roscoe

{wearing my swagg}

long walks are my fave.  i prefer the beach.  but banyan tree lined streets will do too.

i'm convinced people get divorced these days because they stop taking walks together.

ok ok, maybe not just because of the walks - but i think it helps anyones relationship.

and isn't Roscoe cute?

a teddy bear.

i confess i forget he isn't a lap dog.

he's actually a pretty good snuggler.

some of the time.

the majority of time is spent running away from me, and running in circles in the backyard, 

and catching imaginary tennis balls.

Roscoe goes back home tonight...

and  honestly i can't wait till we get to dogsit him again.

or you could just get me a dog jb.  hint. hint. ( ;

Happy Friday everyone!

PS:  i'm over here talking about my transatlantic cruise last year, while corey is on one!  

unlikely creative

I've been thinking about how we take on roles that we're given.

labels people give you, the ones you give yourself ...  and sometimes labels can really put you in a box.  for most of my life i've been a little too serious to ever think i had a couple different labels going for me.  {omg i might be multifaceted.} 

  and up until recently I never would have given myself the coveted creative label.  

i have a masters in science!  i could spend all day reading!  i'm messy! ... i would tell myself.

i have no obvious talents that make people want to naturally encourage me to be creative.

i have terrible {thee poorest} hand writing, take little care to arrange food to make it look pretty, and the extent of my drawing abilities lie in stick figures.  

but oh how i love art. appreciate it.  and always have. in its many forms.

i come alive around beauty.  

its not uncommon for me to be so overwhelmed by emotion to cry over a painting, a delicious meal, a perfectly wrapped present, an honest photograph ... beauty arrests my heart.  and often.  

but i always thought - those pretty things that people created were for others. 

certainly not me.

i did not see myself as creative, talented, beautiful.

and even after people coming into my life with eyes that see beyond the surface

telling me

"you're so creative"

i brushed it off.

thinking they were just trying to be nice to me.

{holy low self esteem in this area} 

but recently i've decided that i am creative.

and this blog, and all y'all (that's plural for y'all btw) have helped me discover that.

and maybe it is just in the clothes i pick out sometimes, or the way i arrange a wall above my desk, or the way i know exactly what i like by eyeing it.  

but i'm creative.

I am CREATIVE.

and so are you.

we were all made to be.  

in one way or another.

Sponsor Giveaway: Sea Lillie

{Above the beautiful teardrop pendant with emerald briolette, found here}

I love how every piece of jewelry i own has a story.  So many of it is given for special reasons and by special people and my pretty briolette necklace is no exception.

Every time I wear it I think of the girls at Sea Lillie and the verse that inspired their shop.

It's a great reminder throughout the day!

The two girls behind Sea Lillie are Nicole & Kalea, two girls living in South Florida {go florida girls!}, and designing beautiful jewelry with a message.

Due to their generosity one of you can win some pretty earrings handcrafted by Sea Lillie.

another favorite: $20

 the Hope Necklace: where 100% of the profits go to The Give Life Project, an initiative aimed at giving help, giving hope and giving Life to those who are in desperate need in Zambia, Africa.

How to Win:

To Enter:  Leave a comment with your email.

Extra Entries:

1. Favorite Sea Lillie on Etsy

2.  Using Pinterest; Pin one of the photos above, or from the Sea Lillie site

3.  Tweet about this giveaway.

4. Link to this giveaway on your facebook page.

5.  Like Sea Lillie on Facebook  

6.Follow the Sea Lillie girls on their blog

{3 separate entries} 

buy something from Sea Lillie and send me the receipt.

 || PS:  Congrats to Viv at Diamonds and Tulle - you won the Beeta Giveaway.

And to those that didn't win: a 15% off code is: PERCENTOFF ||

| Grocery List |

I thought I'd share with y'all what a typical grocery list is for me.  

{At the request of someone on my formspring}

This is what you'll typically find inside my fridge and pantries.  

I eat to get energy, feel good, but also for pleasure.  I always allow treats here and there - usually in the form of cheese or swiss chocolate.  

  This list is basically my "before i was married grocery list" - as now it includes more meat - since JB loves meat... and my love affair is more with veggies.  Though I do crave a good burger or filet at times.  

I'm also a grazer, I snack all throughout the day - so a lot of the above is snack food. 

 but healthy snack food. (:

What's some go-to items for y'all in the grocery store?

PS: thanks for all your kind words from last week.  I'm feeling so much better.

From Sarasota to Stockholm; Swedish Sendoff Dinner

Last nights Swedish Sendoff for Cami & Christian was complete and utter per.fec.tion!

Hosted by Caleb & Courtney,  {i promise all of my friends don't start with C's ...} who went above and beyond.

I thought I was just coming to a picnic ... but i should have known because with

 our friends, it's never just anything. 

it was sooo dreamy.

we arrived to see candles draped in banyan trees, a chandelier with babies breath hung from a tree branch, swedish flags lined the way to the party ... people stopped and stared.  some even came up to us, b/c they couldn't resist letting us know just how special it all looked.

{i understand these people, i would do the same} 

Skål!  = Swedish for Cheers

swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes, and asparagus!  yummm!

Shan & Cam

{favorite part of the evening- we each had to write about what we think the person to the left will be doing in one year. . .

some people seemed to write for ages.  ( : ... should make for good reads in one year.

  and then on the other side - all about us today.}

Cami & Christian - we love you!

Wishing you tons of success in Sweden!

xoxoxox 

location: sarasota bay front park

warning: no rainbows, bebe puppies, unicorns found on here today.

i have post-longest-running-european-honeymoon-ever-depression.  

there, it's out.  it's a real disease.  {sort of}

I'm simply finding it hard to get back into the swing of things.  the real life things.

Today I kissed JB{Thee most handsome man in a suit} goodbye, walked him to his truck from the driveway, and handed him some coffee ...

all while wearing my favorite silk robe, messy hair, and a sleepy smile.  

and while that's nice and all, i need something to do.  other than sort through boxes.

i'm working on working, and there are prospects ahead.  even in this {seems to me sometimes} little hiccup of a town.

i need to be more patient.  i want things to happen overnight.

this week i've been having

a sort of  WHAT AM I DOING IN LIFE/ WHAT GOOD HAVE I EVER DONE moment.

so to answer a couple emails as to how i'm doing being home ... that's sort of it. 

and don't get me wrong, i LOVE our families and friends.

spending time at our parents is the best.

dinners with just JB and me - in a real live home have been incredible.

it's just i have a hard time with transition stages in life.  i don't think i'm alone on that either.

and i just...

i miss matisse {my bike!}, our swiss friends, market everyday, and though I didn't have a job over there ... 

I felt like enjoying life was my purpose/job for that time.  

i need to take that perspective, and move it over here - maybe it is in a box i sent... and just hasn't arrived yet.

hoping it will soon.

soooo... here's a little honesty for your morning.

and since i'm not  all sunshine, unicorns, and baby puppies ... how about some inspiring words from my pinterest.

lots of kisses to each of you.

and thanks for hanging in there. . .  (:

nostalgia

i know, i know, i'm such a sap.

i realize it was indeed over a year ago and i should get over it.

but i miss positano.

i miss capri too.

i miss jumping in the adriatic, boating the coast, and scootering around capri with my 

best friend 

{who i also get to conveniently make out with}

the almafi coast is literally my fave.

in the history of places.

PS:

 i downloaded the trial for radlab, 

and am having entirely too much fun making these photos look as nostalgic as i'm feeling. . . 

italy, you're amazing.

Sponsor Giveaway: BeeTa

i am a big fan of being cozy.

give me a big comfy poncho, a hand crocheted cowl, some cool weather, and a cup of hot coffee ...

and you have one happy girl!

Today we're not giving away perfect fall weather {wish we were... get your act together Florida...(: },

but your choice of item from BeeTa!

Her items are lovingly hand crocheted, soft, and super thick.  

A perfect addition to your fall/winter wardrobe!

and the cowls even come with a sweet charm- mine has a peace sign...

 a good reminder throughout the day.

Some of my favorite items from BeeTa are:

The Edgewood Cowl: $25

The Buckhead Bow: $17

The Infinity Scarf in Cream: $29

The Piedmont Cowl in golden yellow: $25 

TO ENTER:  Check out  BeeTa and let us know what your favorite hand made BeeTa item is. 

For additional entries:  

{separate comment for each entry}

1. Favorite BeeTa on Etsy

2.  Using Pinterest; Pin one of the photos above, or from the BeeTa site

3.  Tweet about this giveaway.

4. Link to this giveaway on your facebook page.

5.  Like Beeta on Facebook  

6.Follow me on Twitter

{3 separate entries} 

buy something from BeeTa and send me the receipt.

{winner will be chosen next tuesday, via random.org}

meatless monday || cranberry quinoa

One of my favorite things to do is go to whole foods salad bar and load up for lunch.

We don't have one close by so it's a nice treat when i'm in the area.

I always load up on {if its there!} is their Cranberry Quinoa

 ummm. yum.

it's a nice healthy side for dinner, lunch, or if you're like me - to snack on throughout the day.
 it helps keep me full, gives me energy, and away from the low blood sugar b@#*@ mood that sometimes strikes. 

here's the recipe, if you'd like to try.  

xo

PS: if you need a little more me in your life: head over to A Girl in Transit for an interview!  

Florida Living || October

{perfect bag for boating c/o bungalow}

life is about to get busy for us.

so i'm soaking up all of the time i can with jb.

{quality time is important}

he's about to start a real life career!

changing from baseball uniforms to cute suits.  

i guess i should get started on being a real girl as well.  fingers crossed.

 i'm cherishing every minute i get to spend with him.

particularly those spent on the boat, over morning cups of coffee, and hanging in our comfies.

those everyday moments that are so sugary sweet <3