I truly used to wish that I was Ashley Olsen. My best friend Sara told me that she even used to pray at night and ask that she could wake up to be Mary Kate. (and if for no other reason, that is why we are still friends eight years later.)

I'm almost ashamed to admit it, but my Olsen obsession lasted a little bit longer than what was probably normal. In the seventh grade my friends and I performed in the Spring talent show and made up a dance to this song (which should be noted, involved karate kicks) only because we heard it in Mary Kate & Ashley's movie Holiday in the Sun. And although it's been quite a few years since that time, I have recently discovered my newfound love for their little sister Elizabeth.


She is beautiful. And her hair. I covet her hair. After my last disastrous hair appointment, I'm printing off this picture before I go in again and will be asking for this and exactly this. I love it so much I will probably want the exact same thing on my wedding day.

And PS. I never really watch the Oscars, but last night I did catch this. I almost cried, she was so sweet during her acceptance speech.

image via

don't carpe diem

Chances are, my days of motherhood are still a few years away. At least lets hope. I have a few things to work on, mainly cooking. I even got this email from my mom the other day after we heard about a girl on the news who only ate chicken mcnuggets for her entire. life.


Oh Kelsie Lou, it's time to eat more like a grown-up. I will be very proud of you if you will eat something new each week.

I don't want to be a grandmother to malnurished children with scurvy. They will be on the news as the orphans of the arrested

woman who only fed her children turkey and cheese. You could get life for that.....and if your in prison you will automatically

be excommunicated, your husband will most likely divorce you and you will be homeless when you get out as a ninety year old woman.

You will also be pennyless. You will end up living in Liberty Park and most likely you will be stabbed to death.

So PLEASE, to save yourself these miseries, eat like a grown-up.


It's a family joke that my children will grow up malnourished or that I will start turning into turkey, but when the boy you're dating includes a box of chocolates with a box of Vitamin C -- you know its probably time to stop eating turkey and cheese for every meal. He even gave me a bread basket for Christmas one year. What is wrong with me?

Anyway - the point of this post was actually to send those of you reading this somewhere else. I ran across this blog through another blog (can't seem to remember where though!) and laughed out loud and even related, despite not being a mom. And I can bet when I actually do have a family of my own, I'll relate a whole lot more.

Closer to Fine

Don't Carpe Diem

both via Momastery

A lot of you may have even ran across this blog before, but I like it mostly because of her honesty and humor.

Now time to make an early lunch. Happy Wednesday!

train of thought.

If you ever want a blonde mohawk, I can tell you where to go, and who to see. Don't cry until you get in the car, and know your mom will be there to comfort you and tell you it doesn't look that bad - when in actuality, it does. Expect to make another two more trips to get it fixed, estimating 25% of your 3-day weekend getting your hair done. You like being a girl, but not today.

Go to the Spoken Word on Sunday morning when the snow is falling and you have to hold yourself tightly between your scarf, your coat, and your dad's arm. There is something so refreshing about waking up early and walking underneath a sky of snow flurries with your dad.

Eat a box of chocolates with Max, and don't eat the ones you know he likes best.

Make homemade hamburgers.

Sit in the bathroom to watch your mom do her own makeup. Even though the days of longing to be a grown up are over, it reminds you of being young, and how there is probably nobody on earth prettier than your own mom.

Buy an outfit you can't wear until Spring.

Hold hands when you go ice skating, even if you know how to do it without falling.

Say your sorry, even when your feelings have been hurt. And say I love you, more times than you can count.

Let the sun wake you up on holiday mornings.

And eat Cadbury eggs for breakfast, especially when you're feeling like your blonde mohawk is almost like the end of the world.



*photo of the flowers on my nightstand

unless you love someone.

I love ee cummings,
I love having my parents in town,
I love a cupcake run for breakfast,
(which is totally okay on V-day)
and I love being a not-so-secret admirer.

Happy Valentines Day!

via

the seeker & the finder.

Last year I mentioned a letter that my friends and I once left hidden in a book (specifically the one on the red bookshelf!) for "the one." "The one" that we would one day take to the tea room to intentionally find this letter, and maybe to eat more of the worlds best Matilda cake and tea, too.

And I know how this sounds. It sounds Capital C-h-e-e-s-y. I know. I can even hear Heaston's reaction to this letter in my head right now. But we did it (and still do it) because there is something about love and hope that a lot of times go hand in hand.

And so that's why I will now repeat what so many others have already said, and what I've probably said before too: I love love. And I look forward to this month as soon as New Years is over because of the way it makes you feel. Whether it's the beginning stages of love, like nervously anticipating your first kiss by almost using an entire thing of chapstick (this is a true story, by the way) - or the love that always allows forgiveness. The love you feel after "I'm sorry" or "I was wrong" (whether you really were or not) and the part of love that never, ever, under any circumstances whatsoever, gives up.

There are all sorts of "kinds" of love I guess, and I could probably talk about all of them for hours on end; but what I love the most (for right now, at least) is the love that is a lot like hope. Maybe that's what it is? It's the reason why we left those letters there in the first place. It's why my sister and her husband, even on their meager budget, plan for a future as big as their dreams. It's why even after a broken heart, you can honestly reassure yourself or even your best friend that there will be love and somebody else someday soon.

Because love is like hope, or as Mitch Albom once wrote, (and if you've ever read Tuesdays with Morrie, you'll probably remember this too,) "Love wins. Love always wins."

And out of all the things I believe in, that certainly has to be one at the top of the list.

--

By the way, the last time we went to the tearoom to check up on our letter, we were surprised to find this in its place:

At first we were excited about "the finder" and this anonymous/almost romantic pen-pal-ish thing going on --
But when we realized:
1) It wasn't signed by Cary Grant or Ryan Gosling, and
2) Our original letter had been taken in its place,
We did what any other reasonable person would do...

So we left a ransom note to "the finder" saying we'd exchange the original letter in return for a Snickers ice cream bar.
Because let's be honest, almost nothing beats a Snickers ice cream bar.

the glamorous life of a college student.

Figure 1. Class notes haphazardly written. At least I had something down about Piaget which actually helped me on my online quiz tonight.
Figure 2. Glancing up from my computer and seeing Max doing his own homework, (semi-motivating me to keep working on my own.)
Figures 3, 4 & 5: A glass of orange juice, an old computer, and my Buddy Holly reading glasses.

Not pictured: Late night Wendy's run, singing "ooh eee ooo" out loud (and forgetting how the rest of it goes), and tossing love notes back and forth the living room. The glamorous life of a college student might not be so glamorous, but I bet I still tell my kids all about it one day, anyway.

honeymooning.

I have a huge midterm less than 24 hours away, but that is about the time when my mind decides to procrastinate my stress and studying, and plan a dream honeymoon instead?

#1. Disneyland. And most likely my favorite option of all.


The Disneyland suite includes being taken to your room by a Disney Prince/Princess of your choice, being sprinkled with pixie dust (most of you might say whaaaat? but I love that) and you even get a delivery of milk and cookies to your doorstep! Love. It. All.

#2. Treehouse Point.
Like 99% of all Pinterest users, you've seen these. And they look awesome.


#3. Last but not least, Turtle Bay.

I've vacationed there with my family a few times, (and sneaking into the pool during my freshman year of college was always a lot of fun too!) But this place feels like home in some ways, and the beach cottage views at sunset are probably to die for.

Thank you Google, Travelocity and Disneyland.com for making my life today so much more fun and useless at the same time.