Holley Buchanan

Seek Up

2010-10-14T09:34:00.002-07:00

It's been over a month now since my last post. My lack of tending to this blog is in part because we have been, and currently are, in Wisconsin with family at the moment. A bigger reason however would probably be because, simply put, I'm just not feelin' it anymore. I started this in January of 2008 and somewhere along the line it started to get less and less personal. Fluff posts. Nothing of importance. Then I started to see that anytime I would post something of (in my mind) a bit of importance, I would get backlash for it. An upset e-mail, somebody or another reading too much into things. I couldn't speak freely. More friends and family became aware of my little space here (whether you were a commenter or not, I have sitemeter, I see your visits) and while that's not necessarily a bad thing, it started to really make me feel like I had to censor myself. And that got frustrating. So for awhile I wasn't quite sure where to go from there. I knew that I wanted to keep writing and posting. I wanted to have a way to let my thoughts get out of my own head. And lately, there's a lot going on in there and a lot that I want to be able to get out somewhere. I didn't create this blog for other people, I did it for myself. I've never wanted or even considered making this blog private. I can't stand it when people do that. So instead of making the blog private, I have decided to carry on elsewhere, anonymously. Maybe I'll be back here from time to time, maybe not. I'll leave things for the time being with this lovely song by Dave Matthews Band.

Sometimes I feel like I'm falling
Fall back again, fall back again,
Fall back again, fall back again
Oh, life it seems a struggle between
What we think what we see
I'm not going to change my ways
Just to please you or appease you
Inside a crowd, five billion proud
Willing to punch it out
Right, wrong, weak, strong
Ashes to ashes all fall down
Look around about this round
About this merry-go-round around
If at all God's gaze upon us fall
His mischievous grin, look at him

Forget about the reasons and
The treasons we are seeking
Forget about the notion that
Our emotions can be swept away
Forget about being guilty,
We are innocent instead
For soon we will all find our lives swept away

Sit awhile with TV's hungry child
Big belly swelled
Oh, for a price of a coke or a smoke
Keep alive those hungy eyes
Take a look at me, what you see in me,
Mirror look at me
Face it all, face it all again

Forget about the reasons and
The treasons we are seeking
Forget about the notion that your emotions can be
Wept away, kept at bay
Forget about being guilty, i am innocent instead
For soon we will all find our lives swept away

You seek up an emotion
And our cup is overflowing
You seek up an emotion,
Sometimes your well is dry
You seek up a big monster
For him to fight your wars for you
But when he finds his way to you, the devil's not
Going--ha, ha

Say, say

Look at me in my fancy car
And my bank account
Oh, how I wish I could take it all down
Into my grave, I'd save
Take a look again, take a look again,
Take a look again
Everyday things change,...stay the same

Forget about the reasons and
The treasons we are seeking
Forget about the notion that
Your emotions can be swept away
Intentions are not wicked,
Don't be tricked into thinking so
Soon we will all find our lives swept away

You seek up an emotion
And our cup is overflowing
You seek up an emotion,
Sometimes your well is dry
You seek up a big monster
For him to fight your wars for you
But when he finds his way to you,
The devil's not going--ha, ha
Fall back again, fall back again, fall back again...

Buds

2010-09-09T09:45:00.000-07:00

Lulu & Moe

Curb Your Enthusiasm

2010-09-07T11:36:00.003-07:00

I know I'm about 10 years late on this but we recently discovered this show and can't stop watching. It feels almost like Seinfeld (one of my favorite shows ever) has come back. It's so smart and funny and Larry David is such a lovable bonehead (and sadly, I actually relate to him quite a bit.) If you're a fan of the humor behind Seinfeld and haven't checked Curb out yet, you better get on that.

Today

2010-09-01T10:47:00.001-07:00

May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that
has been given to you.
May you be content knowing you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to
sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us..

Moe

2010-08-27T10:43:00.000-07:00

That's it's name, in case you were wondering. Still unsure about the weewee or vageegee detail but Moe fits either way.

Let It Be

2010-08-24T22:31:00.007-07:00

I've been coming to realize the importance of that statement.
Let it be. Everything doesn't need to be figured out right now. There's a time for it all to come to light and the peace that can be felt when just accepting that and letting things flow on their natural course is exceptional.

(The Beatles have the answers to pretty much everything.)

Photo Shoot with Baby Kitty

2010-08-06T09:34:00.001-07:00

No name yet because we're still unsure of gender. It's putting out boy vibes though. Lulu had been enjoying her time as only pet so needless to say, she is pissed. Wah, wah, waah.

Funniest Nine Seconds on YouTube

2010-08-05T10:48:00.001-07:00

If you didn't already think I was mean after the blueberry video, you probably will after this one. Okay, so I guess I'm mean. I am who I am. :) Because I find the below video absolutely hilarious. Just watch and then we will discuss.

All done watching? Maybe a couple different times now? Okay so here is what makes this video funny to me:

1. Baby kitten wearing a tiny hat. FUNNY!
2. Big cat's name is "Speedo." Super FUNNY!
3. The look on baby kitten's face and the little squeak he made when he got the smackdown. FUNNY!
4. We had a very similar incident with Lulu and Pemba when we first brought Lulu home as a kitten. Only no hats were involved. :(
5. Speedo is now known as, "the world's most hated cat." Again, FUNNY!

What I've Been Reading

2010-08-04T09:36:00.004-07:00

I've found some really good books lately and have been loving to lay out by the pool and read in the sunshine.

I haven't finished this one yet, I'm reading it simultaneously with the one below. So far it's really interesting though. It's all about how the majority of people (kids specifically) have either allergies, ADHD, autism or asthma and it's all on the rise. It's not natural, normal or something we should just accept. It's because of our food supply and all the processed crap out there. Not exactly a heart warmer but definitely need to know information.

Ah, basically my new Bible. :) Kidding kidding, but seriously, a must read for anyone who is not naturally 13 year old boy thin. I love Jillian and highly highly highly recommend this book!

Michael Pollan, another person I look up to in the health department. Smart smart guy. Seth and I read this book in a couple of hours. It's fairly small and a very easy read. It's kind of a starting point of what we should and shouldn't be eating. Great little tips of wisdom such as, "don't eat anything your Grandmother wouldn't recognize as a food." (example: gogurt, cheetos, etc. - What the heck ARE those??) A great book for anyone who is starting to get into healthy/ethical eating.

This would have to be my guilty pleasure read. It's not exactly educational or historical or anything like that but it's still really fun. I adore Tori Spelling and have read all of her books (this is her third.) She's really down to earth and when I read her stories, I can SO relate. We seem to have similar personalities and I want to be her friend! lol

Chill Summer Songs

2010-07-22T11:51:00.002-07:00

Good Advice

2010-07-15T09:52:00.004-07:00

I found this video on the Four Hour Work Week blog and just had to share. Yes, the song is now 10 years old but hey, the advice is still great and relevant. All of the footage was shot over a year of traveling and if you have a few minutes, it is definitely worth a watch. Actually, even if you don't have a few minutes, stop and make a few right now. :)

Style Watch: Blake Lively

2010-07-09T10:42:00.005-07:00

Lately I've had my eye on just about everything that Blake Lively steps out in. I love her laid back, California girl style. I know a few of these photo examples are from her character, Serena on Gossip Girl but I don't care because either way, the girl looks awesome. Check it out:

This dress is to.die.for! The braided straps are just incredible and her earrings are also amazing!

I don't totally love the outfit here but those sandals have put me on a mad hunt for something similar. Must have!!

Normally I can't stand the romper look. Seems like it's better suited for a toddler but somehow Blake not only pulls it off, but looks amazing doing so!

I love this summer casual look! I live for days that are so hot out you just want to throw on something light and airy, just like this.

Adorable!

I know a lot of people think that the boots + dress/skirt combo is done but I'm not over it yet! I love how it's girly plus playful.

Who knew a blazer + jean shorts could work together!?

These shoes are so hot!

So chic!

I love the simplicity of this outfit, yet she still looks put together and adorable.

Bright colors like this are perfect for summer skin!

I know this is really plain but seriously, it's not that easy to make a simple white tee and cutoff shorts look this effortlessly good!

(Photos: JustJared)

Plans are in progress...

2010-06-28T12:55:00.002-07:00

Get Back!

2010-06-22T14:56:00.005-07:00

I know this is old news but I just stumbled across it again and thought it was pretty fun. Who knew Tom could move like that!?!

Yes, Please

2010-06-11T11:52:00.004-07:00

(Real Estalker, click to enlarge)

I've yet to stumble across my complete dream house, might just have to build it myself. But the house above certainly has some good qualities going for it. :)

A Few Recent Tidbits...

2010-06-01T10:53:00.015-07:00

(There needs to be more goat appearances on this blog)

Weather
Above is our forcast for the next few days. Exciting. I can't believe it's June and the weather is still acting like it's April. Very uncool. Our pool opened last weekend and I so want to go but somehow the magic is lost when it's only 64 degrees outside. We got a new grill last weekend, cleaned up our deck and plan on getting a porch swing...all of which would be far more enjoyable with temps in the 70's-80's and the rain far far away. It's too warm for sweatshirts but too chilly for just a t shirt. It's a very confusing time as far as wardrobe is concerned.

Movies

We saw Sex and The City 2 last weekend with my Mom.
Eh. Carrie was so unlikeable for the majority of the movie and it just felt like the whole thing was trying too hard. The first movie was a nice wrap up and I actually really liked it a lot. The second one seemed like it was mostly about dollar signs. Watchable, yes..."good?"...not exactly.

The weekend before last we saw, "The Joneses." Now there's a good movie. I love socially relevant movies that have a point and purpose. It's curious though that even with big actors like Demi Moore and David Duchovny staring, the movie got a very limited release. Given the subject matter, I'm really not surprised though. It's about Americans spending too much money, always trying to have the next best thing and always trying to keep up with the Joneses. Very good!

Pets

We're now a one pet household. For the time being. ;) Minky just needed more work than we could give her. She refused to let me brush her, then would get terrible mats, puke up hairballs constantly and the hair all over EVERYTHING was not fun. It was so fine that the vacuum wouldn't even pick it up. She was cute but such a diva and just not for us. We were able to find her an adorable lady who has experience with Himalayans to adopt her so it all worked out good.

Scents

I have recently discovered the best smelling perfume I have EVER SMELLED IN MY LIFE! Hanae Mori No. 1. Seriously, no exaggeration. Actually, Seth discovered it. :0 I have a pretty large perfume collection and I love yummy smells but this one just takes the cake. I am constantly smelling my wrists these days because the scent makes me smile. It's limited edition so I might need to pick up a backup or two. ;)

Seth recently got the YSL L'Homme cologne. Mmmmm....very yummy as well!

Anyway, that's all I feel like writing for now. So happy that because of the holiday, this week is only four days long! Woot Woot!

Blueberries

2010-05-19T20:45:00.003-07:00

If you haven't seen the blueberries video yet, you need to take 25 seconds out of your day and watch it below. It made Seth and I laugh out loud...hard. A few times.
Maybe we just have evil humor. ;)

Oh, and before you start thinking what a mean little shrew I am, the parents said the only thing that was hurt was the little girl's pride. :)

Mother's Day...

2010-05-10T14:32:00.004-07:00

(Mom and newborn me. 1985)

...Was yesterday. We had a great time up at my Mom's house enjoying the sunshine, eating yummy Panera sandwiches and just talking and hanging out outside all afternoon. Today is my Grandmother's (Mimi) birthday (my Mom's Mom) and she would have been 71. I never got to know her as much as I would have liked as she lived in New Jersey. We sent letters and trinkets back and forth while I was in college but didn't get the chance to spend much face time together.
I don't really have a point here. I just felt like she needed to be mentioned today as she has been on my mind.
I was bummed to discover that my scanner is on strike so I tried taking pictures of pictures just so we could have something visually appeasing with this post. Enjoy the sweetness that was the late 80's. :)

(What can I say? I went through a bit of a chunky stage. Clearly.)

(We lived in Corvallis for a short time. In true OSU school spirit, the house had orange carpet.)

(Nom nom nom!)

(It should probably be noted that my Mom did in fact have a swimsuit on here, contrary to what it looks like.
Strapless swimsuits + 1988 = so chic)

(I think all of my pictures of Mimi are in another album up in the loft.
However, I am 99% sure this is her arm. :) Gotta take what we can get.)

P.S. Totally off topic but why does U2's "Red Hill Mining Town" rock so friggin' much?

A Little Energy for a Thursday Morning!

2010-05-06T08:47:00.001-07:00

It's Time

2010-04-30T10:13:00.005-07:00

"When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be." ~Lao Tzu

Changes are a'happenin'.
It's time to live a life less ordinary.
It's time to let my actions reflect my thoughts. You know why? Because: "Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony." -Ghandi
Isn't happiness what we all want?
Kelly Cutrone says that, "average people love being average because nobody bothers them."
Well I don't want to be average. I've never felt average. And it's time to let that be shown.

I am connecting with my passions and becoming the person I want to be.

Eleanor Roosevelt said, "Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people."
It's time to focus on the ideas. To build the ideas, to build the desired life.

Always remember:
"Everything you want is just outside your comfort zone." -R. Allen
And I intend to get everything I want. ;)

This Right Here...

2010-04-27T10:19:00.002-07:00

...is why I just ADORE Taylor Swift.

http://ahugfromtaylorswift.com/Home.html

Bummer

2010-04-22T13:54:00.002-07:00

Sex & The City 2!

2010-04-09T10:42:00.002-07:00

Pretty much can't wait for this to come out! And pretty much wish Carrie would end up with Aiden.
That's all.

Indeed

2010-04-06T10:18:00.004-07:00

"Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony" -Ghandi

Not Gunna Lie...

2010-03-31T11:50:00.005-07:00

...After watching the trailer below, I'm pretty excited about the final season of The Hills. I know it's contrived and "enhanced" but there is still some truth to it and I gotta admit, it looks juicy. :)

Currently Craving:

2010-03-25T13:14:00.000-07:00

A beach trip.

(taken last Spring 2009 in Lincoln City Roads End)

What We've Been Watching Lately:

2010-03-24T11:33:00.007-07:00

Entourage.
At first I thought it was a little lame but stuck with it anyway. Once you get past season one there is a lot more storyline going on and it gets pretty good. And addicting! :)
Oh, and Jeremy Piven pretty much deserves a million awards for his acting as Ari Gold. Hilarious!
Anyway, just thought I would take a little heat off all the politics talk and mention that.

The Things They Left Behind...

2010-03-24T11:22:00.003-07:00

This is the one and only time on this blog that I have ever posted something without adding a picture. These pictures do all the talking for me:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/03/21/magazine/20100321-soliders-bedrooms-slideshow.html

One Step In The Right Direction

2010-03-24T11:12:00.003-07:00

I admit, a large portion of the time, Michael Moore is pretty outlandish and over the top. I wouldn't consider myself a fan or supporter of his, but I am a listener. And sometimes he gets things pretty right on. If you haven't seen the movie Sicko yet, I would suggest you watch it. It was the first step in forming my opinion on health care and provides lots of great facts. Not just opinions, but facts. Anyway, below is Moore's response to the bill's passing:

To My Fellow Citizens, the Republicans:

Thanks to last night's vote, that child of yours who has had asthma since birth will now be covered after suffering for her first nine years as an American child with a pre-existing condition.

Thanks to last night's vote, that 23-year-old of yours who will be hit one day by a drunk driver and spend six months recovering in the hospital will now not go bankrupt because you will be able to keep him on your insurance policy.

Thanks to last night's vote, after your cancer returns for the third time — racking up another $200,000 in costs to keep you alive — your insurance company will have to commit a criminal act if they even think of dropping you from their rolls.

Yes, my Republican friends, even though you have opposed this health care bill, we've made sure it is going to cover you, too, in your time of need. I know you're upset right now. I know you probably think that if you did get wiped out by an illness, or thrown out of your home because of a medical bankruptcy, that you would somehow pull yourself up by your bootstraps and survive. I know that's a comforting story to tell yourself, and if John Wayne were still alive I'm sure he could make that into a movie for you.

But the reality is that these health insurance companies have only one mission: To take as much money from you as they can — and then work like demons to deny you whatever coverage and help they can should you get sick.

So, when you find yourself suddenly broadsided by a life-threatening illness someday, perhaps you'll thank those pinko-socialist, Canadian-loving Democrats and independents for what they did Sunday evening.

If it's any consolation, the thieves who run the health insurance companies will still get to deny coverage to adults with pre-existing conditions for the next four years. They'll also get to cap an individual's annual health care reimbursements for the next four years. And if they break the pre-existing ban that was passed last night, they'll only be fined $100 a day! And, the best part? The law will require all citizens who aren't poor or old to write a check to a private insurance company. It's truly a banner day for these corporations.

So don't feel too bad. We're a long way from universal health care. Over 15 million Americans will still be uncovered — and that means about 15,000 will still lose their lives each year because they won't be able to afford to see a doctor or get an operation. But another 30,000 will live. I hope that's ok with you.

If you don't mind, we're now going to get busy trying to improve upon this bill so that all Americans are covered and so the grubby health insurance companies will be put out of business — because when it comes to helping the sick, no one should ever be allowed to ask the question, "How much money can we save by making this poor bastard suffer?"

Please, my Republican friends, if you can, take a quiet moment away from your AM radio and cable news network this morning and be happy for your country. We're doing better. And we're doing it for you, too.

Yours,
Michael Moore
MMFlint@aol.com
MichaelMoore.com

P.S. I'll have more to say on this tonight, live on CNN, at 9pm ET. I'll be talking with Larry King about the health care bill and where we go from here, considering we still don't have universal health care.

P.P.S. In case you missed these photos in yesterday's NY Times Sunday Magazine… That's the results of seven years of madness. The Iraq War began its 8th year this weekend. How can we remove more of those responsible for this tragedy in November?

Health Care

2010-03-23T18:58:00.002-07:00

When The World Ends...

2010-03-21T18:24:00.004-07:00

I saw this on PostSecret today and just liked it.
I'm glad there are still others who don't take things too seriously.
And it reminded me of these two awesome Dave songs:

Remember Me

2010-03-15T20:08:00.006-07:00

We saw this movie this past weekend and it was REALLY GOOD. Not like the best movie ever, but just a really good, solid flick. I cried a bit. And it's been on my mind every since. It was just so good that I had to spread the word.

Saturday was actually pretty fun. Typical rainy Oregon spring day. Even though it was wet out, we still didn't feel like being cooped up at home so decided to go get some lunch at Willamette Burger. Which turned into going on a long country drive (driving right underneath rainbows), visiting some goats, stopping by my Dad's grave site, yummy Starbucks pit stop, stopping in to get a couple things from MAC, going to see Remember Me, grabbing dinner at The Brick and going by two grocery stores. What we had thought was going to just be an hour outing ended up keeping us out for over 10 hours. Always good times. :) Oh, and since it was rainy, I thought it was the perfect chance to wear my new slouchy beanie!:

Basically...

2010-03-08T09:33:00.001-08:00

25 Random Things About Me

2010-03-05T16:08:00.001-08:00

I actually did this for facebook about a year ago but thought I would post it on here now. I love reading them about other people so anyone reading this should make their own! :)

1. Hydrangeas are my favorite flowers. In just about any color. I think they're classy and underestimated. :)

2. I am a terrible phone person. I pace and don't always say what I mean to say. I don't know why or what my deal is but I just hate talking on the phone. Even if it's just for dumb little things like ordering a pizza, I always try and get someone else to do it.

3. I can pass on chocolate and sweets any day but cheese and breads are my real weaknesses!

4. I completely 100% believe in the law of attraction and that you can control your life through it--whether for the better or for the worse.

5. I have seen every episode of the Golden Girls. Multiple times. It never ever gets old! I can get almost anything "unfun" done if I have tv to distract me: cleaning, laundry, working out, cooking, etc.

6. I could spend all day gushing over beautiful high end brands but when it comes down to it, thrift stores are my absolute favorite!! I LOVE getting deals!!

7. I cannot relax, think or be totally happy when there is clutter and messyness around me. It puts me in a bad mood and makes me feel uneasy.

8. My favorite holiday is the 4th of July. Summertime, BBQs, fireworks...perfect!!

9. I have these weird little bouts of OCD. Things like all labels always need to be facing out, whether it's in the fridge, shower or just a lotion sitting on a dresser. Cupboards cannot be left open for a second longer than it takes to get an item out. Clothes need to be color coordinated in my closet. Dvd's in alphabetical order. I can't step on sidewalk cracks. Laundry folded a very specific way.--A bunch of little things like that. And if any of it gets messed up, I feel major anxiety. Dork.

10. I am a huge animal lover.

11. I am 23 (now 24) years old and totally scared of the dark. Complete four year old style. I usually have to go to bed with the tv on to keep me distracted before I can fall asleep. If I just turn the lights off then I start imagining all sorts of satanic things coming after me. :(

12. I have a big collection of gorgeous high heels that I love to look at but 99% of the time, I wear flip flops or Uggs. I like comfort.

13. I am obsessed with movies! Going to movies is my favorite but we are also acquiring quite a large dvd collection. I can't just watch though...I have to watch and judge and decide how I would do it differently.

14. I absolutely love Ellen Degeneres! I think she is hilarious and like how she doesn't have to make fun of anyone to be funny.

15. I plan on traveling the world.. It is one of my worst fears to be 90 years old wondering why I didn't go see all there was to offer.

16. I am absolutely terrified of flying. One ounce of turbulence and I'm convinced I'm a goner. Ugggh, I hate it SO much!! Something I'm going to have to learn to just deal with though because I plan on going to a lot of places.

17. I'm a bit of an Ebay junkie. Buying AND selling. It's got to the point where if I'm in a store and want to buy something I have to check ebay first to make sure I can't get it for way less on there. Like I said before, I love deals!!

18. I hate the way ice water tastes once the ice has started to melt. I don't know why, but it completely changes the taste and I cannot drink it anymore. Sick! I also won't drink water if it has been sitting out in a glass for more than an hour.

19. I'm scared to death to have a kid. Seth and I often joke that our kid is going to have to be a big time surprise because we can't imagine saying, "it's time." :-/

20. I love lists. If I ever get stressed or overwhelmed than I just need to sit down and make out a list for what needs to get done and suddenly it all seems easy.

21. I am constantly eavesdropping. I find other people so fascinating and love hearing what they're all talking about as I pass them by.

22. Spaghetti is my favorite food. It never gets old! YUM!

23. I saw The Exorcisism of Emily Rose a few years ago and after it, vowed to not watch scary movies any more-and I haven't! That was the one the did it for me. Life is too short to spend two hours purposely terrified. No thanks.

24. I could sit on a bench in the middle of just about any public place and be entertained for hours just watching people.

25. Seth and I are pretty much joined at the hip. We go everywhere together and can pretty much communicate just by looks. We often joke that we share a brain, not in a dumb way (haha) but just how similar we think.

Need To Smile?

2010-03-04T09:51:00.000-08:00

Then watch this.

What the heck happened to Savage Garden anyway? Boy oh boy did I use to be OBSESSED. I remember being 13 and falling asleep to their CD on my Discman pretty much every single night.

I also remember being grounded that summer and having to do yard work for my parents. I had the radio on and z100 was giving away Savage Garden concert tickets. The whole day while I was working, I was hitting redial on the phone, trying desperately to win.
I didn't.
Now their music makes me laugh.

Spring Chicks Are Here!

2010-03-02T10:22:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday was such a nice day, we decided to just head south and go for a sunny country drive. While passing through Sweet Home, saw the above sign saying, "chicks are here."
Baby chickens? Of course we HAD to stop.
We HAD to take a peek.
We did NOT have to buy any.
But we're kinda weird so of course we did.

Two of em'. We were going to just get one but the guy there said it would get lonely and drive us crazy so we took two little one week old sisters. They're called Black Sex Link. Hmmmm...
Anyway, not really sure what our plan is with them. At first I figured it would be fun to just have a little chick for a couple weeks then pass it on to a farmer. But the truth is, we would love to keep them and use them for eggs. Obviously we don't really have a set up for this sort of thing but we're looking into options.

These Songs...

2010-03-01T08:46:00.003-08:00

...Have been on repeat on my playlists and my mind lately. Kind of obsessed with them.

Swallowed In The Sea - Coldplay

Take Your Mama Out - Scissor Sisters

My Father's Gun - Elton John

Please Don't Leave Me - Pink

Birthday Boy!

2010-02-24T09:21:00.006-08:00

Happy 28th birthday to my darling husband, Seth!! Truly, the best person I have ever met.

I've never really thought about whether or not we have an actual song together, but now that I think back, this would have to be it.

Dora

2010-02-18T12:06:00.003-08:00

Lulu wanted to show off this hat she got for her birthday earlier this month. Her idol of course, is Dora the Explora so she wanted something that would make her look adventurous and ready for action. I think she got it.

If you could hie to Kolob

2010-02-16T17:29:00.005-08:00

Somehow, over the past two years or so, I completely forgot about the church song, "If you could hie to Kolob." I have no idea how I forgot about it or why I haven't thought about it in such a long time. It use to be my favorite.

I remember before I joined the church...it was maybe my 2nd or 3rd time visiting and we sang this song. It was the first church song that I liked. At the time, all the others seemed weird to me but this strange little one, I liked.

However, it wasn't until just this afternoon that I looked up what the heck "Kolob" even is. For some reason, I always had a whole different thought in my head of what it is. Funny how that can happen. You think you like something because of what it means to you in your mind, then it ends up meaning something different from what you thought.
Turns out: "Kolob is a star or planet mentioned in the Book of Abraham as being nearest to the throne or residence of God."

Hmmm. I find it curious that some elements of what I understand to be core LDS doctrines are articulated nowhere outside of certain hymn lyrics. I wonder why Kolob is never mentioned or brought up? Interesting. I think I've got things like families and food storage down. I'd like to know more about things like this. Why does it seem to me that there is a whole other world of topics out there that aren't even touched on at church? Not just silly little tidbits either, but (in my mind) important, life affecting topics. Don't even get me started on my questions about things like "Heavenly Mother."

Anyway, is it weird that I think it would be awesome to have a version of this done by the TransSiberian Orchestra?

Say Hey (I Love You)

2010-02-08T19:26:00.003-08:00

I love this song, "Say Hey (I Love You)" by Michael Franti!!
What I love even more is that they used it in this awesome scene from Weeds (a show we've recently come to love!):

Separated At Birth:

2010-01-30T12:21:00.002-08:00

Motivation

2010-01-27T11:38:00.000-08:00

Stains!

2010-01-18T12:50:00.006-08:00

Just the fact that there is a dog in existence who carries the name, "Stains" is pretty funny to me. But take a look at the video above and try to tell me Stains isn't amazing. Seth sent me his video about a month ago but today I noticed that he is nominated for hot slut of the year on Dlisted. He better win.

Vintage Lulu

2010-01-17T20:17:00.003-08:00

This is almost two years old. We had Lulu for maybe two days in this picture. We got her when she was a couple days shy of five weeks old. We had no clue that that was too young to take a kitten from their Mom and as a result, we are paying for that for the rest of her life with her dependency issues. haha.

Gorgeous House!

2010-01-14T13:19:00.000-08:00

(Click to make it bigger!)

The Real Estalker posted this today and I've been drooling over it ever since. I'm not too crazy about the way it looks on the outside but check out the inside! Those floors!! That kitchen! Those windows!! Mmmmm! :)

I Love This Picture:

2010-01-13T14:15:00.002-08:00

This is my favorite time of day, just before the sun sets. Not AT sunset, but just before...when the sun gives one last burst of brightness, casting beautiful shadows everywhere. Seeing pictures that capture this time of day make me happy. Then add the ocean, the scenery, the coastline highway, the convertible, the clothing. Just a gorgeous shot. That is all.

Dress Time

2010-01-08T09:53:00.011-08:00

I'm in a dress mood today. The right dress can be make you feel so feminine, cute and comfortable! Feast your eyes on some beauties below:

ModCloth

Shabby Apple

Ralph Lauren

ModCloth

ModCloth

Shabby Apple

My New Thing

2010-01-06T10:33:00.001-08:00

So I have a bit of an obsessive personality. When I find something I really love, I tend to go overboard, buy it multiple times in every color and end up with little collections of things. When a new idea pops into my head, it's all I can think about. I will lay awake at night, just fantasizing about whatever it is at the moment that I want. I don't know why I am so obsessive like that but I just go with it. :) So recently I was on Nie Nie's blog and saw this adorable picture.
What really stuck out to me though was the background (I always stalk out the backgrounds in pictures.) The HUGE collection of latte bowls stacked on the counter! My, they are beautiful! I've always admired latte bowls, the simplicity, the versatility, the overall cuteness! Mmmm! But it wasn't until I saw the potential of what a full blown collection of them could look like that I decided I must make them mine! They can be "my new thing." I think I need to make a trip up to Anthropologie (where said bowls can be found) asaNOW! :)

My Cats Are Cute

2010-01-03T17:36:00.000-08:00

That is all.

Oh Honestly Now...

2010-01-01T16:07:00.001-08:00

This little guy is so cute, it's just ridiculous. Those eyes!

Look Who's Number One ;)

2009-12-31T15:41:00.003-08:00

Seriously, above their own website? Above wiki? RANDOM!
I knew I got hits daily from people searching, "Archer Farms" but to be the first google result surprises me!
This result is from my home computer but Seth did the same search from his work computer and my blog was the 11th result, so I guess it might not be the same for everywhere. But STILL! :)

Picture Of The Day:

2009-12-31T13:29:00.000-08:00

Three Years...

2009-12-30T09:14:00.018-08:00

...Is how long I've been married to this guy below. :)
It's cool to think that three years ago today, we were in Chicago tying the knot. In one way, it feels like yesterday but then when I think about it, it's so hard to remember a time when we weren't married and that day that was just three years ago almost feels like a dream that never even happened. It's weird that time seems to speed and crawl at the same time.

I think this picture is kind of funny. Seth was carrying my dress so it didn't drag on the wet ground. I remember I was worried that he was lifting it too high and my whole backside was exposed for all to see. Of course you can see by the photo that the dress really isn't lifted that high but it felt like it was at the time and you can see the worry in my face. Ha!

Anyway, here's a big pile of randomness from over the past few years together.

This was actually when we were just dating. (Fall of 2006) Maybe our 4th time hanging out together? Early morning in Rexburg, ID watching the Angel Moroni being put on the new Temple. It was freezing cold, pouring down rain and 7 or 8am.

Oregon coast for Seth's birthday in February last year (2009).

Christmas Eve 2008 at my parents house in Tigard.

A couple days ago heading up to the Blazers game! Over the past couple years we have discovered we love the Blazers!!

Getting ready to go to Seth's company Christmas party this year. (Just a couple weeks ago.)

The first summer after getting married (2007) when we were living in Wisconsin. This was in Milwaukee on the waterfront. There was a big party going on with fireworks and music. Good times.
Being goofy little dorks this past summer.

On my 24th birthday this past September.

Blazers opening night game 2009.

Randomness this past summer. We had just recently moved into our new place. Big smiles when I get kisses from this guy. :)

Camping trip summer 2009. We drove down the Oregon coastline from Astoria to Coos Bay (which I believe is where this one was taken at.)

Botanical Gardens, again in Coos Bay.

Just being weirdos I suppose. This too was in the dating period.

This was on our way to a cabin in Victor, Idaho. We were celebrating being married for one month!

Seth's first Oregon Fall/Winter time. (2007) We had moved back here about four months prior. On a little walk by the river.

Halloween 2007. Apparently I decided to dress as Pemba.

I believe this was summer of 2008 walking around in downtown Salem.

In Boise, Idaho November of 2007. We were there for Seth's cousin's wedding.

Camping trip in Yachats, OR at the coast. It was freeeezing and we were riding our bikes on the beach. I think it was summer of 2008.

Again, being weird. What can I say? I think this was Winter 2008.

An engagement picture.

Another engagement picture. Some announcements we sent out had this one and others had the picture above.

Annnnd that's all for now. Here's to eternity! :)

Festivus...For The Rest Of Us!

2009-12-22T09:19:00.002-08:00

VIVA LA VIDA!!!

2009-12-18T15:19:00.002-08:00

I know I've mentioned a bazillion times how obsessed I am with this song. I can't help it. It's amazing and it never gets old. The video is sweet as well. Nice little Friday afternoon pick-me-up. :)

Another song that I'm currently obsessed with is Bad by U2. I remember loving U2 since I was at least 12 years old. Somehow, all those years, I never really gave Bad much of a shot. So it feels new to me. And it's so beautiful.:

Life...

2009-12-15T09:41:00.003-08:00

...Is just a series of moments.
Just like these ones.
Cherish them.

I don't know why but this video made me cry a bit and also feel a kind of nauseous. Probably because it can be a bit overwhelming if you watch it under the right circumstances. Maybe I was just in a sappy mood. It really is amazing though. Just beautiful really. And honest. Please watch this but only do so if you are not currently distracted by anything, pressed for time, are able to turn the volume on and watch the whole thing.

What's Your Style Profile?

2009-12-14T11:11:00.000-08:00

I saw this posted on my friend Beth's blog and thought I would take the quiz to see what it says my style is. It's actually a fun little interactive quiz with what I think, has pretty accurate results so I thought I'd post it.

I'd definitely agree that for the most part, my style is more classic. I don't understand the trends. You will never see me in a pair of skinny jeans or with "Abercrombie" plastered across my chest like I'm a walking advertisement. No thanks.

I actually prefer older styles like things that Jackie Kennedy or Audrey Hepburn use to wear. The necklines, the hemlines, the bows, the simpleness...SO CUTE! It seems like a lot of girls these days forgot that feminine and sexy CAN still go hand in hand with being conservative!

But just because you don't jump on all the latest bandwagons doesn't mean "classic" has to be boring! I like throwing funky little things in there. Like a classic outfit with maybe leopard print nylons, or a funky headband. Blair Waldorf is my fashion Goddesses. I find myself drooling over her amazing wardrobe!!!

Yeah, she's a bit more dressed up 24/7 than I would ever be but for more casual stuff, I would love to buy the entire stores out at Ralph Lauren, J.Crew and Gap. In my mind, argyle print, ruffles, cashmeres and just a good solid black will never be outdated. :)

And because I have a bit of free spirit in me, do love the laid back, almost boho type look. Peasant tops, flowy skirts and hoodies take up a lot of my closet space. My hair is kind of always an uncontrollable mess and I really value comfort so that's where people like Nicole Richie win my heart with their style. :)

Some other style icons:
Carrie Underwood
Reese Witherspoon
Jessica Simpson (a couple years ago)
Eva Longoria
Kelly Ripa
Vanessa Minnillo

Anyway, that's kind of a long post just to show some quiz results. Ooops! :) You can take the quiz by going here.

New Scent Obsession

2009-12-11T11:33:00.000-08:00

I recently bought a bottle of Vera Wang's Princess perfume. In the past I had always avoided it because I thought the bottle looked really juvenile. The light purple color and the crown on top looked like something for an eight year old so I assumed the scent would be pretty cheap and icky. No thanks.

Then I got a free sample of it with some makeup I got on ebay and instantly fell in love with the smell.

The other day I got the big bottle and have been happily sniffing myself ever since. YUM! Somehow the bottle smells a bit different than the sample which is weird, but it actually is much better so that's fine by me. It is a delicious smell of fruity vanilla or something. Not musky vanilla, light airy, creamy vanilla. Pretty subtle, which I like and very girly!

I'm super sensitive to headaches, I can get them so easily, especially when using most perfumes. I have such a love for all pretty scents that it really creates quite the problem. This perfume however, never gives me a headache!! (well, at least not yet!) It really is a delicious smell so I just thought I would share. :)

Picture Of The Day:

2009-12-09T10:17:00.000-08:00

Ohh, that little elephant wants that treat BAD!!! haha! Look how happy he looks! :)

Oregon State vs. Colorado

2009-12-07T12:02:00.010-08:00

So on Friday we went to the Oregon State vs. Colorado basketball game. I thought it would be mildly entertaining. I was wrong. I think when you're use to watching the Blazers and other pro basketball, it's only natural for college level to be sub par. We were kind of spacing out a lot of the time. :-/

One cool part of the game though, was seeing the OSU bball coach, Craig Robinson (aka: Michelle Obama's brother...aka: the brother-in-law of THE PRESIDENT!) Not gunna lie, it was kinda cool. ;) We had pretty close seats that were situated behind the bench and up a couple rows so we managed to get in a few stalker shots as seen below. Nobody around us seemed to think it was anything special at all, guess we're just dorks. Lots of pictures below:

There he is!
Benny the Beaver. He was pretty ripped.

A stalker shot of James Rodgers from the football team. Apparently he's pretty good. Why I felt the need to take his picture? Boredom I suppose.

Seth. (not sporting orange & black but that's okay)
Me. (Showing school pride with my orange & black to the school I ended up not going to)

See the resemblance? Hehehe!

At least they won! Yay!

Outside afterward with my less than amused face....freeeeeezing!!

Problems Comparison Chart: Tiger Woods V. Jay Z

2009-12-04T12:21:00.005-08:00

Tiger Woods and Jay Z both have problems, but the similarities end there. If you havin' girl problems, Jay-Z feels bad for you, son.

It was just too funny not to post.

(Thought I'd be nice and post the clean version.)

Way Out West...

2009-12-04T10:53:00.003-08:00

I just love this commercial. It's probably the only one on air right now that I don't fast forward through. Makes me smile every time.

But what's better then little cows singing about burgers in a chipmunk voice?

How about little cows singing about burgers in a chipmunk voice...in SPANISH!!!

It's incredible really.

(Note: I do need to add though that these burgers look to be vomit inducing.)

About The Whole Tiger Woods Thing:

2009-12-02T17:16:00.014-08:00

(Yes, it looks like Elin has man hands in this picture but that's really neither here nor there.)

Boy oh boy this Tiger Woods stuff makes me sick. Yes, it is being overly played. Yes, I'm sure it will reach "Jon and Kate status" as it continues to be dissected. Yes, I am tired of it already. But at the same time, it's on my mind and it makes me sick.

The guy had it all. Granted, I understand that we never really know what goes on behind closed doors, but you can't deny that he had all the ingredients for a perfectly charmed life.

Amazingly gorgeous wife? Check.
Two cute, healthy little kids who look just like him? Check.
Being adored by practically the entire world? Check.
A career doing what he loves? Check.
Said career earning him ~~millions~~ billions of dollars? Check!

Oh, and did I mention how GORGEOUS his wife is!?
(And I love her hair color here!)

So honestly now...why would anyone in their right mind screw all of those things up? Cheating with (at least) three people???? And it's not even like they were one time things (not that that would make it okay) but at least one of these affairs lasted more than half of the length of his marriage! AND who knows how long it would have carried on if everything hadn't recently come to a screeching crash.) It's sad. It really is and that's the only word I can think of for it.

I know that at the end of the day, it's really none of my business. Yours either. But as people who watched this guy climb up, I think it's only natural to at least take a sideline interest in what is happening.

And the thing that not a lot of people think about or realize is it's not just some news story going on for entertainment and conversation. This is their life. They are living it right now. It IS their reality. And I know it happens every day to regular joe schmoes but when it happens to a public figure, something about that really grabs your interest.

Shane Powers over at Shanepowers.com breaks it down in such a perfect way. He says

"Attn: Tiger Woods

I can't imagine you are having a good week.

But let's break this down.

You have spent the last 15 years creating the image of a near "perfect" man. Hiring an elite team to carefully craft an image that will make you the most accessible to the most amount of people, so that you can generate as much money as possible and be liked by every single demographic known to man.

All of this is amazing. And ambitious, and as maybe one of the 3 best athletes ever, certainly reachable.

Here's the problem.....

We, the public, want to believe you are perfect too. BUT WE ULTIMATELY KNOW YOU AREN'T.

And as the years grown on, and the perfect image enhances, it creates the vacuum of if anything should go down, that would not make you perfect, we, the public, like flies to rotting meat, will ATTACK.

I think it's the human way. NO ONE IS PERFECT. AND WE ALL KNEW IT.

Add the "sex" and "cheating" element and you have a firestorm so huge, there is nothing to do, but take the stake, and feel the burn Tiger.

Cheating is fu**in wrong. It's hurtful, and devastates the most beautiful thing anyone has with someone else. TRUST.

I know athletes have this problem almost en masse, because they have been told all their lives they get to do whatever the f**k they want cause they are great athletes.

I believe this was your trap.

I'm now leaving you alone. It's time to let you heal. You have apologized.

REDEMPTION, having faults, and living after, I promise, from my perspective as a mortal, is gorgeous all the time."

.....Okay okay, now back to worrying about more important things.

Oh Honestly Now...

2009-12-02T14:21:00.000-08:00

Does it get any cuter than this??? I really think not!!!!

Wow! Hahaha!!!!

Thanksgiving

2009-12-01T09:11:00.022-08:00

We went out to Wisconsin for Thanksgiving to spend some time with Seth's family. I'm deathly afraid of flying so I pumped myself up with benadryl, cozied into my neck pillow, put on my sleep mask and was out for most of the flight (looking like a complete idiot, I'm sure.)

Oh, and of course at about 11pm the night before we were suppose to leave to head out there, our washer decided to explode, flooding water all over the floor. Twice. Of course the second time was just after I got done cleaning it all up from the first time! haha! It's all fixed now but boy, that was stressful!

We were in Wisconsin for a week and had lots of fun. I thought I should also add that his town of Janesville has the best Gap clearance section I have ever seen. I got $450 worth of clothes (actually it would have been more if you add in the tax) for...$44 (after tax)!! Crazy! Anyway here are just a few pictures from the trip:

Just us. Good grief, I need a tan!! UGH! But I do love those earrings I was wearing. I got them off ebay thinking they were just clay roses. Apparently they are made from fish scales!
Just me. I think mustard yellow is my new favorite color for fall, although I'm not sure it looks too good on me. Oh well!
Seth and his Mom.
Seth's niece, Lindsey and me. My dang stray hair was trying to ruin the picture.

Seth's incredibly smart nephew, Ezra. He has autism and is very "in tune," almost physic-like at times and has predicted many things about family members that turn out to be true. On our last night there, out of the blue he informed Seth that we would be having two kids. One boy, one girl. The boy will be first and it will be in 2010. Ummm...wow, I guess we'll just have to see about that!!
Seth and his Dad.

Seth's brother, Brett (who was so nice and drove down to Chicago at 12am to pick us up from the airport!!), his awesome sister in-law, Angela (sorry for posting a closed eye pic, still cute though!) and not their kid, but one of Seth's neices, Molly. (I should note that most of these pictures were taken by Seth's niece, Lindsey. Just in case you were wondering if I really busted up that close in people's faces. haha)

Seth's brother, Jake. Jake's wife, Tania. Their daughter, Meghan. Seth's Mom, Frieda. Looking over old family pictures, I believe.

I wish we got a picture with everyone. There were actually NINE kids there in total. Four for one family, five for another! We should have brought Lulu & Minky, that would add another two. :) (Actually, Seth has a huge family. He comes from a family of six kids and I believe there are a total of 17 nieces and nephews!)
Anyway, it was a fun trip. Good times!

NO H8

2009-11-21T23:37:00.004-08:00

I really love these pictures. I'm a big believer in love conquering hate. Of course there can and will be things we disagree with but when it comes down to it, it is not our place to judge anyone. I heard this quote a couple weeks ago that has really just stuck with me: "If everyone related to others on the basic human level, like brothers & sisters, the world would be a far better place."-Dalai Lama
Hate has got to stop.

The photographer is just amazing and each picture has it's own beauty but I would have to say that Khloe Kardashian's is probably my favorite. Just gorgeous! You can view the rest of the pictures from the campaign by clicking here.

Unfair

2009-11-18T15:51:00.006-08:00

I just came across these pictures of this girl, Ashley Greene. Apparently she has something to do with the Twilight hoopla (which I have yet to understand). All I know is this girl is Gorgeous. With a capital "G." I'm not sure if this is what she normally looks like or if was just a good night for her but seriously now. She looks like a mix between Megan Fox and Scarlett Johansson. And these pictures kind of make me want to just go shave my head, put on a burlap sack and give up.
ha! Kidding.
Sort of.

Chuck and Blair

2009-11-09T10:45:00.001-08:00

Now this is what I call style. :)

I Love Kitty Minky!

2009-11-06T09:22:00.003-08:00

This cat is so good! Her personality is so quirky and low maintenance, we just love her! I know most people post updates on their kids but hey, we don't have any so these are the type of updates you get...like it or not! :)

If you remember awhile back when we still had Pemba, I posted a picture of her on her favorite spot, the comcast box. Well Minky has now discovered the warm glory of that little box. Sometimes I wish I were cat size so I could have a big warm thing to lay on! :)

I have never seen a cat lay like this. Just spread eagle, tummy up, not a care in the world. She stayed like this for a good half hour too. Just lovin' life, I guess?

A couple days ago I walked downstairs to find her perched perfectly on the bookshelf. She was sitting so still, just like a little decoration. Before I shooed her off, I had to snap a picture.

:)

Get Low

2009-11-02T11:41:00.004-08:00

We watched the movie, "The Proposal" on OnDemand the other night. I was expecting it to be a pretty cheesy and predictable romantic comedy that just gets pushed out there to make a quick buck like so many others.

Actually, all that is probably true about it but I have to admit, I really liked it! It was adorable, funny and entertaining. Sometimes movies don't always need to be Oscar worthy, sometimes just a couple hours of something silly to watch is good enough. Anyway, this scene really cracked me up. Thought I should post it. :)

Blazers vs. Rockets - Opening Night!

2009-10-30T10:45:00.004-07:00

GO BLAZERS!!!

Yum

2009-10-27T23:44:00.002-07:00

Love This Bedroom:

2009-10-19T10:56:00.000-07:00

A lot!!

Photos That Guided My Fall Into the Greatest Love Ever.

2009-10-18T20:06:00.012-07:00

Here are some photos that I remember from when we were dating and it was all that I had! I love these pictures and the girl in them! -- Seth B

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((Addendum: Ahhhh! I would just like to state that I had no idea Seth was posting this! I usually don't put a whole lot of pictures of myself up on here so I'm sorry for the "Holley photo post overload." ugh!!!
But thanks, babe! :) ))

Modern Family

2009-10-17T19:42:00.006-07:00

The other night I was in the office and Seth was watching TV in the bedroom. I kept hearing him laughing in there all by himself. It takes a lot for Seth to laugh at something on TV and even more so when he is watching it by himself.
The show he was watching was this new one on ABC called Modern Family.

Oh my goodness, it is SO funny! Funny like we have to pause and rewind because we were laughing so hard we missed lines. We've caught up on all the episodes (thank you Hulu.com) and I can't wait for new ones each week. It's set up similar to The Office where there are cameras supposedly doing a documentary or something. So they have little interviews with the characters like on The Office and the writers are so clever!

Anyway, just thought I'd put that out there.
If anyone knows of any other good shows, let me know. Now that it's winter our DVR is going to be put to good use! :)

Love It

2009-10-06T09:55:00.003-07:00

I just adore this new song by Michael Buble. Has the guy ever had a song that didn't sound amazing? I'm thinking not. The video to this song makes me happy. Apparently it's his real life girlfriend in the video which makes it slightly cuter. And I want her eyelashes. :)

The Things He Says

2009-10-03T12:12:00.002-07:00

Some things just need to be documented.
Seth is a sleep talker. Last night I was in bed watching TV, Seth had be asleep for maybe 30 minutes already.
I snuggled up close and apparently that woke him up enough to realize he had an announcement to make. "For Halloween, I want to be a pine tree air freshener."
Wow.
Um, what do I even say to that?
We aren't the type of people to dress up for Halloween (ESPECIALLY Seth). But apparently his heart had a desire that only that little pine tree could fill. :)
I told him about it this morning and he remembered absolutely nothing. Just in case he decides to make this fantasy a reality, I found him this:

Possibly The Prettiest Music I've Ever Heard

2009-10-01T10:01:00.004-07:00

I stumbled across this artist named Carla Bruni. Strangely enough, her full name is actually Carla Bruni-Sarkozy. As in Nicolas Sarkozy's wife. ha! Seriously, I really don't know if I've ever heard anything more beautiful. Check out a couple of her songs:

Dave Matthews + Kenny Chesney? CHECK!

2009-09-30T12:58:00.004-07:00

Seth just stumbled across this song and sent it to me. Dave Matthews Band is probably, hands down, my all time favorite. I've been obsessed since I was about 15 years old and I love the fact that I am now 24 and they are still pumping out amazing music. And Kenny Chesney ain't too bad himself. ;) Okay, lets be honest, anything that comes out of Kenny's mouth basically turns to gold. So the two of them together? Oh my goodness gracious!

Such a great song. When Dave's voice kicks in, I seriously get goosebumps. So peaceful and really reminds you that breathing in and out is such a blessing. Why did I not know about this song sooner?

Check out the lyrics:

It's so damn easy to say that life's so hard
Everybody's got their share of battle scars
As for me, I'd like to thank my lucky stars
That I'm alive and well

And it'd be easy to add up all the pain
And all the dreams you sat and watched go up in flames
You were on, on the wreckage as it smolders in the rain
But not me, I'm alive

And today you know that's good enough for me
Breathing in and out's a blessing, can't you see?
Today is the first day of the rest of my life
And I'm alive and well, God, I'm alive and well

Stars are dancing on the water here tonight
It's good for the soul when there's not a soul in sight
This boat has caught it's wind and brought me back to life
Now I'm alive and well

And today you know that's good enough for me
Breathing in and out's a blessing, can't you see?
Today is the first day of the rest of my life
And I'm alive and well, God, I'm alive and well

Yes, Please

2009-09-23T09:52:00.002-07:00

So Random

2009-09-19T15:03:00.003-07:00

Seth took this picture a few weeks ago when we were in the Botanical Gardens in Coos Bay. I don't know why I like it so much, but I do. It reminds me of being a kid and spinning really fast on one of those giant teacup rides. I don't really even remember what was actually going on here but it must have been something good by the look on my face! haha!

Kitty Minky :)

2009-09-19T14:41:00.005-07:00

Remember how a few posts back I was talking about how I wanted a fluffy Himalayan? Well we got one! :)
The first two days she was here, I was scared of her. She reminded me of a gremlin or something and she had a BAD attitude. Now that she's adjusted, I love her to death! She's the biggest snuggle butt and so sweet! Lulu seems like the naughtiest kitty ever compared to her! Since I've talked about her on twitter and facebook, I thought it was time I put up a couple pictures of her on here as well.

Why Does This Song Rock So Much?

2009-09-16T10:26:00.001-07:00

Turn it up! :)

Silly Girl

2009-09-16T10:05:00.000-07:00

Lulu is very protective of her Wheel of Fortune. :)

Simple Problem Solving

2009-09-14T21:44:00.000-07:00

Drooling For:

2009-09-12T11:38:00.000-07:00

This bag:

Ever since I saw pictures of Halle Berry with The Coach Extra Large Zoe a few months back, I just can't get it out of my mind!

If these pictures don't make your heart flutter a little then I'm sorry, your heart is made of stone.
Just kiddin'.
I know it's not the most "out there, fashion forward" bag but it's the "perfect bag." The "go to" bag. The bag that goes with anything and holds everything.
It's kind of similar to this bag, but lets face it, the Prada price tag will cause a lot more heart attacks than the Coach one will.

Black and chocolate (doesn't chocolate sound better than, "brown?") both have me drooling but then I saw a picture of the braided handled version and OH MY!

(it actually looks even more fabulous in the gray color but really hard to find a good picture of it in that color.)

9/11...

2009-09-11T10:04:00.008-07:00

So I was on facebook this morning when I noticed somebody's status said something about, "I remember 8 years ago today I was...." My first thought was, "oh, it must be their wedding anniversary." Then I kept reading and it was talking about September 11th. I thought, "why are they posting that when it's not even the anniversary?" Then stupid me realized that today IS in fact, the 9/11 anniversary.

It made me feel pretty bad when I thought about how many people out there woke up this morning and their IMMEDIATE thought was the loved one they lost eight years ago today. How this is such a big day for so many people out there. And how it didn't even cross my mind until I had already had my breakfast, surfed around on the computer and started my day. There are A LOT of people right this moment struggling with very painful memories of what happened this day eight years ago.

I like hearing stories of "where were you when you found out." It's so crazy because this huge history altering thing happened to everyone, universally, everyone was included. It didn't just happen to those people on the scene, but it happened to all of us. Tied us all together and we will now forever have that one thing in common.

I remember I was in high school. I was getting ready for school in the morning. I always had the news on in my bedroom while I got ready. I remember sitting on the floor in front of my mirror, putting my makeup on. Out of the corner of my eye, I glanced over at the TV. My first thought was that they were playing some new movie trailer. But then I realized that was one long trailer. Of course I quickly realized what I was actually watching. I remember running across the house and upstairs to my parent's bedroom. My Dad had already left for work but I told my step-mom to turn the TV on. We watched, stunned, for a little bit before it was time to leave.

That entire day at school was so bizarre. There was this general state of confusion in the air. We were suppose to be focusing on math and history but how could we when this was history in the making right in front of us. The cool teachers would turn the TVs on and acknowledge that something big was happening. We were all just trying to figure it out. That first day when it happened was just ...confusing. That's really the only word I can think of to describe it.

Now here we are, eight years later. There are still a lot of unanswered questions, some things that I suspect we will never know the true answers to. The entire nation is changed in so many ways, big and small. But we have moved forward. And I think we are still moving forward. That's the important part.

Made Me Laugh

2009-09-11T08:28:00.000-07:00

Yes, Please

2009-09-09T09:02:00.000-07:00

6,500 sq. ft house in the Hamptons - CHECK!
32 million price tag - Gulp...not quite yet.
Gotta have things to shoot for though! :)

Yearning For:

2009-09-08T10:11:00.003-07:00

The MAC 180 brush.

Discontinued by MAC, apparently the "holy grail" of brushes and appx. $50-$60 on eBay. AKA: Way too stinkin' much to spend on a brush. Come ON!!
But that doesn't mean I want it any less. ;)

Update: I got it. :) But no, I did NOT spend $60 or even $50 for it. After some major hunting, I got a deal! :)

Some Things...

2009-09-07T12:08:00.008-07:00

-So our cat ran away. Pemba. We've had her since month two of our married life. She traveled on my lap in the front seat of the car with us all the way from Rexburg, Idaho to Madison, Wisconsin. Not a single accident or problem. She flew on a plane with us from Madison, to New Jersey, to Oregon. Not a single accident or problem. She has moved with us to all seven places we have lived since being married. Point being, she has been through it all with us.

I guess this most recent move was too much for her? Ever since we moved back in May, she would cry non-stop at the door until we let her outside. She had never been an outside cat but we decided to give it a try. It worked out okay for a little while. She pretty much stuck around the house, coming inside maybe 3% of the time. She seemed to be having a good time with all the dirt and bugs so who was I to stomp on her fun?

I guess I'm a bad momma though because it has now been 2 & 1/2 weeks since we have seen her. Dangit. I just can't let myself think too much on it because if I do, I get really sad. :(

-With Pemba gone and LuLu's babies all given away, Lu is starting to show signs of boredom...or something? She tears butt through the house at all hours of the day and night (we're sure she's bound to break a toe nail one of these days), crawls up the screens on the windows, tips anything in her way off the desk and has just become a total booger.

(Lu as a kitten, crawling the screen. So naughty!)

She's always been kind of a naughty one but I really think she might just want a friend to play with? This is the first time since we've had her that she has been an "only cat" and maybe she has just been trying to find other ways to entertain herself?

(Pem & Lu when we first got LuLu a year & a half ago)

-Which brings me to my next point, I want another cat. A pretty one this time. Not that Pemba and Lu aren't pretty but I'm talking about long hair, blue eyes, fluffy pretty. I've been scouring the internet for a Persian, Himalayan, birman, ragdoll, etc. It's hard to find one that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. I'm not a believer in buying pets for outrageous amounts. It's just stupid. They're animals. But honestly now, how beautiful are these cats!!?:

--------A couple other random things-

-We are now the new cub scout leaders in our church ward. I think that's the right title? Haven't started yet but since we're both not exactly kid people, this should be interesting.

-We went on a sweet camping excursion last weekend/week. We drove from Astoria to Coos Bay, stopping along the way. It was just five days but it was our first time since we've been married that we have had a "vacation" that was more than maybe two nights somewhere. I guess if you actually stop your schedule and clear time for it, it's possible! :)

I'll probably post more pictures from our trip later but for now, I better go get some things done.

Fancy

2009-08-25T09:33:00.002-07:00

Just got this and I LOVE it!!:

Mmmm, smells so good!! :)

The Best Day

2009-08-19T10:00:00.003-07:00

I'm not a super die hard country fan but every now and then a song catches me that I just love. Taylor Swift's new song, The Best Day is one of those songs. This girl is just adorable. She is so likable and sweet and really seems like someone who deserves every ounce of success she has. She puts out one feel good song after another and I just love the girl! And then she goes and puts together heart wrenching music videos like the one below. Way too cute!!!!

Target & Archer Farms = Good Times

2009-08-07T08:29:00.000-07:00

I've always been a fan of Target but it wasn't until recently that I've been a MEGA fan! Our new place is about 3 minutes from a practically brand new Target and we sure have been taking advantage of that! Actually, the last three nights in a row we have been found perusing the isles. We know how to have a good time. ;)

I didn't realize that even their groceries are on par or LESS than Walmart prices! I haven't been to Walmart in months and my mental stability has been much better for it! ;)

What really inspired this post though was this new line of groceries by Target. The line is called, Archer Farms and almost everything they make is all natural and so amazingly good! They think up amazing things like lime cilantro chicken rub, key lime white chocolate cookies and vanilla almond granola! VANILLA ALMOND!!! YUM!

Just finished mine a few minutes ago actually. :) They must have these creative geniuses sitting there in a room thinking up the most amazing recipes. Combinations that make you say (a little too loudly), YUM!!!!! They literally make everything your little heart desires. From milk, to beef jerky, to spices. Everything.

Oh, and they come in really smart packaging! The chips (like blue corn tortilla - YUM) all have a zip lock type thingy made into the bag!

And their granola all have plastic pour tops for freshness AND to keep ants out for people like us! :) They have pretty good prices too, no higher than most others and their packaging is made mostly of recycled materials! Does it get any better? I think not.

They also have some fresh items up at the food bar near the front of Target. I'm not normally a salad person (wish I was!!) but the other day I decided to try the California chicken salad (I THINK that's what it was called). It had walnuts, chicken, feta and little semi-dried cherries with a lemon poppy seed dressing. It was SO good and it only cost 4 bucks! Can you believe it!?

Anyway, totally random, I know. But I just had to spread the news of my new found love for Target and Archer Farms. Go try it out! :)

Severely Desiring...

2009-08-06T08:05:00.000-07:00

...The teal colored Electrolux washer & dryer. Oh baby oh baby!!!

It's a color that normal makes me stomach turn a little bit but on the washer & dryer...drool. I wonder if there are any other 23 years olds out there with a washer and dryer at the top of their wish list? ha!

Welcome home Laura Ling & Euna Lee!

2009-08-05T10:05:00.001-07:00

Aww, this picture just breaks my heart in the best way.

Ren & Stimpy

2009-08-05T09:10:00.004-07:00

Somehow last night in bed, Seth and I started talking about Ren & Stimpy. For some reason I find the name, "Stimpy" too funny! Then today, Seth pulled up this clip and oh my.

Here is the description: "Stimpy does his first fart which he believes means he has given birth. He names his beloved fart 'Stinky' but when Ren doesn't believe it exists, he sets out to find it."

Ummm...wow. Hilarious to the max, with a dash of disturbing. (although I think most people would say it's the other way around!)
Son of Stimpy

I Have No Words

2009-08-03T10:28:00.000-07:00

Seth just sent me this video and I really have no words to describe it's hilarity. The sound the turtle makes is just priceless.

I Think I Need A Baby Deer...

2009-08-01T09:24:00.000-07:00

No, I KNOW I do. :)

*Holley Buchanan*

Seek Up

Buds

Curb Your Enthusiasm

Today

Moe

Let It Be

Photo Shoot with Baby Kitty

Funniest Nine Seconds on YouTube

What I've Been Reading

Chill Summer Songs

Good Advice

Style Watch: Blake Lively

Plans are in progress...

Get Back!

Yes, Please

A Few Recent Tidbits...

Blueberries

Mother's Day...

A Little Energy for a Thursday Morning!

It's Time

This Right Here...

Bummer

Sex & The City 2!

Indeed

Not Gunna Lie...

Currently Craving:

What We've Been Watching Lately:

The Things They Left Behind...

One Step In The Right Direction

Health Care

When The World Ends...

Remember Me

Basically...

25 Random Things About Me

Need To Smile?

Spring Chicks Are Here!

These Songs...

Birthday Boy!

Dora

If you could hie to Kolob

Say Hey (I Love You)

Separated At Birth:

Motivation

Stains!

Vintage Lulu

Gorgeous House!

I Love This Picture:

Dress Time

My New Thing

My Cats Are Cute

Oh Honestly Now...

Look Who's Number One ;)

Picture Of The Day:

Three Years...

Festivus...For The Rest Of Us!

VIVA LA VIDA!!!

Life...

What's Your Style Profile?

New Scent Obsession

Picture Of The Day:

Oregon State vs. Colorado

Problems Comparison Chart: Tiger Woods V. Jay Z

Way Out West...

About The Whole Tiger Woods Thing:

Oh Honestly Now...

Thanksgiving

NO H8

Unfair

Chuck and Blair

I Love Kitty Minky!

Get Low

Blazers vs. Rockets - Opening Night!

Yum

Love This Bedroom:

Photos That Guided My Fall Into the Greatest Love Ever.

Modern Family

Love It

The Things He Says

Possibly The Prettiest Music I've Ever Heard

Holley Buchanan