24

Here you go, mom...

Birthday list #24:

(The name of each item is a link)

Necklace from hiyamoon on Etsy

Canon Camera Remote from Amazon

Atmosphere poster from Brainstorm Print and Design

Camera Ring from Ruche

Tumbler from Bed, Bath & Beyond

cute "c" from Urban Outfitters

Heart Ring from ASOS

Hydrangeas from Target

White Board from Urban Outfitters

Heart Sunglasses from Urban Outfitters

Blazer from JCPenney

OPI "Tickle My France-y" from Amazon (or Beauty Brands)

Other colors I like: I Think In Pink (light pink),

Flower-to-Flower (bright pink)

Bag from JCPenney

Also on the wish list:

*Gift cards (Beauty Brands, Shark's Surf Shop, Target)

*Sports "arbs" :)

*Measuring spoons (we don't have any!)

*Return address stickers

charmed life

You know what I love? Matchbook Magazine. A field guide to a charmed life? Yes, please!!! Almost daily quotes on facebook are always spot on. Like this one, for example:

‎"Love life, engage in it, give it all you've got...because life truly does give back, many times over, what you put into it." -Maya Angelou

And this:

Matchbook Magazine

If this is you, check it out. I don't think you will be disappointed. In fact, a new issue comes out tomorrow!

Tonight I am layin' low & trying to finish up my birthday list (sorry it's taking me so long, mama bear), so if you have any suggestions of super wonderful things I should include or check out, holler.

tgif

1. My most prized possession is my photo collection or my grandparents' chairs. Once in college my computer had an issue & I lost a lot of my pictures. I need to do a better job of backing up my files, but at the very least most of my pictures are on the internet in some capacity. As for the chairs, I have a pair of them in my living room & they are irreplaceable! I get lots of compliments on them & I'm glad they ended up mine. :)

2. If I could be one age for the rest of my life, I would want to be college-aged probably! At the end of my college career I was ready to move the heck on, but now I see that I didn't realize how great it was! Few cares in the world, surrounded by friends, late nights...maybe the next stage in life will be just as good...?

3. The best way to spend a weekend is relaxing, with loved ones, preferably with few rock solid obligations to allow for flying-by-the-seat-of-your-pants shenanigans.

4. My outlook on life is that it's important to see the positive-in situations and in people. Most of the time there is little you can do to change your circumstances, but you always have control over your attitude. I've found that my peers appreciate my positivity and sometimes it even lifts them up.

5. If you want to annoy me, just chew loudly or make any mouth related noise. Ew. Makes my skin crawl.

6. I am completely defenseless when it comes to dessert! This is a recent development & it's not good! Aaron does not help deter this habit as he also likes dessert.

7. When dressing for the day one should make sure to check the weather in order to dress appropriately! I am guilty of not doing so, and it can definitely put a damper on the day. I even have an emergency rain poncho, courtesy of my mama, just in case.

bachelorette party

Here are a few photos from the weekend--Megan's bachelorette party. It was the first time all 9 of us had been together in 6 years! Wow...crazy! These are some of my absolute favorite people in the whole wide world. Needless to say, we had so much fun.

*I forgot my memory card, so these are screen shots. Still learning, sorry they're small. :)

quarter life crisis?

Here's where I'm at, people.

I'm about to turn 24 and I'm not where I want to be!

I don't have a "real" job. A lot of my friends have nabbed a 9-5. I graduated from college and moved back to my hometown and most of my friends have moved to Kansas City at least.

At work I have noticed myself complaining a lot and turning into one of those bitter people that I do not enjoy working with. It's just not the way I am and it's not the way I want to be.

I was talking to a co-worker about my goal to someday find a career where I genuinely looked forward to working. His response?

"Yeah, good luck with that..."

I refuse to adopt that mentality. I know that I have the qualifications, the drive and the ability to do what I want and achieve my goals. Now, if I could just pinpoint exactly where it is that I want to go, I could figure out how to get there. I feel stuck.

All I know is that I'm itchin' to create. I'm achin' to dive in! I am a hard worker and I think it's about time to love and believe in my work since I devote so much to it-- of myself, my time and effort.

And so, here's to dusting off the ol' resume, sprucing it up, and showing the world what I got! Gotta love the job hunt...

friday, friday

1. My biggest accomplishment in life thus far is graduating college? I hope someday soon I can substitute that lame accomplishment for something like 'landing my dream job' or 'moving out of kansas' or 'buying a house' or 'becoming a rockstar'...

2. My favorite place to sit in my house is my bedroom. It's the part of the apartment that is completely me! The rest of our place is a random

conglomeration of my style and my roommates which makes for interesting decor!

3. My fashion philosophy is wear what I like! Oftentimes I prefer to shop alone so that I can decide exactly what I like on my own with no questioning expressions from whoever's accompanying me. :)

4. Something every girl should have is a place to journal or record random thoughts/ideas. I have about 5 of these around m

y room and it is so inspiring and entertaining to look back on them.

5. If you looked in my purse right now you'd find....my wallet, sunglasses, keys, 3 kinds of Burt's Bees lip stuff (yes, 3!), fish food, and a bottle o' zinc!

6. My favorite music right now is ...well, currently on rotation would be Paul Simon, Kid Cudi, Chromeo, and Joanna Newsom.

7. My favorite part of my body is my smaller-than-average feet that often score me awesome deals on shoes!!! Gotta love it.

Received word this morning from my sister that Dave, her fiancee, is safe in Tokyo. Keeping Japan in my thoughts!

misfortune

I live for my "weekends"--Thursdays & Fridays. They are the light at the end of the tunnel! They help me pick myself up and pull through the puddles of sameness otherwise known as my work week.

My weekend began when I got off work yesterday afternoon. Called Aaron after work & he had decided to go to Colorado very last minute. Helped him pack and he hit the road shortly after midnight. He usually gets a very grumpy & exhausted version of me during the week, so him leaving right as my free time began was disappointing.

Got crappy sleep. Ran some errands and in the midst of it, my car started doing something funky. Thought maybe I had acquired a flat tire, but it all checked out. Kept driving and the noise grew and grew, finally sounding like a giant's fist came bursting up through the ground and was punching my car in the belly. Repeatedly. Yeah, that bad. Thank goodness for dads. Dad to the rescue. Keep Travis the Escort in your thoughts.

Speaking of Dad and awesomeness, mine sent me these pictures. In high school he was ranked 3rd in the nation for shotput. Stud.

Maybe I'll take my misfortune as a sign that today is for relaxing and taking 'er easy. Sounds totally doable.

vote for me!

are you a member of facebook? feel like doin' me a favor?!

*go to the Cost Plus World Market page on facebook and "like" it

*go to the "family/living room" category

* look for Claire W, Lawrence <----that's me! then vote!

appreciate your help :) we realllly need a new couch--our current one is awesome, except the legs are about to fall off... thanks, friends!

TGIF

1. The phrase or punctuation I overuse most is "brr-ito". It mean that you're cold! Inherited this phrase from my lovely sister & it has now wormed its way into everyday conversations with Aaron. Ha!

2. Today I am thankful for SO many things. Long conversations with my dad over lunch, my new macbook pro (madonna), my boyfriend for saving me from the bird that snuck into my apartment (& is now hiding in the wall somewhere...??), and the ability to laugh when things go wrong (i.e.-aaron's flat tire). Eventful day.

3. My best friend(s) is/are awe-some. I am lucky to have a close-knit group of girls that are all so different, so wonderful, and absolutely irreplaceable.

4. A quirky thing about me is that I only like to go to 1 gas station. I have anxiety about going to unfamiliar gas stations. I have a lot of weird anxieties, in fact. Ah, well.

5. This weekend I will work my tail off. Such is the life of a waitress.

6. Something that worries me is the bird in the wall. I mean...really?

7. On my night stand you would find my cell phone, a glass of water, a lamp, and my most current read Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer. Having a hard time putting it down.

Well folks, Friday means the end of my "weekend" & the beginning of the work week. Excited to figure out the ins & outs of my new toy. TGIF--Hope you all find time to relax & enjoy!

Note: Pretty stone walls doubling as bird hiding spots. Not awesome.

walk in the park

a walk in the park turned climb in the trees then an eventual jump in the river resulting in bathtime for a certain pup.



this is why i love my days off.

guess what?!?

LISA & DAVE ARE GETTING MARRIED!!!

Now Dave & I can drink miso soup & dress up like zombies forevermore!



Lisa & Dave, much love to you! I'm so excited for Dave to officially be part of the fam. :)