looking good!

image via people.com

i wish i could wear this type of outfit to work - it's perfect for transitioning from "professional" to "evening" attire - but i don't think it quite passes the fingertip rule...

opening day tradition

image via bangsandabun.com

ever since i was a kid, my dad would always put on the movie field of dreams the night before the opening day of baseball season. it was a great way to spend some quality family time together before the first official day of our favorite sport. plus, who doesn't love looking at kevin costner in general, let alone with a baseball glove on. now that i no longer live at home with my dad, we won't be watching together tonight. but that doesn't stop me from reminiscing on one of the greatest monologues of james earl jones's acting career.

Ray, people will come Ray. They'll come to Iowa for reasons they can't even fathom. They'll turn up your driveway not knowing for sure why they're doing it. They'll arrive at your door as innocent as children, longing for the past. Of course, we won't mind if you look around, you'll say. It's only $20 per person. They'll pass over the money without even thinking about it: for it is money they have and peace they lack. And they'll walk out to the bleachers; sit in shirtsleeves on a perfect afternoon. They'll find they have reserved seats somewhere along one of the baselines, where they sat when they were children and cheered their heroes. And they'll watch the game and it'll be as if they dipped themselves in magic waters. The memories will be so thick they'll have to brush them away from their faces. People will come Ray. The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again. Oh... people will come Ray. People will most definitely come.

Cheers to the beginning of baseball season! GO PHILLIES!!

modified cat eye sunglasses

i had a day off from work last week so i indulged in some daytime television. one of the segments in the nate berkus show was focused on fashion... and i was introduced to a new trend that i absolutely love: modified cat eye sunglasses.

ironically, i hate cats. but i love sunglasses! i own more pairs of sunglasses than any girl really needs, but i can always justify another pair if the price and style are right! luckily, the pair i like the most is from forever21 and is a steal at only $5.80.

image via forever21.com

here are some other options...

jimmy choo 'cecy' cat's eye sunglasses
image via nordstrom.com

aqua "salem" cat-eye sunglasses

image via bloomingdales.com


ray-ban retro cat eye sunglasses
image via nordstrom.com

gucci cat eye sunglasses with web temples
image via bloomingdales.com

an awkward time for a reunion

jess already posted about this over at lnfmbb but after reading this article in the New York Times i thought it was worth writing about over here.  with the royal wedding just weeks away (i don't have a count down going on or anything...), the article discusses how it is royal tradition to invite your exes to your wedding.  personally, while i would take the celebs, national guard, and parade, i think i would pass on inviting my exes to my wedding (when that day comes someday maybe). 

picture via big ice tees

both william and kate are inviting exes they had serious relationships with, not just flings but first loves.  i am pretty confident that mine would not want to attend even if i did invite him, so why put him through that decision making process?  while i have love and respect for all of them, i think that a reunion and catch-up session can be left for another setting...say a quick cup of coffee around christmas time?? no need to have them be front and center while you commit yourself to someone else, talk about awkward!


what do you think?  yay or nay to the exes at your wedding (or any major life event for that matter?) my vote is a major nay, you should be focusing your attention on the person you are committing your life to, not the one who took you to prom. 

and i was like baby, baby, baby, oh

it seems like it is baby shower season over here as both my manager and cousin are expecting a baby any day now.  the excitement builds on my team with every day the due date gets closer and i have found myself looking up cute baby gift ideas.  here are some of my favorites, in case you too are experiencing a little baby fever yourself. (thank god i am not looking at these items for me!)

picture via anna bean

 how adorable is this shark robe?  i originally saw it on cup of jo and wish they made adult sizes too...

picture via etsy

 we got these for my cousins last year and they are so adorable in their bedrooms

picture via beso

one of my favorite books and the matching pjs are precious!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

picture via etsy

i couldn't resist this, just because i love whales. 

time for love

i'm really loving this "time for love" necklace from one of my favorite etsy shops, ohhellofriend.


wearing it around my neck would be a subtle daily reminder to open up and allow some time for love - giving it, getting it, and falling into it.

a little ee cummings for you

one of my closest friends lost her mom last week.  it is an experience i cannot even fathom and am devastated that my friend has to experience this pain.  i know that there is nothing monumental that we can do to take away the pain or make this challenging time a little less challenging, but i know that her family is in the thoughts of our whole friends-family over the next months, even years.

this is my favorite ee cummings poem and during the funeral yesterday i kept thinking it, so i thought i would share.  i can only imagine that her mom is thinking these thoughts about her family, even if she is no longer physically present.

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart) 

-- ee cummings

the love and devotion felt in this poem provides such comfort and inspiration to me.  i hope this poem inspires and comforts you a little today as well :)

#1 phans

yankees? red sox? fuhgettaboutem! who has the #1 fans?? the philadelphia phillies! according to the results of the 19th annual sports loyalty index survey which was released today, the fightin's have the most loyal fans in major league baseball.

as the president of the company who oversees the survey explains, "with the phillies, every game seems to count to the whole team. they seem to take it more personally." uh, yeah!! and so do the phans! david buck, senior vice president of marketing for the phillies, said, “the place is loud and the fans take it seriously. the fans are loving it and their support is enabling us to do the things we’re doing on the field.” one reason the place is so loud: the phillies sold 104% of their seats in 2010 (that's including standing room only). and 99% of seats for the 2011 season (which hasn't even started yet) are already sold.

i take pride in the fact that alanna and i are contributing significantly to that fan loyalty. we <3 our phillies!


here's even more philly pride: the philadelphia flyers are ranked #2 in loyalty for the national hockey league.

a little springtime love

dancing on the waters of life by yolanda sanchez

i am so so so excited that it is practically spring.  i started coaching lacrosse this week and all the cold weather made me anxious for when we will be outside in 70 degree weather...my old coach used to always say "today is a beautiful day to play lacrosse" and when it gets to be spring, she is right on the money. 

i especially love this one

you'll miss me too much if you start to think by yolanda sanchez

i saw these awesome paintings by yolanda sanchez on you are my fave and immediately wanted to buy one.  if only i had enough disposable income, i would buy one of each of these.  they would look so pretty in a bright and airy room. 

blame it on my youth by yolanda sanchez

bright ideas

this pretty little writing tablet from mrs. john l. strong fine stationary is the perfect gift for anyone who needs a little inspiration - or someone who has tons of inspiration but needs a place to organize it all. have a friend who is a writer or looking to start their own business? where better to jot down all their bright ideas than in this tablet!

adventure: the pursuit of life

image via skippydesign shop on etsy.com

just browsing through etsy today i came across this print in the skippydesign shop that really caught my eye. having just come back from florida, and going straight up to new york city for work i feel like i've been on a mini adventure of my own lately. i love how eloquent "the pursuit of life" sounds - it's like an inspiration to keep going on adventures. thankfully, my roommates and i have rock climbing lessons coming up in the next couple of weeks so that should keep me satisfied for the short-term. what adventures do you want to go on?

i might need to take a personal day tomorrow...

first off - to answer jess' question in the previous post.  umm when i first saw those heart decals my heart started to race, i got excited and immediately looked up at one of the 20 calendars in my little cube to see when i could take off work to get to westminster abbey and pick up some of those AWESOME decals.  so yes, i would wear them. in fact i would pay roughly $800 on a trip to london just to pick them up.  instead, i will probably stick with buying this royal nail  polish instead, appropriately named no more waity katie.

picture via pinterest

secondly - i have always loved the idea of a rainbow cake and when i stumbled across this adorable little cake today, i was so excited by how rad it was and wanted to try it out right away.  thus, i realized that i just might have to take a personal day tomorrow so i can stay home and make this cake.  not going to lie, it would probably take me multiple attempts to get that gradient just right, but i could probably suffer the consequences and eat all the left overs :)

this cake just reminded me how excited i am for st. patrick's day...anyone else excited?  do you have any good traditions for this holiday?

beauty meets british monarchy

as soon as i saw these royal wedding nail decals, i obviously thought of alanna. it combines two of her favorite things: painting her nails and the royal wedding of prince william and kate middleton. i'm not sure if she would actually wear these or not, though. and fortuantely (or unfortunately) they're only available in westminster gift shops in london.

image via beautylish.com

so the question is... alanna, would you wear these? what about you, readers - would you wear these decals??

paper cranes

let me tell you, my little sister is a paper crane making machine.  that girl can pound out those cranes like it is nobody's business.  i have been asking her for months to make me paper crane or paper star garland that i can put over my bed (note to buster brown - i am still patiently waiting for them!!)

when i saw these paper cranes at this wedding from style me pretty  i loved the effect of multiple rows of the cranes, wouldn't something like this make a cool headboard??  i'd love.

it kind of reminds me of the art above serena's bed in gossip girl, which i also love.

picture via she's smart

my dream desk?

jessy and i like to talk about our future apartment a lot. specifically we like to talk about a few things...the lack of stray cats that will be in the general vicinity, how cute it will be, and our office.  we spend a ton of time thinking about what we want to be in there, which is funny because both of us will most likely have jobs where we work in a real office, but still we like to day dream.  i saw this picture on home sweet home and i think it might be my ideal little desk space.  i love how inspirational the print is and all of the pens and pencils make me jealous.

image via home sweet home

a little getaway

picture via flickr

for the next few days jessy and i will be on vacation..hopefully looking out on the scene above, we can't wait to spend some quality time enjoying the sun, beach, and the philadelphia phillies. we have a few posts scheduled for while we are gone, but hope everyone has an awesome week and we can't wait to be back next week with posts about our trip, st. patricks day and the start of summer (for delawareans at least). xoxo!

SPRING TRAINING!!!!!!!!

in two short days, jessy and i take off for clearwater, fl...home to the best team in baseball's spring training facilities. to say that we are excited would be an understatement, every other sentence references planned activities while there, R2C2, and the increased likelihood that we will see chase utley out at a bar with his knee injury (this is only a positive assuming he will be 100% a-okay by the start of the regular season). to prepare for this legendary trip, we scoped out some pretty awesome phillies shirts. here were some of our favorites:

get it? because we have the best pitching line-up in the league, you can't hit on us.

get to show our love for chase utley and america? life can't get much better than that.

classy and cute.

chicks do dig diamonds. and better yet this shirt is a performance shirt. oh yea.

and i am trying to get jessy to buy this bag to carry around while in clearwater...for some reason i haven't yet sold her on how fashionable that would be.

all images via football fanatics

if i was really cool...

i would use this personalized case to hold my iphone

case via squirrellicious

which i would use to take a picture of this sunrise

picture via flickr

picture via flickr

while eating this bagel

picture via out and about magazine

rhinos

i have a neon yellow rhino necklace that i got from jcrew a few years ago, i love it and oddly enough get a lot of compliments on it. i am starting to think i might have a thing for rhinos, because i am a huge fan of this brass rhino from high street market. i think it would look adorable sitting on my dresser.

the next justin bieber?

this five year old girl is absolutely adorable and her performance will make your heart melt. just wait until the 1:24 mark, it's my favorite part!

bored at work?

...take this face recognition quiz! i just took the famous faces test - i'm pretty well versed in the celebrity world so i wanted to test my skills. i got a 96%, which is above the average of 85%.

next i'm going to take the online cambridge face memory test which tests your memory of unfamiliar faces. i'm interested to see the results! my "nerd alert" reason why?: i always hear how often eye witnesses in a crime are wrong so i want to see how good my memory of unfamiliar faces is to see whether or not i would be a strong eye witness.

update: i just completed the cambridge face memory test....and i got 100%! i'm not kidding!! turns out i would be the best eye witness ever!

the latest trend in eco-friendly water bottles?

i like to pretend that i am doing my part to save the planet by using my camelback water bottle instead of buying an endless supply of dasani/polar springs/smart water bottles etc.  when i came across this "anti-bottle" water bottle at my life scoop i wasn't sure what to think at first...i was confused if they were reusable, easy to clean, etc.  but after checking out their website, it looks like these vapur water bottles are pretty legit.  i think i might have to buy one to try it out. they look like they would be great for the gym and traveling.  has anyone else used them before?