watch it: happy halloween!

Source: sharethefiles.com via Kelly on Pinterest

What are you doing tonight? I will be handing out candy at home and then playing some pub trivia with friends. For both events I will be dressed up, of course (as will my adorable BFF Madison)!

While handing out candy, I like to watch my favorite Halloween specials and movies from when I was a child. My absolute favorite is the one pictured above, Scooby Doo Meets the Boo Brothers. I also enjoy It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!, Hocus Pocus, Ernest Scared Stupid, Beetlejuice, Little Monsters, Double, Double Toil and Trouble, and The Addams Family. If I can get the old VHS tapes to work, I might even watch some of classic 90s TGIF Halloween episodes! What Halloween specials are your favorite?

weekly gems

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• This amazing post on Hello Giggles this week pretty much made my life!!
• Halloween costumes for dogs and cats.
• Dazzled by these gorgeous brooches and this beautiful clutch!
• Definitely want to make: apple cider margaritas, mashed sweet potatoes brulee, slow cooker, apple crumble, and Rosa's lentil salad.
• It probably doesn't sound like it from my description, but the obituary of the last remaining member of Cleveland's first police academy class is a must-read.
• Who else is pumped to see this balloon in the Macy's Parade this year?
• Tips on how to improve your immunity.
• Do you tweet? If so, check out Cosmo's recommendations on who to follow for big laughs!
• I wish I could wear outfits like this one every day.
• Some scary movie suggestions for you this Halloween weekend!
• Green is my favorite color : )
• I'd love to spend a weekend in this cottage.
• Favorite weddings of the week: one, two, and three.

get fit get strong & bookmark it: fitblrs

While I haven't been as consistent with my efforts as I want to be, or able to fulfill all of my goals, I am working hard to become more fit and healthy. Lately, on the days when I just don't feel like working out, or I am thinking about giving in to some extra cookies, I have been looking to the Internet for motivation.

I usually go to Pinterest or Twitter where I follow fitness experts, magazines, and other people like myself who are working to get into shape. Recently, though, I discovered "fitblrs," or tumblrs dedicated to fitness inspiration. The following four were my favorites of the ones I found:

Source: better-faster-strongerr.tumblr.com via Kelly on Pinterest

1. http://better-faster-strongerr.tumblr.com/

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2. http://believe-toachieve.tumblr.com/

Source: earnfit.tumblr.com via Kelly on Pinterest

3. http://earnfit.tumblr.com/

Source: reasonstobefit.tumblr.com via Kelly on Pinterest

4. http://reasonstobefit.tumblr.com/

Do you use the Internet or your smartphone to motivate your fitness goals and routine? How so?

weekend wrap-up

This was a perfect fall weekend! Friday I left to visit Dan in Columbus, and that evening we had an amazing dinner at The Wine Guy. Afterwards, we ate ice cream and watched Paranormal Activity (which totally freaked me out!). Saturday afternoon Dan and I went shopping and out for lunch. In the evening, we all ate cake in celebration of Dan's father's birthday. (Also on Saturday, my alma mater won in football! Ay Ziggy Zoomba!) Sunday morning we ate pancakes and relaxed. In the afternoon we carved pumpkins, made caramel apples, drank apple cider, and went for a walk with Madison. Then I headed home to Cleveland. My family and I ate our last made-on-the-grill meal of the year, sat around a fire to chat, and ate pumpkin mousse pie and homemade apple crisp. Tell me about your weekend : )

Clockwise from top left:

Dan and I before dinner Friday night; Madison in the bat Halloween costume we bought her Saturday afternoon; pumpkin spice coffee and birthday cake; Dan and I with our pumpkins (a cat and a bat); caramel apple and apple cider with a goofy Halloween straw; sitting around the fire with my family back home Sunday night.

All photos taken via Instagram.

weekly gems

Source: None via Kelly on Pinterest

• OH MY GOSH. I am in LOVE with this tumblr that collects things related to all my favorite comedic stars and movies/shows - especially the tributes to my hero Tina Fey!
• The top ten toy family fun award winners for 2011! Excellent inspiration for my godchildren's presents.
• Love this illustration blog (found via Lox Papers).
• Can't wait to try these recipes: roasted butternut and sweet potato whole wheat lasagna, stovetop mac and cheese, and pumpkin buttercream cupcakes with chocolate Halloween toppers.
• Check out EW's must-see fall movie list before you head to the theater this weekend!
• As a big Van Gogh fan, this book has made my to-read list.
• Creative ideas for organizing your closet.
• Greatly enjoyed this interview with Boy Meets World star Ben Savage!
• Instructions for a DIY soy candle...definitely want to make some!
• Inspired by these weddings: one, two, three, and four

saluting the small things (day five)

TGIF! and the final day of my appreciation week for the little things in life:

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1. Mega-cuddling with your pets (love that this dog looks like a pit bull...we think Madison may have some pit bull in her).

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2. The perfect night in - books and wine.

Source: etsy.com via Kelly on Pinterest

3. A classic sassy Marilyn Monroe quote.

This week's posts were fun and refreshing to create - the perfect accompaniment for the craziness of this week and easing back into regularly blogging. Did you enjoy them? What little things have you been loving as of late?

What do you have planned for this weekend? I will be visiting Dan, and we are going to have a full-out fall fun fest - carving pumpkins, watching scary movies, drinking apple cider, playing outside with Madison, etc. I will also be posting some weekly gems! : )

saluting the small things (day four)

Hi everyone, happy Thursday! Here's day four of my appreciation week for the little things that light up life : )

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1. Rich and pretty chocolate brown nail polish

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2. Coffee, toast, and blogs at a pretty desk

Source: mollyjacquesillustration.com via Kelly on Pinterest

3. Winnie-the-Pooh wisdom

What small things are inspiring you today?

saluting the small things (day three)

Today marks day three of my appreciation week for the little things in life, and here's what I'm enjoying right now:

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1. Cute and fun Halloween decorations

Source: weheartit.com via Kelly on Pinterest

3. Cereal..for a meal or snack at anytime of the day

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3. True and playful advice from Helen Keller

What small things are inspiring you today?

saluting the small things (day two)

It's day two of my appreciation week for the little things in life! Here's what's brightening my Tuesday:

Source: None via Kelly on Pinterest

1. A silly and cute comic

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2. Jason Segel on How I Met Your Mother (and in various movies)

Source: anthonyburrill.com via Kelly on Pinterest

3. A simple philosophy

What small things are inspiring you today?

saluting the small things (day one)

Hello, everyone! How are you?

As I mentioned in this post, I am making a slow but steady return to blogging regularly after an unintended hiatus. I am excited for the awesome posts that will be coming up in the weeks to come!

However, this week is going to be quite busy. Due to some family matters, I recently relocated from Columbus, where I had moved for a job earlier this year, to Cleveland, where my parents live and where I was fortunate enough to quickly find a part-time job. As a result, I have a lot of training, preparation, paperwork, meetings, cleaning, and unpacking to do!

So this week's posts are going to be simple but sweet: every day, I am going to post two photos and a quote that are reminding me to enjoy the little things. I'm calling it "Saluting the Small Things." Here is Monday's entry:

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1. Adorable Merle Great Dane puppy

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2. Fantastic Muppet cupcakes

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3. My favorite Audrey quote

What small things are inspiring you today?

happy monday

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Source: etsy.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Go get 'em : )

ross's story

This story is incredible. Take the time to watch it and you'll be inspired, I promise.

things i've been meaning to blog about & watch it: movies i saw this summer

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Movie: Bad Teacher

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

See it if you enjoy: ridiculously inappropriate humor, characters with no moral qualms, and Cameron Diaz, Jason Segel, and Justin Timberlake

Movie: Captain America

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

See it if you enjoy: superheroes, the WWII-era, hopeless romanticism, and Chris Evans, Tommy Lee Jones, and Stanley Tucci

Movie: Cowboys & Aliens

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

See it if you enjoy: alien encounters, the Wild West, mystery, and Olivia Wilde, Daniel Craig, and Harrison Ford

Movie: Green Lantern

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

See it if you enjoy: superheroes, alien encounters, special effects, and Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively

Movie: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

See it if you enjoy: the Harry Potter series, coming-of-age stories, British accents, and Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint

Movie: The Help

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

See it if you enjoy: women's issues, the U.S. civil rights movement of the 1960s, stories focused on families, and Emma Stone, Viola Davis, and Bryce Dallas Howard

Movie: Super 8

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

See it if you enjoy: the 1970s, alien encounters, The Goonies, Kyle Chandler, and fresh faces

Movie: Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

See it if you enjoy: the Transformers franchise, extended action sequences, conspiracy theories, and Shia LaBeouf, Patrick Dempsey, and Josh Duhamel

Early in the summer I wrote full reviews of the following movies: Thor, Bridesmaids, and X-Men First Class.

Did you see any of the movies on my summer movie list? What ones, and what did you think?

my life: "i talked to your dad, go pick out a white dress..."

We're engaged!! : )