13 Of My Favorite Things{A List}

1. Mini cinnamon-sugar Fair-style donuts
2. Book stores-especially ones full of old, vintagey books
3. Sparklers(even in August)
4. Farmer's market flowers
5. Donuts made in my kitchen w/chocolate icing from a tub
6. New school shoes(Bonus points for high-tops)
7. New art supplies
8. This podcast. Oh, how I love Elizabeth Gilbert.
9. Driving through the country at sunset
10. Lemon shake-ups
11. This magazine. Absolutely beautiful photography and words.
12. Vanilla candles
13. Brick roads

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I could go on and on... But I'll stop there for today.
I'm still here. Still no laptop. Still only iPhone pictures.
Oh how I miss my big camera(although it seems to be on the fritz as well. When it rains, it pours, huh?)
I feel like I am missing a little bit of myself as silly as that may sound. It's true.

Happy, Happy Monday friends.

10 Favorite Cozy Things

'Tis the Season to be chilly here in the Midwest.
The cold,  oh the cold...  it's coming, it's definitely coming.
Instead of whining and fighting the impending Season(I mean, don't get me wrong, I'll do that later), I thought I would share a few
of my most favorite cozy-weather things.

1.  A hot mug of coffee in my hands. The best. 

2.  Old faded quilts + afghans

3.  Scarves.

4.  Stacks of books.

5.  Baking- bread, pies, cakes, cookies...

6.  Candles. Lots of candles.

7.  Twinkle lights int he house

8.  Hot Chocolate with LOTS of mini marshmallows

9.  A fire in the fireplace

10.  Holing up inside, while it's snowing outside, and watching movies with the kids on the couch under a bunch of blankets and eating popcorn!

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What are your favorite ways to survive the cold months?

Must-haves?

Any little things that make Winter bearable for you?

Do tell.

13 Favorite Things...In Pictures

13 random favorite things of mine, in pictures...
What about YOU?
What would be on your list?

1. summer days
2. Ferris wheels
3. happy mugs
4. country roads
5. art supplies
6. vintage linens
7. summer baseball
8. polka dots! on polka dots
9. turquoise buildings in Florida
10. little corners in my office
11. picnic lunches
12. gorgeous pre-sunset light
13. play libraries

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The next few days... until next Wednesday actually, are going to be totally and completely CRAZY busy.
Memorial Day weekend will be fun, but super busy... Charlotte has her little kindergarten graduation tomorrow... how did that happen?
We're having 15 kids over after school today for ice cream sundaes... How did THAT happen?
Have I completely lost it?
Mama is gona need a cocktail come 5:30...

Have a great Thursday everyone!

Day-Dates Are My Favorite /// Simple Things Sunday

Today was a rare thing; Eric had the day off(four-day weekend, hooray!) so we took full advantage and got out of town for the day.

Lunch, a little shopping and the cutest little vintage shop ever.

The best thing about day dates, night dates or, let's be honest, any dates?

Uninterrupted conversations.

Best thing ever.

What is your favorite thing to do on Date night?

What is your Dream date? 

I'm not really even sure what mine would be, I need to think about that one....

Right now I think it would be a far-away island, a deserted beach, lots of sunshine + an XL margarita.

* ps- how awesome is the floor of this old-fashioned soda fountain we visited today?

i think i'm in love.

{A Swell Book}

Love, love this little book and the oh-so-adorable retro illustrations.
This is one book in a set from my mom & dad's house.
I think my mom bought the set from a door-to-door salesman in the late 60's, before she even had kids.
My kids love looking through these books when they stay with grandma & grandpa.
This one is my very favorite though, I loved this one the most when I was little.
I remember looking through it, sitting in the hallway next to the book case, trying to decide what I wanted to make...a baby doll cradle from a shoe box, sock puppets, shadow puppets or race cars from old boxes. The possibilities were endless.
Oh, if life was still so simple.
Sigh.

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You know how I keep saying I am not caught up on everyone's coffee posts, visiting blogs, 

answering emails, etc? 

Like every single week I am saying this. 

Well, I am again this week, too. 

There is a lot going on and not just busy-busy stuff but other stuff and I am getting by the best I can

 but I have to let some stuff go. And right now I need to get back to painting scenery for the kindergarten musical that needs to be done...ummmm...by tomorrow.

Yeah, tomorrow. 

Hope everyone has a great day. 

I don't mind being stuck inside painting and cutting and gluing today because it's another rainy, 

dreary day! Oh well.