tips for avoiding emotional eating.
• A particularly inspiring post from one of my favorite bloggers (and a fellow recent grad!).
• EW's summer movie guide is awesome! Check it out.
• A great list of creative and cheap ways to have fun.

Have a great weekend everyone : )

bookmark it: the little things

I recently discovered an adorably upbeat tumblr called "Just Little Things." It is run by Nancy, who describes her tumblr as "A list of all the simple things we should appreciate." As of today, there are over 350 little things listed, most of which have been suggested by the tumblr's community of followers. Some of my favorites are featured below:

Source: justlittlethings.tumblr.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Source: justlittlethings.tumblr.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Source: justlittlethings.tumblr.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Source: justlittlethings.tumblr.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Source: justlittlethings.tumblr.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Source: justlittlethings.tumblr.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Source: justlittlethings.tumblr.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Source: justlittlethings.tumblr.com via Kelly on Pinterest

What are some of the little things that are making your day today?

travel dreams

Source: people.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Kelly on Pinterest

The transition from college and living on my own to the job search and living with my parents has been super busy and somewhat difficult for me. As a result, I have been greatly craving a luxurious beach vacation. The photos above are particularly drool-worthy. From top to bottom: Lizard Island, Australia; Bora Bora; Hawaii. Are you craving a vacation? Where to?

watch it: bridesmaids

Source: imdb.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Movie: Bridesmaids, 2011

Viewed: in theaters (twice!), May 2011

Notable Cast Members: Kristin Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Ellie Kemper, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Jon Hamm, Chris O'Dowd

Overall Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (rating rational)

Plot Summary: Annie (Kristin Wiig) is having a tough time. Her dream business, a bakery, went bust and she's basically broke, she lives with a weird brother and sister pair, she lets her emotions feed into her job at a jeweler's, and she allows herself to be duped over by the same jerk again and again. Then - BAM! She finds out her best friend, Lillian (Maya Rudolph), is getting married. Equally happy and horrified for her, Annie agrees to be Lillian's maid of honor. Annie soon finds herself at odds with fellow bridesmaid Helen (Rose Byrne) over who cares for Lillian more, as well as the skyrocketing cost of being involved in the wedding (which doesn't seem to concern anyone else, except Lillian's father). Along the way, a distance seems to develop between Annie and Lillian, right when Annie could use some advice and love from her best friend the most. Bridesmaids is an excellent film - a hilarious portrayal of female friendships, the insanity of planning weddings, how being an adult sometimes just plain sucks, and how you always have it in you to turn your life around.

Personal Thoughts: My top ten favorite things from the film (no spoilers, & in no particular order):

1. The scene on the plane.
2. Annie's roommate and his sister.
3. Officer Rhodes (played by Chris O'Dowd).
4. The scene in the bridal gown shop.
5. John Hamm's jerk-of-a-man Ted.
6. The scene with Annie and Helen in the car.
7. The scenes with Annie in the jewelry shop.
8. Wilson Phillips.
9. Melissa McCarthy as Megan - comic gold!
10. Annie's mom (played by Lynne Marie Stewart).

I highly recommend this film. Don't worry, guys will definitely enjoy it, too (just ask this one)! Can't wait for the DVD!!!

Have you seen Bridesmaids? What did you think?

Want more Kristin Wiig? Check out this collection of some great SNL skits.

monday motivation

Source: holdonlover.tumblr.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Source: notesondesign.tumblr.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Source: dr-seusseverything.tumblr.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Live boldly.

weekly gems

Hello, everyone! How was your week? Mine has been great! I spent it visiting Dan and his family in Columbus. We drank coffee and ate ice cream from our favorite places, made chocolate covered bananas, played catch, kicked around a soccer ball, ate out at an awesome fish and chips place, went for walks, and just generally relaxed around the house. One of the highlights of the week was when Dan got me an early birthday present - Martin the Monkey, featured up above. We made him together at Build-A-Bear Workshop before seeing a movie (the review of which will be posted next week). Please note Martin's Indians uniform in honor of my favorite Cleveland sports team (who are doing AWESOME this season - knock on wood!).

Do you have big plans for this weekend? I'll be getting certified in CPR and moving more things from my apartment to my parents' home. I hope your weekend is not as busy and a bit more entertainment-oriented! Or that you at least have time to browse some of the awesome links below. See you next week! : )

• NBC has announced its fall schedule for the 2011-2012 TV season. ABC has announced its fall schedule as well.
• I would totally live-in this L.A. condo - seriously love everything about it!
• Excellent news for coffee drinkers! And even more reasons to love & cherish your friends.
• Check out this slideshow of the best movie love triangles.
• Great tips for constant worriers.
• This video of Gwyneth Paltrow rapping is too funny!
• How-to thrift effectively!
• Movie casting news: Armie Hammer in The Lone Ranger and Michelle Williams in the Oz prequel.
• Where to find the love in photographs.
• Can't wait to try pomegranate-champagne punch, chopped broccoli salad, and chocolate lava cake.
• Love this beautiful, yellow and gray wedding and this elaborate, pink and gray proposal

bookmark it: the burning house

Jamie Apostolou

Laura Pritchett

Louie McPherson

Have you heard of The Burning House? It is a website devoted to documenting what items people would save if their house was burning down. The site's description says,

"If your house was burning, what would you take with you? It's a conflict between what's practical, valuable and sentimental. What you would take reflects your interests, background and priorities. Think of it as an interview condensed into one question."

The site contains really interesting entries, all of which evoke different personalities, moods, and sentiments. A few of my favorites are above. People of all ages, occupations, and locations are featured on the site.

Would you consider submitting your own photo and list to The Burning House? What items would you include?

things that are making me happy

Source: imgfave.com via Kelly on Pinterest

1. The adorable photo above
2. The Indians' win over Kansas City Monday night
3. Reading awesome new books
4. Visiting Dan in Columbus and having fun at our favorite places
5. Pinterest's iPhone app
6. Yummy pasta dishes made by my sister
7. Watching Cheers on Netflix
8. Meeting new people who are friendly and have a great sense of humor
9. People's issue that's all about Pippa Middleton
10. Summer fun with friends

What things are making you happy as of late?

watch it: thor

Source: imdb.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Movie: Thor, 2011

Viewed: May 2011, in theaters, in 3D

Notable Cast Members: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Stellan Skarsgard, Kat Dennings, and Clark Gregg

Overall Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (rating rational)

Plot Summary:

Let me first say you don't need to know a thing about the Thor comic books in order to understand the movie. It is pretty good at introducing necessary background information in the beginning and explaining what you need to know in order to follow the story along the way. Basically, the universe has nine realms. Earth is one of those nine realms. Asgard, the home of Thor (Chris Hemsworth), is another. Thor is a brillant but arrogant warrior, and his foolish actions anger his father, King Odin (Anthony Hopkins). He is banished to Earth, where astrophysicist Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and her friends help him adjust. Meanwhile, an evil plot takes ahold of Asgard and threatens to harm Earth. What will Thor and his friends do?

Take Note:

Now, if you are a superhero movie fan like myself, you probably know that Marvel is going to be making an Avengers movie in the near future (parts of which will be filmed in CLEVELAND! woohoo!). You also probably know that Marvel has a reputation for putting scenes after the credits of their films, and that their most recent films' post-credits scenes are what set up the connections between various movies' storylines (for example, the post-credits scene at the end of 2010's Ironman 2 is linked to Thor). Thus, since Thor is a key member of the Avengers, there is a scene after the credits of Thor that gives a hint as to what the plot of the Avengers movie might be. Remember how I said you didn't need comic book background to understand Thor? (and really, you should remember, I just said it up above. C'mon, people.) Well, I lied a tiny bit. You do need comic book knowledge to understand the post-credits scene. Luckily, I have a knowledgeable big brother to turn to in this situation, who shed some light on the scene for me. So, if you see Thor and are confused about that scene, feel free to shoot me an e-mail. I'll do my best to help you out! : )

Personal Thoughts:

This movie was definitely enjoyable. Action-packed, humorous, and even a bit romantic at some points. I personally love Natalie Portman and Kat Dennings, and Chris Hemsworth is pretty easy on the eyes, so that made the film more enticing for me. However, it the plot itself is a bit more fantastical and complex than previous Marvel superhero films, so here's my recommendation: If you are a fan of superhero films, it is worth seeing in theaters (in 3D or not). If you are not a huge superhero film fan or fantasy isn't your thing, then I would wait for DVD, or see it in theaters for a matinee or not in 3D to save you some cash.

Have you seen Thor? What did you think? Do you like superhero films in general?

monday munchies

Hello, everyone! How was your weekend? Mine was great - I saw the Indians win Friday night (Hafner hit a walk-off home run!), had fun at a work meeting for my summer job (lifeguarding), watched ridiculous TV shows on Netflix (Airwolf, anyone?), saw a musical at my former high school (West Side Story), and enjoyed Starbucks (frappucino happy hour!).

Lately, I have really been wanting to bake, but can't due to some issues with the oven. When everything is fixed up, I can't wait to try out new recipes! I particularly want to try some peanut butter and chocolate ones like the ones below.

Source: bakerella.com via Kelly on Pinterest

I'll start off with something a bit basic, like these chocolate peanut butter whoopie pies.

Source: sixoneseven.blogspot.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Then I'll move on to this chocolate peanut butter cake.

Source: sprinklebakes.com via Kelly on Pinterest

And finally, someday, I'll bake something as beautiful and yummy-looking as this chocolate peanut butter cheesecake.

What are some of your favorite chocolate and peanut butter recipes?

weekly gems

photo, author's own

Hello, everyone! How was your week? Mine was busy - full of the first major round of moving out of my apartment and back into my parents' home, where I will work part-time and search for a full-time teaching position. I'm looking forward to having an awesome summer, starting off by attending an Indians game with two of my oldest friends, Kaylyn and Sarah. Do you have any fun weekend plans?

• An awesome pump-up story on how to be confident.
• Love these gingham envelopes!
• Casting news for The Perks of Being a Wallflower (amazing book, can't wait for the movie!), Snow White and the Huntsmen, and an upcoming live-action Peter Pan adaptation.
• Some great tips for bridesmaids.
• How good are you with your finances? Find out!
• The absolute best way to turn a bad day into a good one.
• As a fellow recent grad, this post greatly inspires me. Similarly, the final words of Laura's recent post really spoke to me.
• Love the looks of this "cake batter" smoothie and these no-bake cheesecakes in a jar.
• Interesting thoughts on the awesome-ness that was Boy Meets World.
• Apparently I should just hire both Middleton sisters to be my personal stylists.
• Favorite weddings of the week: one, two, and three.

reenergize

The long process of moving that began this week and will continue on and off this month has gotten me a bit worn down. However, there are some other things I really want to get done in the next few weeks, so I looked around for a bit of inspiration to keep moving forward...and for me, that means finding quotes. Here are my favorite pieces of encouragement:

Source: yfrog.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Source: health-girl.tumblr.com via Kelly on Pinterest

What are some quotes or pieces of advice that have been motivating you lately?

read it: bossypants

(image source)

If you're a frequent reader of this blog, you probably have picked up on the fact that I am a huge Tina Fey fan. That being said, I have of course read her new book, Bossypants, which is all about her childhood/teen years, college experience, family and married life, time in Chicago, time at Saturday Night Live, and time at 30 Rock, as well as body image and posing for magazine covers, among other things. My favorite chapters were the following:

• Delaware County Summer Showtime!
• That's Don Fey
• Climbing Old Rag Mountain
• Remembrances of Being Very, Very Skinny
• Remembrances of Being a Little Bit Fat
• A Childhood Dream, Realized
• Amazing, Gorgeous, Not Like That
• Sarah, Oprah, and Captain Hook
• The Mother's Prayer for Its Daughter

That is not to say I didn't thoroughly enjoy the other chapters, because I definitely did. I highly recommend this book if you (a) are a Tina Fey fan, (b) if you are a SNL or 30 Rock fan, (c) you like to laugh, and/or (d) you are a woman. Men certainly enjoy it as well (like this guy), it's just that she discusses a lot of issues women can relate to rather than simply understand. So if any of a-d apply to you, go read Bossypants now! Consider it your first summer reading assignment ; )

Have you read Bossypants? What did you think?

If you liked Bossypants or are just a Tina Fey fan in general, check out this 2002 EW article.

The awesome-ness of Tina Fey writing a book has me pumped for Mindy Kaling's book this fall!

LOL: quick laugh

This commercial never fails to make me laugh out loud!


P.S. Disclosure: my cell phone company is AT&T.
P.S. Full disclosure: I don't care what cell phone company others or myself use as long as (a) I can communicate and (b) I can play Angry Birds.

my life: 21 things I learned in college

1. You are much stronger than you think you are.
2. It is possible to be young and have fun while also making healthy choices.
3. The best way to re-energize during study sessions is to drink a cup of coffee and then take a 20-minute nap.
4. My parents are smarter and more generous than I ever realized (and I really did think they were smart and generous before!), and my grandma is my biggest inspiration.
5. What you learn from your educational experience cannot always be measured in a grade.
6. Binders, Post-It notes, a planner, highlighters, and file folders are all essential organizational tools.
7. The ability to truly forgive is rare and important.
8. Eating decently, getting enough sleep, exercise, going to church, having a pet, calling home often, drinking plenty of tea, practicing gratitude, and having a fully loaded and charged iPod are all key to staying emotionally balanced.
9. Downtown Bowling Green is west of campus, not north of it.
10. Nothing is more important than family.
11. Most people are doing the best that they can, and if they aren't, they need your faith in them more than ever.
12. Do not wear flip flops on a rainy day.
13. I have amazing friends who are truly incredible people.
14. Living with integrity means treating others the way you want to be treated.
15. Whoever invented pizza is a genius.
16. Love should not be the sole basis of a relationship.
17. The Greater Cleveland area is an awesome place to grow up and live.
18. Breakfast food is an acceptable meal choice at any time of the day.
19. Things will only go as you planned about 50% of the time, and the other 50% of the time, will work out okay in the end anyway.
20. You never know how much of an impact you have had on someone's life or how much someone will come to mean to you.
21. I was meant to be a teacher.

weekly gems

Tomorrow I graduate from BGSU with my bachelor's degree. I can't believe four years has gone by so fast, especially this year! I have learned so much and met so many fantastic people. I will miss being near the "family" I created here, and I will miss the city of Bowling Green, but I am ready and excited to begin a new chapter in my life. I think that's a positive attitude to have around graduation, don't you? ; ) What are you up to this weekend?

• Love this stationery!
• Casting news on Disney's Oz prequel - super excited for this movie!
• Some excellent exercise inspiration.
• An amazingly written post about following your dreams.
• Definitely looking forward to Tina Fey on SNL this weekend!
• Glad that cities are taking action for justice!
• This pie was instantly added to my "To Bake Someday" list.
• Some weddings I love: one, two, & three.
• Adore everything about this outfit!
• According to this, I apparently need to go to Canada in June or California in July.
• Some key tips about sunscreen! Also, why you should go to bed earlier.

bookmark it: boost your esteem

I recently discovered this pretty awesome tumblr called Boost Your Esteem. It's run by a woman named Liz, who writes,

"One month away from graduating with my psych degree, I’ve been completely disappointed by the lack of funding for programs and further education focused on raising the self confidence of adolescents and young adults. Being forced to choose between continuing my masters in clinical or general psych, I chose neither, and decided to take a year off. In the meantime, I’m directing my efforts toward bringing self confidence boosting programs and camps to the web."

Her tumblr, in addition to featuring some anecdotes about her personal life, is filled with answers to followers who wrote in for advice, discussions about staying physically fit, notes on inspiring music, and numbered "self-esteem boosters." Overall, the tumblr is upbeat, inspiring, and gives off a great sense of community and positivity. I highly recommend you check it out and share it with your friends and any young women you know. Some of my favorite self-esteem boosters are pictured below:

Source: boostyouresteem.tumblr.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Source: boostyouresteem.tumblr.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Source: boostyouresteem.tumblr.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Source: boostyouresteem.tumblr.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Source: boostyouresteem.tumblr.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Source: boostyouresteem.tumblr.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Pretty neat, huh? Have you come across any self-esteem projects on the web or programs in your community?

rube goldberg would be jealous

My junior year of high school I took physics, and one of our huge assessments was a Rube Goldberg project (the end result opening a pop can). I think my partner Katie and I did a pretty decent job with our project - as I remember, it involved an "easy button" and a lot of sand - but imagine if we had created something like the video above! Just AWESOME!

can't get enough of...ruffles & bows

Source: studiocalico.blogspot.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Source: jpeterman.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Source: anthropologie.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Source: eshakti.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Lately I am loving ruffles and bows on dresses. They're just so playful, feminine, and classy, and perfect for spring. Of all these dresses, I think the white and yellow one is my favorite, followed closely by the aqua one. What do you think?

a real life fairy-tale

Hello, everyone! How was your weekend? Mine was pretty darn good, an excellent start to my "staycation" in my college's town before graduation this Saturday (student teachers don't have finals, so I'm thankfully getting a week to relax before commencement).

I know I talked quite about about the royal wedding in my last couple posts, but I can't resist one more post about it today! My favorite photos of the royal wedding:

Source: bbc.co.uk via Rene on Pinterest

Love this shot of the double kiss!

Source: wearegoing.tumblr.com via Rene on Pinterest

Beautiful.

Source: royal-wedding.tumblr.com via Rene on Pinterest

Just adorable!

Source: 20thcenturygirl.tumblr.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Prince Harry fixing his new sister-in-law's train, so sweet.

Other things about the royal wedding that made me swoon: Both of Kate Middleton (now Duchess of Cambridge!)'s gorgeous, timeless, classy gowns; Prince William whispering, "You look beautiful," at the altar; the symbolism behind the bridal bouquet; the simple bridal band made from Welsh gold gifted by the Queen; Pippa Middleton's reception gown; and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's gracious and casual attitude the morning after the wedding.

Amidst all my Internet searches of the royal wedding, I found this photo:

Source: 30.media.tumblr.com via Kelly on Pinterest

After 64 years of marriage, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip still look at each other the same way. Here's wishing Prince William and Kate Middleton that same lasting love and happiness!