That’s right! I got myself a shiny new iPhone 4S (with a pretty pink case, too!).

Obviously one of the first apps I got was Instagram. Oh goodness people. I’m in photo editing on my iPhone love.

It makes MY pictures look good!

Plus, it’s super simple since I always have my phone with me anyway.

Did you know that if you double tap the Home button you can access your camera without having to unlock your phone? (Thanks, Trish!)

I’ve had my phone for 8 days and while some people might say we are in the honeymoon phase I think they are wrong. This feeling won’t fade.

We spend lots of time together listening to books on tape, taking pictures, and playing random games while on the bus.

It helped me know where I was when I thought I got off at the wrong train station.

It allows me to quickly capture moments like this…

And, well, it just makes me feel cool

So I’m going to share some of my [fashion] favorites!

1. this dress has summer by the lake date night written all over it.

2. just last summer did i start to wear shorts again. i know, i know… i’m crazy! but now i can’t wait to lay out by the lake this summer and wear shorts all the time.

3. i am madly in love with this dress. imagine it with the most perfect black pumps and a string of pearls. ooh lala. now i just need to find somewhere to wear it to… oh, and i need to buy it.

4.  i am now in search of a black and white striped cardigan.

5. can’t you see this with a bright belt and some fun heels? or maybe some red or green flats?

6. well, first. as you all know, i have a girl crush on sydney. and second, i want that scarf… and that striped top (i’m seeing a trend. notice #10.)

7. holy hot pink. i’m in love.

8. bright on bottom, dark on top. what a fun work getup!

9. i. want. these. i have no idea where i’d wear them, but it doesn’t matter… i need them in my closet. if they were in my closet they would probably be worn with jeans, skirts, work pants, leggings, sweats, and shorts. not even kidding. (kinda)

10. must try this! wear a sweater over a tight fitting dress for a different look.

11.  is it summer yet? i guess now is the time when i should be looking at my belly and booty and tell myself to start getting ready for it… this swimsuit is my motivation.

12. this outfit makes me think of fields, which make me think of stars, which make me think of starry nighttime kisses.

13. this is similar to what i wear to work almost everyday, but i need to start adding ruffles to my life.

14. Kate Spade. Nuff said.

15. swoon! i’m in love.

16. **imagines self tan and wearing this dress while riding the ferris wheel**

I’m talking about…. Friends With Benefits…. the movie. And how it dominates in almost every way over No Strings Attached. Although, I will say that both movies have 2 [very] good looking lead actors. So, it wasn’t that difficult to sit and watch No Strings Attached.

Friends with Benefits > No Strings Attached

Seriously people, there is no comparison. When everyone said that FWB was better in my mind I’m all “yeah, whatever. You lie” But I guess I was wrong. It was better in almost every way.

.Funnier.

.Better acting.

.Better script.

.Not quite as predictable. [but it was a chick flick, so ya know...]

So there we have it. The great debate has been settled by yours truly.

Happy Friday!

Absence diminishes small loves and increases great ones, as the wind blows out the candle and blows up the bonfire.

Second, after seeing this video ALL over Pinterest I decided to give in and finally watch it. I then proceeded to watch it at least 85 more time and will probably watch it another 515 times. Real talk.

(Sarah, we’re getting so much better at the whole not-waiting-an-entire-year-before-we-see-each-other-again thing! yay!)

Have a good weekend, everyone!

Blah. Blah. Blah.

Good story, right?

Wanna know where I’ve been in the good ol’ United States of America?

The Midwest/East Coast/South.  Oh, and California. (I technically had an hour long layover in Arizona, but somehow I think you’d all fight me on counting that)

Wanna know how I feel about the lack of blue on this map? fjio;awj fioa3. That’s how.

I think it’s time to start seriously considering getting my travel on. I’m not convinced it’ll happen right away, but that doesn’t mean I can’t plan for it so when the time comes I’m ready. There is a whole lotta white on that map and gosh darnit… NO!

Wanna see something even worse?

Those are all the countries I’ve been to. Two. I live in one of them and passed through the other for about 30 minutes. But hey, don’t you take Canada away from me.

I think it’s time I start making some plans.

Want to map out where you’ve been/want to go? Make your own HERE.

A study in emotional dislocation and renewal–Professor Godfrey St. Peter, a man in his 50′s, has achieved what would seem to be remarkable success. When called on to move to a more comfortable home, something in him rebels.

awkward…

• Walking the one block from the train to my office almost directly next to this guy and at almost the same moment we both stopped dead in our tracks. “What’s different here?” I asked out loud. He said he was thinking the same thing. Turns out they took the scaffolding down that had been there for the past 2.5 months. That’s all.
• Hanging up on a client at work. Sorry about that, guy!
• Having 2 minutes of a conversation with my dad thinking we were talking about one thing while he thought we were talking about another, very different, thing.
• Getting slightly excited when a friend cancelled dinner on Monday because it meant that I could go home and watch the Bachelor.
• Missing my boyfriend terribly when it’s only been 4 days since I last saw him. Wah wah.
• A stupid lady telling me that because I’m “only” an aunt that I don’t know how to take care of a baby. I nearly punched her when she told me that it was much too cold to be bringing a 2 month old outside without a hat and coat. Well, meanie, he does have a hat and a whole warm fluffy bodysuit… they are right over there. See? Now back off. 

awesome…

• I made a kick booty budget. Wooooo for me!
• Spending 8 hours on Saturday with my little bug, Thomas!
• Sunday morning was a tough one for me and Corey “made” me breakfast on couch. [That sounds weird, but I ate on the couch, not in bed.. anyway..) The awesome breakfast was ice cream, bananas, and hershey kisses. He spoils me.
• Going to lunch with Erin, Paul, Izaak, and Thomas. ["Am I being punked??" haha!]
• I juuust checked weather.com and you know what it told me? It’s supposed to be in the 39-45 degree range this weekend!! With SUN! As my co-worker said… it’s time to bust out the t-shirt!! (Sorry Chicagoans, this is the forecast for St. Louis)
• Getting slightly excited when a friend cancelled dinner on Monday because it meant that I could go home and watch the Bachelor. [see what I did there? I made it both an awkward and awesome. I'm slick like that]
• I’m wearing earrings today that make it look like I have a mini disco ball hanging from each ear. Yup, fancy pants earrings for a gloomy Thursday.
• Corey and I both got out of work early last Friday and met up for lunch at Goose Island Brewpub. Best spinach and artichoke dip everrrr. After lunch we went and took a long afternoon nap. Best way to spend a Friday afternoon if you ask me!
• I haven’t gone to Starbucks ONCE this week! This morning I reallllllllly wanted to, but didn’t. Good story, right?

(Side note: my old roommate and I used to have “boyfriend dinner” where we would go through a trial run of cooking a dish in order to look like a pro when we finally did make it for our lead guy. Turns out we never really made anything for the boys, just for each other .. ha!)

ANYWAY.

I did make this for Corey and we. loved. it! 

Puff pastry, brie cheese, and spinach… what more could you want?

Sauteed onions and carrots, you say?

Somehow he always seems to pull off the looking-sexy-while-cooking-for-girlfriend thing.

Oh heaven above! Would ya look at that? 

Really people. It’s good. We made it again last weekend and thought it turned out even better. Go us!

ALSO!

The other night I made Deconstructed Cabbage Roll Soup. After I tried the first bite of it I thought “Oh snap… that’s good!”  A huge thanks to Erin for sharing the recipe! It was [almost] as good as yours.