happy weekend!

Hi :) Sorry I was quiet this week. I had to get ahead on all my school work because my sister is in town! We spent the entire day baking, made a delicious summer meal for my parents, duck and covered this morning (there were some serious storms in our area, but we are fine!), and watched a silly movie. Tomorrow we are going to bake some more, go to Target (a must for our family), and just have fun. It's always such a blessing to have my sister in town. I'll have more details about this splendid weekend on Monday. I hope you all have a really special weekend! xo, R.

the weekend.

I went to the grocery store this weekend and told myself to only buy the good stuff. Not usually a problem for me. But, I knew I needed something chocolatey. That was my first mistake. I headed down the candy aisle. That was my second mistake. Then, I picked up a bag of Peanut M&Ms and put them in my cart. That was my third mistake. After that, I came home and put the M&Ms in the cute Ball jar Jeffrey gave me and set them on my bookcase. That was my final mistake.

Note to self: Don't walk down the candy aisle anymore. xo, R.

list fifteen: things i don't need but want anyway.

You know, sometimes I really wonder about myself. I mean, I have an amazing life filled with amazing people, a more-or-less worry free agenda, and sometimes I still find myself drooling over products with a too-high-for-my-budget price tag. Anyway, in an effort to get all this nonsense out, I figured I'd make a list out of it. Because that's what I do when things are all jumbled up in my brain.

1. Ray Bans. A fairly practical item, but I think my pair from Target is working out just fine.

2. Steve Madden Intyce boots. Because now that the winter season is over, Amazon has them listing for about $100 less than their original price. Still way too much but almost convinced myself that I needed them.

3. Clarisonic Mia. Since this is actually a practical item, I'm not going to get mad at myself. Still, pricey.

4. Nikon D3100. A new camera. Although I'm tempted to ask myself, who can put a price on memories? (This girl can & not at that price.)

5. A trip to Denmark with Jeffrey. HA HA, that's a funny joke.

6. This dress. But really, who wouldn't want this?

Okay, that feels better. I'm done being materialistic for the day. Maybe I'll go frolic in a beautiful field tomorrow just to make up for the superficiality of this post. Any big ticket items you'd like to buy? xo, R.


Beautiful photo of Denmark found here.

be still my heart.

If this is not the cutest darn animal I have ever seen.

I miss my dog.

xo, R.

the weekend.

I had an exceptionally good weekend filled with dinner + a movie with S&K, bocce ball, brownies and ice cream, a Friday morning out by the pool reading this book, and I topped all that off with a Sunday bike ride with Jeffrey. We stumbled upon a part of campus that we had never seen before! I think we were the only ones (there were so many carvings all over the wood railing), but it was new to us and we were excited. We can't wait to take a picnic lunch there sometime soon!

Did you do anything fun this weekend? Have a wonderful Tuesday! :) xo, R.

The Quirk Project (No. 10)

Today I have a list of Bridget's quirks. If you haven't checked her blog out already, go right now! You will be come addicted, though.

Bridget's Quirks

1. I pick split ends. I mean I can spend a good hour or so doing this -- staring, almost cross-eyed, at the ends of my hair and picking each one, one by one. It's addicting and I am here to warn you: do not start. And also, don't try to stop me once I'm on a roll. I'll just get pissed.

2. I used to (maybe still do... once in awhile) pluck my big toe and feet with a tweezer instead of shaving them. They're not particularly hairy but I think I was (am?) afraid if I shaved them, the hair would increase. So I twist like a gymnast on my bathroom counter and pluck each hair. I'm starting to see a pattern of quirks having to do with hair.

3. In keeping with hair, I used to lay on my bedroom floor (grade-school guys, grade-school) on my stomach with my face to one side, and when the sun would shine, I'd see every dog or human hair on my floor and i would gather them all into piles by sweeping my hand across the floor and then throw away the piles. I really don't like stray hairs. Totally normal.

4. This is more of a character flaw then a quirk. Quirk implies cute little endearing traits... character flaw, not so much. My own mess, be it my bedroom or bathroom, is okay by me. I know I'll get to it. Steve leaves his things around: "Pick up your f-ing socks!!" (Freaking guys, I meant freaking.)

5. I narrate for my dog. All the live-long day. In this dumb little voice (it's not a super annoying baby voice though. Don't worry, guys.) I go on and on and on. Steve does too though. Yup. Throwing him under the bus. Funny story that just happened. Gracie is outside in the snow -- we're both inside where she can't even hear us -- and we're still narrating for her: "Hey guys. I'm out in the snow. It's hard to get through." There's always a "Hey guys," before the things she "says."

6. I really like a clean inbox. It gives me agita (definition: heartburn, indigestion, upset stomach) to have a bunch of stuff in my inbox but lately there's no way around it. There's a bunch that need to stay there till I've addressed them. That sounds super fancy. I'm really mostly a stay-at-home-Mom. Don't be fooled.

7. I love the Bachelor. That's not a quirk. Just a confession. I loooooooooooove The Bachelor (or Bachelorette, but really The Bachelor more because a bunch of girls in the house gets way more testy than a bunch of men). Steve watches it with me. We cuddle and laugh about how many times we'll hear, "I'm here for the right reason," "I've done a lot of soul-searching," or "Those other girls aren't right for you." Oh and, "Brad...Ladies, this is the final rose. When you're ready."

Disclaimer: While writing these quirks I picked 8 split ends. Wait. Now 9.

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And on that note, I've decided to take a break from the quirks. I've been really busy with school and haven't had time to devote to it at all. I might bring them back in the future. Thanks to all who participated! :) xo, R.

the tampa bay rays.

My family (mainly my dad and me) has been a fan of the Rays for a really long time. My dad and I try to go to the games, but between all my school stuff and all his work stuff, it doesn't always work out. We made a special trip down to Charlotte County to see a Rays spring training game over my spring break. We got seats on the lawn, which was awesome! We brought a blanket and laid it out on the grass, took our shoes off, and enjoyed the beautiful Florida weather. Of course we had to get a couple hot dogs, a Coke, and a lemonade to finish it all off. And, there may have been peanuts.

We won in the 10th inning, which was awesomely exciting! My favorite (BJ Upton) didn't play, but a person we know from back home is currently on the spring training team and he was playing. It was a wonderful day! xo, R.

my spring break.

My spring break was perfectly relaxing. We ate pizza at one of our favorite restaurants, I went to a Rays spring training game with my dad, went to the beach and read books with Jeffrey, got Subway and took Andy to the park, went to St. Pete to eat cannolis, went shopping and to Barnes & Noble to look at wedding books (this one in particular) with my mom, made these delicious power bars and on Sunday we went to an antique show in our little town (my aunt has a booth there every year)!

On Thursday Jeffrey and I spent some time in St. Pete. While to the unfamiliar eye there is not a whole lot to do there, Jeffrey and I have found some hidden gems that are very special to us. It wouldn't be a trip home without a trip to check up on our favorite places. And of course we couldn't go to St. Pete without stopping at our favorite market to get a cannoli (or two)!

Spring break was lovely and just what I needed. I hope you're having a wonderful Wednesday! xo, R.

see you soon.

This week is my spring break, which means I'll be frolicking in Florida's sunshine. Which means I won't be here much. Which means that I probably won't have many updates here, but you probably already knew that.

kloveyoubye.

*via

list fourteen: confessions on a tuesday.

1. I'm getting bangs again. I just decided.

2. I've never seen Titanic. I'VE NEVER SEEN TITANIC.

3. I get unnecessarily nostalgic over series finales. Like, if I think hard enough about it, I will cry.*

4. I like Justin Bieber's song, 'Somebody to Love.' I know. I don't really want to talk about it.

5. I think root beer should be considered a health food (or drink). Right?

6. My productivity flew out the window. About one hour ago.

7. If my bed is unmade, it's an automatic guarantee that I'll just throw my stuff everywhere.

8. Sometimes I wish I had red hair. (Sometimes I always wish that I had longer hair. And freckles. Oh, and glasses.)

*You know how teachers often give out little questionnaires on the first day of school so they can get to know their students? And there's always a question like: "What else should I know about you?" Jeffrey and I decided that, from now on, I should write something along the lines of, "Sometimes I just cry. It's nothing that you have done/will do. (Ignore it.)"

I know. Where are the quirks I promised? Calm down. I'll get to 'em. xo, R.

(You want to take my dog home with you, don't you?)