favorite places

I was thinking about my favorite places to visit.  I am in vacation mode as its been awhile for us.  We have two weddings this summer, one in Denver and the other in Seattle.  We love going back to Denver, so I am very excited about that.  I have never been to Seattle and cannot wait.  It's in August and I already want to start planning. Any ideas?  Casey always makes fun of me, saying I start planning our next vacation the day our last one ends, which is true.  I've always had the travel bug, its exciting checking out a new place or visiting a favorite.  One of my favorite cities is the poster above by Ork Posters.  Where is your favorite place to visit?

Mine are:

• San Francisco - I enjoy renting bikes and riding over the Golden Gate bridge to Sausalito.  Enjoying an afternoon at the no name bar listening to live jazz, then taking the ferry back.
• Sedona, AZ - Taking an earth wisdom jeep ride then eating at the Secret Garden restaurant and walking around Tlaquepaque Village.  
• Charleston, SC - Enjoy strolling through city public market. Eating at FIG restaurant and enjoying a carriage ride through the city.  
• Chicago - A must is a Cubs game for me.  There's no other place like Wrigley Field. Hanging out in Wrigleyville, eating pizza at Lou Malnati's.  There are so many good places in Chicago, its hard to list them all but here are a few. The Bongo Room, Intelligentsia, Shopping the Boutiques; for the best list click here, Green City Market, Green Zebra, Enjoying the parks, beaches and Lake Michigan.  

~One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” – Henry Miller

a french afternoon

Yesterday afternoon Casey and I went to France, not the real France but the imaginary France in our backyard.  The day started with watching Anthony Bourdain Provence, France episode. We decided to relax and enjoy the day the way the French do, or at least did in this episode.  I went to the store and bought french bread, cheese, cured meats and wine.  We made our deck into France, listening to Putumayo French and Mediterranean music; set a table outside with simple linens, comfortable chairs where we relaxed and enjoyed the afternoon.

Casey enjoying the fromage, du pain et du vin {cheese, bread and wine}

I am jouir du jour {enjoying the day}

Brody is sieste {napping}

 Vin {wine}

~au revior

date is saved!

I received an email a couple weeks ago with two save the dates attached.  Our cousin Tony is getting married this summer to an amazing girl named Jamie.  As you will see in the save the dates below  Tony is an actor who is currently in the graduate program at Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training and Jamie is a teacher.  I love their creativity and the way they entertain us through their save the dates.  They moved from Washington to Florida last year; enduring in the same adventure Casey and I went through a couple years ago.  Moving west to east, bonding together in a new place and new home.  I am so excited for their new adventure into marriage.  

  
~Congrats you two!
xoxox

good morning saturday....i've missed you

Saturday morning is my favorite time all week.  I am a morning girl who loves to wake up early, drink a cup of coffee and read through my favorite blogs.  The birds are chirping, Putumayo on Groovshark, and my new pajamas, it couldn't be better.  What are you doing today?

~Have a wonderful Saturday!

music makes me feel.......

I've always had a love for music.  I noticed today that my friends have been sending me music and I feel connected to them through song.  My friend Cathy who visited last weekend made me a CD that I've been listening to.  Also my friend Nancy sent me a beautiful song yesterday.  Casey always sends me music almost daily.  About 8 years ago I started writing reviews of bands.  If they were playing a live show near me, I would go to the show, take notes and write a review.  It was a small passion of mine, I felt that combining music and writing was a perfect fit for me in that time of my life.  I was single, living near Boulder and wanting to embrace my creativity through music and writing.  I slowly grew out of writing music reviews as it was getting pretty expensive going to each show, but I never gave up on my love for music.  Music can change my mood, make me smile, cry, laugh, dance.  I love the energy a song can give me.  Thank you friends who sent these happy beautiful songs to me :) Share with me more music, what are your favorites? What are your mood change songs? Vision songs? Dream songs?

Loving this song from Nancy
This song makes me laugh and dance in my chair. 
This song from Cathy reminds me of our trip to Greece
Found this song from Blue Bird Baby yesterday
I am in love with this song from Sia
A friend of a friend who I have not met yet sent me this one
This song makes me smile 
A day outside with this song
I've always been a huge fan of these girls looks like new beginnings have started for them with this
This song reminds me of our wedding and honeymoon
We listened to this in the internet cafe in Hanalei on our honeymoon.  Now Hawaii will always sound like Paris in our minds
In love with Putumayo
Loves everything about this 

~have a lovely day

happy monday

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!  Spring time has started, well not really its rainy and 43 degrees in Atlanta today but I'll pretend.  Here are some new favorites.  Including the photo above, this is my favorite room in our house, its our third bedroom that looks out over our tree filled backyard.  I have always dreamt about this room being a nursery, but until that happens its the room that our friend's kids stay in when they come visit.  My friend Cathy and her family came last weekend to visit and her son stayed in this room.  I always feel a sense of comfort when a child is sleeping in this room.  I'll sit on the deck and see the little lamp on through the window, knowing he is sound asleep having beautiful dreams.   I'll sit in this room when I need to get away and just think.  Its the bed I slept on when I was a child, maybe that is why its a comfort room.  Do you have a comfort room?

This song makes me feel like I am on a Saturday drive with my hand out the window waving through the wind

Oh Hello Friend is having a great giveaway on these bags, learn more here

New favorite Cozy Cup from Ollie's boutique

Also shown in the picture above is my new ceramic to go cup from Whole Foods 
Adding this to my vacation someday list
Aveda's everyday offers
Loving this dress for summer
Just found out my cousin is moving here to teach - hum wondering if we can go????
Visited here in college, definitely one of my favorite houses in the U.S.

~Smile its Monday

happy spring

Happy spring time!

spring is almost here

One of my favorite times of the year is almost here.  Saturday is the first day of spring and I will welcome it with a Saturday yoga retreat, a dear friend and her family in town for the weekend  and making pizza on the grill.  Oh and also RELAX.  Yes my intention is relax this week.  I didn't go to yoga last night because I am not feeling well, therefore Airborne, water, juice and tea are my best friends right now.  I've gotta kick this cold before the first day of spring!

As I welcome spring I am finding many new favs out there.  What are yours?
My mother in law packed this in a care package, its green and I love it!
Eating this with this {we go to R&A orchard for their apple butter, it's the best}
Is in love with this song
I would love to wear this or this in the kitchen 
Would love to read this to my niece and nephew
I am going to try and make these
Would love to switch out all my plastic containers to these
Loving this outfit
Yummy juice making with this
My morning joe would like to sit in this

music city

Last fall we took a trip to Nashville {Music City}.  Casey's parents flew in from Colorado and we drove up to meet them in Nashville.  Today I was thinking about the trip and how much fun we had.  I thought I would share some pictures with you.  Where is your favorite destination for a quick weekend vacation?

first night The Wildhorse Saloon

We sat on the second balcony and watched everyone repeat a sequence of dance moves {line dancing} while live music played familiar songs.  The Wild Horse Saloon is 66,000 feet of live music and dance.

Ryman Auditorium

We took a tour of the beautiful Ryman Auditorium.  I was amazed by the history lesson we received and the amazing artists who have performed here.

Sitting on the steps of the Belle Mead Plantation

The Belle Mead Plantation was the first plantation I have ever been to.  When we moved South, we knew we'd be learning a new history lesson that we were not taught through our school books.   

We visited the famous Loveless Cafe and I now know why this restaurant is famous.  Country home cooking at its best.  If you go, go early, there is a very long wait.

Other places we visited:
Ate a very yummy dinner at the Acorn Restaurant
Union Station Hotel for wine and cheese
Legends Corner bar for live music
Bongo Java for our morning jo
Exact replica of the Parthenon in Nashville

our drive home :(

~y'all come back now

balancing the mind

When you think that you can't do something, just try.  There are so many times my mind says "you can't" sometimes I'll listen to my mind and sometimes I'll fight the thought and try.  I always tell myself, if you don't try you'll never know.  Today in Yoga we tried a new balancing pose.  Before I started the pose my mind said, "this is going to be hard, not sure if you can do it".  I tried and completed the full balancing pose on the right side.  Next the left side, my mind didn't say much this time.  I completed the full balancing pose on the left side as well.  A smile came over my face and my mind was happy.  I tried and did it.

~Remember to try

balancing act

How do we balance on one foot while holding onto life?  I find it amazing how many pieces of life I try to balance at one time.  I am constantly trying to balance my mind, body and soul.  My hormones, energy (Prana) and emotions.  Balancing family, friends, work and activities.  Also balancing my dreams, reality, life's lessons, passions and faith.  Gosh.....thinking about all of these at once makes me realize there are a lot of spokes on my wheel of life.  If I am missing one of those spokes my wheel doesn't turn correctly.  In Yoga balancing poses are mind driven.  Staying focused, breathing, and keeping your eye on a dristy.  Seems pretty simple, but with one distraction or change in mind, balance changes.  Does it work the same way in life?  My mind changes all the time, new dreams, interests, likes, dislikes I could go on and on.  How do we stay balanced?  Yoga is one place I go to balance out everything.  I spend those 75 minutes balancing out all of my thoughts and by the end of class or sometimes in the middle I find clarity.  A calmness enters and tells me to enjoy all of my spokes and when enjoying the spokes, the wheel stays together.

"When we get out of alignment with Spirit and we try to make or expect life to be something different than it really is, suffering happens. We all experience pain and suffering, but it is not the quintessential nature of life. Just because the earth turns away from the sun and night occurs doesn't mean that the sun isn't always shining. It might be hard to see sometimes, but goodness and divine beauty can always be found if you adjust your vision just right." John Friend

All photography taken by Mario Covic at the Anusara event in L.A.

~Enjoy the spokes on your wheel of life this weekend

love

Its Wednesday morning and I've already been inspired!

I love this photo; we drove down to Serenbe which means To Be Serene.  We spent the day enjoying the community, looking at homes, eating farm to table food, walking around the farm, hiking trails, and little shops.  Took this photo on our way out of town.

This video makes me smile
Naturally Nina blogged about this today which inspired me to follow her
Loving everything here
Love eating my lunch early at 10:30 and feeling a slight bit guilty
Would absolutely love to attend Wanderlust this year
My husband makes my lunch in the mornings.  It makes me truly happy when I sit down to eat my lunch at work.  I know he puts lots of love into my lunch.  Plus I get fun little notes like this

This online magazine
Would love to do this
The Elle Bag
These
Neutral Territory by Pine Cone Hill
Colorful colanders

~Enjoy your Wednesday

oh sun

{photo taken by Casey in Santorini, Greece}

Its a beautiful day, I wish I could play in the sun all day long.  One thing I miss about living in the west is seeing the sunset.  The Georgia pines are so tall here, we rarely see the sun completely set.   On my way home from work almost everyday I say, "Oh sun as you set in the west, give my friends and family my best."  I guess I feel that if I speak these words to the sun, he or she will relay this little message to my friends and family.  It makes me feel better :)

Good feelings today:
Naturally Nina's tiny reminder 
This song makes me happy
Looking at vacation pictures

{taken in Oia Santorini, Greece}

 




















{taken in Oia Santorini, Greece}

{taken in Paros, Greece}

{The Parthenon Athens, Greece}

~ What are you thinking about

monday favorites

My Monday Favorites:

• Refreshed after a weekend of working on the house and lots of Yoga!  I finally hit Half Bound Forward Fold Tree pose {picture above}
•  The Shift with Wayne Dyer - I absolutely love Wayne Dyer and think this film is amazing!
• My Yoga instructor played this during class and I continue to listen to it.
• I ordered this 
• This is on my wish list 
• Is going to try this tonight
• Documentaries like this and this
• Very inspiring can't wait to see this
  

 ~ Happy Monday

connection

With this weeks intention being connection, so many thoughts came through to mind on what I wanted to write about.  How are we connected to the people we know?  How are we connected to our inner self, mind, body, soul?  

Something I've realized is that I'm craving equal energy connections.  Knowing when I'm letting someone into my life that they are giving equal energy, and not taking energy away.  A while back I read a book called Positive Energy by Judith Orloff M.D.  She wrote about negative vampires,  when our energy is exhausted, and taken away from us.  She spoke about working on keeping positive and equal energy providers in our lives, and not letting negative vampires get to us. Knowing what our equal energy connections are gives us good positive energy to create, strive, enjoy, be at peace and live with a happy heart.  I have many different types of equal energy connection, some being yoga, meditation, running, family, and friendships. 

In the picture above is my dear friend Nancy and her daughter Amelie.  At the time this picture was taken Nancy was pregnant with her second daughter Penelope.  She had been hiking in Nederland, CO a close community mountain town full of good energy.  Nedarland is actually where Casey and I got engaged.  Its a meaningful spot for both of our families.  When I asked Nancy if I could use the photo above, she said, of course it actually goes very well with your intention this week.  As she was feeling very connected at the moment this photo was taken.

Nancy and I have had a strong equal energy connection since the day we met.  We actually met over the phone; I was a recruiter for an agency who was doing the hiring for the company she worked for.  The first time we spoke over the phone, her voice sounded familiar to me.  I instantly felt a strong connection to her.  When we met in person the connection was very strong almost as we'd known each other in a past life.  As our friendship grew over the years our connection grew as well.  When we lived in Colorado Nancy and I would often meet for Chai Tea Latte's and talk about our dreams, past lives, connections, and desire for life.  She is my sister, a healer, and beautiful soul whom I share a spiritual connection with.  It makes me happy every day to know I have a friend like her.  I long for the day when we move back to Colorado to enjoy tea and talk all day long.  But for now our connection stays strong as we chat over the phone, and email back and forth.
 

~ May you enjoy your equal energy connection today

happy birthday brody

Today is Brody's birthday!  Actually I adopted him 7 years ago today.  He was around one year old at the time, so I decided 7 years ago that this day would be his birthday.  I can't believe he's 8 years old.  I adopted Brody from the Humane Society of Boulder Valley.  It was such an exciting day for me.  I had been volunteering at humane societies walking dogs and looking for the doggy that I would have a great connection with.  My friend Lisa called me and said, where are you?  You have to get to the Boulder Humane Society quick, there is a dog named Charlie you must see.  I drove over and there he was.... a skinny scared yellow lab curled up in the corner of his kennel.  At that moment I knew; I knew he was going to be my new furry ball of love.  We spent 5 minutes in a room together and then 10 minutes outside and I said, what do I have to do to adopt this fella.  Some paperwork and shots and he was in my car on the way home.  I wasn't to sure about the name Charlie, the humane society had named him.  I had some names in mind so on a cold snowy night we took a walk.  I called out Marley, but no response.  I then called out Brody and he turned his head and smiled.  It was set in stone, his name would be Brody.  He has been there for me through many parts of my life.  He is an amazing dog with a big heart, huge smile and connection that I will never want to give up.

~ I love you my Bubba

lovely package exchange

 

For the first time I am participating in the lovely package exchange that Oh Hello Friend is organizing. I am so excited!  I can't wait until I'm paired up with my exchanger, so I can start brainstorming about the package I am going to send.

Have you ever done an exchange like this before?  If so tell me about your experience.

~ xoxo   

a few of my favorite things

my favorite picture from our honeymoon in Kauai
 
Growing up I loved The Sound of Music.  I tried out for the play but never made it.  It is a long ongoing dream I have to perform on a stage in The Sound of Music.  I still dance and sing the songs around the house on a regular basis, my favorite song is "These are a Few of My Favorite Things".

 These are a few of my favorite things today:

• Love this version of the song by Nataly Dawn
• This song  
• These new products by Martha Stewart at The Home Depot
• Spring cleaning products on Etsy
• Loving this top and this top and this outfit
• These pants
• This will hang in my kitchen someday
• Great for the kitchen, grocery shopping or farmers market
• Perfect table runner for spring
• Introduced to the music of Belle and Sebastian today, love this song
• Counting the days until this opens

Last night we called one of my favorite cousins.  Brady is my cousin through marriage and is amazingly special to me.  Every time I talk to him, he makes me laugh and smile.  He cheers and yells out my name and makes me feel so special.  We took this picture together the day after Casey and I got married. 

Some of my favorite moments

 

 

 

 ~ What are your favorite things today?  

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