from russia, with love

hello friends! i am so giddy right now i can hardly stand it! we are leaving tomorrow for a BALTIC CRUISE to NORTHERN EUROPE!! we are traveling with the lovely and handsome with carol and steve(aka my parents). i am so excited, packing makes my heart beat faster :) we have 2 nights in stockholm and then we are off. taylor and i fly into amsterdam and have a layover for a couple of hours until our flight to stockholm. we wanted to do a quickie exploring of the city but because we would have to take a train downtown and take a train back and go through customs we don't want to miss our flight. the 20-something me would have said screw it and go for it but i'm 30 now which meansof course i am wiser and more mature;)

since russia is one of the places we will be visiting i've attached some from russia, with love book covers. i was going to rent the movie on my laptop for the flight but the trailer was a lot of loud gun noises and chaos- not something i want to be listening to while flying. i do however have a streetcar named desire, rebel without a cause (hello james dean), and a russian inspired pic- doctor zhivago. i also will be reading Anna Karenin- a novel by the Russian writer Leo Tolstoy. it's about the width of 2 bibles- can't wait to dig in!

hopefully i will be able to post some pics during our travels so stay tunned for adventure and mayhem!

our route

lee lou wants to come too

flashback friday on saturday!

here are some pics pre-night out in austin this past weekend. we were there last weekend for taylors' wrapping up of his second album. i can't wait for everyone to here it- it's amazing!

the ladies

my- don't take that shot taylor! face

no words

thanks for behaving

our lovely hosts for the weekend

blog shout out!

allibakes got a blog shout out on hellosplendor today! i feel so cool yet i'm still such a dork:) hopefully i will be getting my act together in a bit and posting flashback friday...stay tuned!

the glamourai

i love this image

found here

THE LIST

with some friendly blogger nudging from hellosplendor and aspiring kennedy i have agreed to post my 30 before 31 list. i'm a little nervous..i feel like i am posting my qualities for a partner for life. oh wait- already snagged a fabulous husband. i can check that one off ;0 so without any further adieu.....

my 30 before 31

1. run a 5k--yes this is something i've done before- but i am re-committing myself to doing it again-turkey trot here i come!

2. start a book club! plan it-host it-make it happen (melanie- are you in?!!:)

3. plan a BIG trip and save for it

4. research old music- hello karen dalton

5. try a new ethnic restaurant

6. take a spa day with a girlfriend or -ahem- mom, i know you are reading this

7. sign up for photoshop class

8. make a pie -taylors' request

9. go on a last minute road trip with loads of stops -thrifting and antiquing i can hear you calling

10. design a LARGE format piece of art

11. dead lift 200 or more -crossfitters you know what i'm talking about!

12. submit my design work

13. team up with another artist

14. join a new group

15. get re-involved in aiga and dsvc

16. garden more

17. plant a big all succulent planter

18. make art for my nephew- luke is the man!!

19. start volunteering with local art programs

20. watch more documentaries-this one sounds boring but they are actually quite interesting

21. read more classics

22. join a veggie co-op

23. attempt one week of ALL organic eating with the hubby

24. host a theme party

25. go hiking with the husband

26. take more photos

27. design our christmas card- this made the list because i want to do it early this year and yes- i say that every year

28. use more natural beauty products

29. try a new hair style- bangs? short? dark?- the possibilities are endless

30. SLOW down and LIVE!

i did save the best one for last. or maybe i should say the most difficult. i'm a big planner and i'm always have a running list in my head of what to do next. sometimes i get so caught up in the list(said the blogger making more lists) and the future - i miss what is right in front of me. so yes number 30 is big for this 30 year old but i know i can do it! thanks again beth for introducing me to this fun challenge.

30 before 31

although i missed motivational monday this post could still technically fit into that uplifting achieving more category. i first read about 30 before 30 on the fabulous blog hellosplendor.com. i was so inspired to do my own 30 before 30- however i recently turned 30! you say minutia i say frittata ;) anyways- in my own do it your way style - i flipped it to-30 before 31- why not?! taylor was out of the office yesterday and we got to spend some time during the day- very rare on a weekday. we had a blast making our lists. taylor kept on wanting me to add 'making a pie' numerous times and i reassured him- once i can master his beloved pie i will make it more than once for my sweetie.

on a more serious note-there is something to be said about making a goal(s) for yourself (several in this case), writing it down, and setting out to achieve it. we both agreed to type our list, print it out and put it by our desks. and you know i will be using my highlighter to cross off left and write! i love highlighters. yes i am that dork who sees a container store and my heart immediately begins to beat faster. i think list making and post it notes are right up there with banana and chocolate for me. speaking of banana and chocolate bites(see my last post here)...i found another amazing food blogger with another great recipe for my favorite treat.

bananas, peanut butter and chocolate-yum!!

and i forgot to mention another one of my favs- coconut!!!

i'm in love with this recipe from this oh-so-hip blog!

best part of all- besides the banana and chocolate? you can modify your mix ins to your tastes' desire. feeling more almond joy? or maybe hazelnut? what ever you can dream up ! reminds of this scene from best in show with harlen pepper naming all of the types of nuts.

what's your favorite nut?

motivational monday

Be who you are and say what you feel,

because those who mind don't matter,

and those who matter don't mind.

Dr. Seuss

flashback friday!

i never posted my pics from the ranch on the 4th so as promised

here they are in all their american glory:)

enjoy!

flower to dress

i love flowers? who doesn't ? and of course i love clothes! again- what girl doesn't? it's like asking if you like vacations, puppies, ice cream and kittens? maybe not all at once- might be stimulation overload, a bit too much.

speaking of kittens check out this awesome link!!!

here is my celebration of natures beauty along with my love of fashion- enjoy!

NORDSTROM

LOFT

motivational monday

how people treat you is their karma;

how you react is yours

wayne dyer

this passage got me thinking. so many times in life we are focused on the other person being in the wrong- our reaction is justified because it's their bad not yours. learning to let go of the wrong and rights and taking the higher road is not the easiest choice but is definitely worth working towards.

i'm blogging from one of my favorite coffee shops (i'll let you guess which one- i don't want all my secret admirers to show up;). i got up early- on a serious mission to get work done! it was a long and fun filled weekend at the ranch for the fourth but now it's back to reality (insert borat voice here: boooring). next week is my second shoot for my work for my website and i have a lot to accomplish by then but i know i am fully capable. i will post some picks from the weekend this week. have a great monday!

flashback friday!

i'm so excited to be at the ranch and chillax this weekend. yes that is right- i just used the word chillax. i'm currently listening to gauntlet hair 'i was thinking' and imagining i'm floating in the pool. gabby- my bff from austin (she's keeping it weird yall;) is coming with her guy to meet tay and i at the ranch for the fourth. kind of a tradition now- hence the title flashback friday. see our pic from last year- kind of a funny pic of all of us but you got to love the sparklers:0 this year clark and his crew will be there- hopefully they don't get too rowdy! i hope i don't get too rowdy either (like i ever do- i'm the grandma of the group- only thing missing is my cross stitch to do by the pool-ha!) because i need my strength to see the twighlight saga: eclipse on sunday night when we get back. folks there are no theaters in hico- so no adventure watching in forks for me until sunday. the true tri-hards will understand what i'm talking about.

ok back to the weekend plans- tay and i are going to brave the 6am at crossfit tomorrow and probably leave for the ranch around 4. i've got the snacks for the car, magazines, and sketchbooks to fill. and i'm sure we will be listening to some sporkfuls on the road. if you haven't heard about the sporkful yet- check it out. it will occupy your hours behind the wheel- download the podcasts and enjoy!

can't wait to celebrate the fourth with my man, my fam and g&c. of course we will be hitting up our favorite hico hot spot-western otter. you can also find us at the weisman house or baker ranch pool. oh and i forgot to mention the weekend game off(yours truly always wins)- taboo&apples to apples - let the festivities begin!!!!