andy.

Oh, I forgot I have the cutest dog in the world. Just kidding. I didn't forget. But just in case you did, here's four pictures to remind you. I hope your holiday was filled with love and laughter. xo

the sick day.

{Should I get my bangs back? I don't know, still deciding. Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated. And I promise Andy loves me. He was just being the Diva that he is. Oh, and I'm still pretending to grow my hair out, but I have to ask: Is it still pretending if I think I'm actually doing it? I have had only 3-4 urges to cut it all off, but I have yet to do so. My friends, I think I'm growing up & growing it out.}

{Will you please look at my dog in the bottom left corner? You're in love, right? So am I.}

Well, there seems to be some kind of bug going around campus, and I got hit with it. Have no fear, though. I stocked up on Emergen-C, (My secret cure. Get the orange kind.) and some NyQuil, and I think I missed the worst of it. However, I did sit in my cozy chair all day and watch chick flicks, which helped immensely, naturally.

I also pretended to be sophisticated and flirted with the idea of drinking my green tea without sugar, but that seemed silly.

Dear sugar, I promise to never turn my back on you. People pretend to like things without you, but I think they're lying. You don't have to worry about me, though. I am loyal to a fault, especially to you.

And I saw Jeffrey for more than 10 minutes, so I'm feeling pretty great right now. Except for the stuffy nose, the clogged up ears, and the overall feeling of bleh-ness. But hey, who's complaining, right? Not me. xo, R.

father's day + bike tour.

On Father's Day we took Andy to the dog beach and read about some must-see destinations for our trip out West. The weather was absolutely stunning and the water was so calm! Andy enjoyed himself (obviously) and lobbied pretty hard for some scraps of bagel. He won. He always does.

Jeffrey has been planning a bicycle tour of the West (from Portland to San Francisco) for over a year now. This summer, he and a good friend of his are finally on their way. As a matter of fact, they're already out there, about to head out on their bicycles for a once-in-a-lifetime journey. I'm so excited for them! On Father's Day they were out on their bikes doing some training and we happened to see them, so we stopped at a beach plaza and said hello. I love, love, love running into Jeffrey randomly! It would happen on campus every now and again and it always made my day.

I'm so proud of Jeffrey and his friend for going after such a big dream of theirs. When I think about the two of them on their bikes, I can't help but smile. It's very special to watch a dream hatch from something small and very distant to something tangible! I'm also excited to meet him out there (our paths will only cross for a day or two) to offer some extra support. Jeffrey is so committed to going after his most vivid and important dreams. It's one of my very favorite things about him!

be still my heart.

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

I miss my dog.

xo, R.

list four: 100 things i love.

1. Rainy evenings
2. Yawning dogs
3. Baby hair
4. Freshly cut strawberries
5. Forehead kisses
6. Photographs
7. Weddings
8. The beach
9. Photobooths
10. The moment right after you finish washing dishes
11. Candy
12. Clean sheets
13. Audrey Hepburn
14. Comic strips
15. New shoes
16. Clothing at the back of your closet that you forgot you had
17. Late night conversations
18. Starbucks
19. Grocery shopping
20. Going out for dinner with people you love
21. Chap stick
22. Comfy sweaters
23. Target
24. Sunset
25. Blankets
26. Ice cream cones with sprinkles
27. The weekend
28. Bulletin boards
29. Laughter
30. Passing notes in class
31. Perfume
32. A new box of Crayola crayons
33. Glow-in-the-dark ceiling stars
34. Unexpected letters
35. Cardigans
36. Flowers
37. Chocolate
38. Fossil watches
39. Sparklers
40. Camping
41. Scarves
42. Corn on the cob
43. Open windows
44. Monograms
45. School supplies
46. A fresh coat of paint
47. Glasses
48. Holding hands
49. Cream cheese
50. S'mores
51. Garage sales
52. Sunday mornings
53. PostSecret
54. Libraries
55. Shopping
56. Professors who care
57. My grandparents' wedding photos
58. No. 2 Ticonderoga pencils (yellow, please)
59. The smell of freshly cut grass
60. Anthropologie
61. BBQ
62. Sidewalk chalk
63. Dirt roads
64. Bicycles with baskets
65. Picnics
66. Sunglasses
67. Mixed CDs
68. Watermelon
69. Vacations
70. World maps
71. Cheesecake
72. Buttons
73. Baseball
74. Mason jars
75. Romantic Comedies
76. Sandals
77. Seashells
78. Station wagons
79. Potato chips
80. Lemonade
81. Hugs
82. Yearbooks
83. Chalkboards
84. Rain boots
85. Dogs
86. Swing sets
87. The Andy Griffith Show
88. Birds
89. Sleepovers
90. Bobby pins
91. Acorns
92. Dr. Seuss
93. Colorful tights
94. Scrabble
95. Root Beer
96. Whistling
97. Sun roofs
98. Magazines
99. Rings
100. Peppermints

pepitas, red collars, The Bachelorette, and another tv show, too!

Do not put Pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds) in your oatmeal. Sounds like a good idea, but it's really not.

Jeffrey's bike race is this weekend, and then we'll be heading to Wisconsin. This week I'm helping out at my old job, and it is so much fun to be there again. Some people didn't like their high school years, but I loved them.

I love my dogs so much it's almost sickening. I bought Petey a new collar today, but it's a little too big. Let me tell you something, though: red is his color. Red is SO his color.

And Andy has a new dog bone that is 'Wolf' sized. I think it's a little big, but the other ones were just so dinky. Whatever. He's wolf sized at heart, right?

Also, packing a suitcase is SUCH a pain. Remember when it was free to have luggage on planes? Since that is no longer the case, we pack our suitcase to be a carry-on, which means that you can't have bottles of liquid that are larger than 3 oz. That is really inconvenient. One time, I had a bottle of honey taken from me because of that rule. I bet it would have been really good. Guess I'll never know.

Hope you all are having a lovely Monday. Who else is excited for the Bachelorette tonight? Good. Me, too. xo, R.

I think it would be awesome if Kelle got her own tv show on the Oprah network. So, maybe you should vote for her, but only if you want to, of course.

xo, R.

home.

{Leaving this little man is going to be tough. Often called: Little Boat, Little Bones, Joe-jie, Lovebug, Anders, Anderson, Andrew, and, of course, Andy.}

Leaving home never gets easier for me. I love being here with my family and my dogs more than anything. Coziness oozes from the walls, and I could hang out with my parents for the rest of my life and be really happy about it. I love college — don't get me wrong — and I can't wait to go back up there, decorate my apartment with my roommates, go to all my new classes, and eat outdoor lunches with Jeffrey. When I leave here, though, I always have an empty feeling . Sure, it dulls as time goes on, and I get used to being at school once again, but it's always there.

Honestly, it makes me feel sad, but at the same time, it brings me a sense of peace. I mean, I'm really, really blessed to have the family that I have, and I know some people aren't so fortunate as I am. So, sometimes the empty feeling hurts, but I count it as a blessing more than anything — a reminder that I have something great anchoring my soul and supporting my dreams. And after that, the hole doesn't feel quite so hole-ish anymore. Plus, I'll be back here before I know it, and that makes me really happy.

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.

easter eggs.

Dying Easter eggs is one of our favorite family traditions. We can spend a great deal of time using painter's tape to mark off intricate designs on our eggs so that they look supremely awesome. This year was no exception. We sat around our porch table, cutting small shapes out of tape, dunking eggs into brightly colored dye, and smiling at Andy's unbelievable cuteness. It was lovely. xo, R.

final breakfast of 2011.

Breakfast is perhaps my favorite meal of the day and going out for breakfast is even better. On New Year's Eve day my parents and I (and Andy) went to one of our favorite breakfast spots to enjoy an egg scramble and french toast made with banana bread. It was the perfect final breakfast of 2011! We then took a walk at a local park where we saw a Great Horned Owl and discovered an oddly shaped tree. It's the little things, isn't it?

I recently saw that it is good luck to wear a color that represents the feeling you want to emanate in the new year on New Year's Eve. It sounds kind of silly, but my family is pretty superstitious so we instated it as a new tradition this year. I chose to wear a coral color to represent cheer. I am going to try to live happily and cheerfully in 2012, which works well with my resolution to smile more!

meet andy. he likes it when I scratch behind his ears. and under his chin, too.

My sweet little guy. I got him for Christmas a few years ago and he is the coziest little man ever. And, yeah, we totally planned to look in opposite directions for this picture. Models.

(Petey, our other dog, is absolutely mortified of the camera, therefore pictures are scarce.)

xo, R.

list sixteen: ABC's

{An unrelated, but awesome picture.}

A. Age: 20-something.

B. Bed Size: Full, but I dream of a King.

C. Chore you hate: I dislike all chores.

D. Dogs: My sweet little Andy man.

E. Essential start of your day: Breakfast in bed. What?

F. Favorite color: Green. Always has been, always will be.

G. Gold or silver: There's a time and a place for both.

H. Height: 5'7" (and some change).

I. Instrument you play: I know a little piano, played Oboe for four years, and knew a little guitar at some point.

J. Job title: Student. We'll see what summer brings to me.

K. Kids: Call me in 10 years and we'll how it's going.

L. Live: Sunshine state.

M. Mom's name: This seems irrelevant (plus, I like respecting my mom's privacy)!

N. Nicknames: Ooh, nicknames are so personal. But the people closest to me call me Rox.

O. Overnight hospital stays: Never. Thank you, God.

P. Pet peeve: It embarrasses me how many I have. Let's see, dull pencils. So, so awful.

Q. Quote from a movie: "For what it's worth: it's never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There's no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you're proud of. If you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again." -The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

R. Right or left handed: Left handed. What, what?!

S. Siblings: Evie. :)

T. Time you wake up: It's all over the place, but I wake up at 6 on the weekdays.

U. Underwear: Mhmm.

V. Vegetable you hate: Beets.

W. What makes you run late: Forgetting my sunglasses and running in to get them. Forgetting a folder and running in to get it. Forgetting my water and running in to get it. It's a vicious cycle.

X. X-rays you've had: Teeth. And my ankle once.

Y. Yummy food you make: This fudge was my latest kitchen adventure and it was really good.

Z. Zoo- favorite animal: Elephants. I want their eyelashes.

xo, R.

P.S. I got this from Sarah. Destini did one, too.

a-camping we did go.

First of all, I'd just like to say that Jeffrey and I made caramel apples on Friday night. My baking game is back on (even though caramel apples don't actually require any baking skill whatsoever, it still totally counts). Camping was a success! We left Saturday around 2:30 once we [thought] we were prepared, we loaded up Jeffrey's bus, and drove 20 minutes out to our campsite. Our site was pretty cute (and we saw two other buses while we were there!), we set up real quick, went to the library to try to find some book I need to read for class (the library ended up being closed), went back to our campsite so I could change my shirt (spilled root beer all over the other one. Real bright.) and decided to grab our bikes to go for a ride. Just as we were getting ready to leave, my parents walked up with Andy! They totally surprised us. Since they didn't have bikes we decided to go on a hike where we saw the most amazing dilapidated house (this sounds weird written down, but I promise it was awesome), walked through sand that looked like snow (which made me feel special), and made our way through a huge, tangly spider web (scary).

Jeffrey and I had originally intended to make hobo meals (veggies wrapped in tin foil and placed over the fire), but our camping preparedness was unsatisfactory, so we ended up ordering a pizza, and eating it with my parents before they left. Hey, we'll be more prepared next time. (We also forgot water if that tells you anything about how "prepared" we were. We did remember root beer, though. Clearly we have our priorities in order.) We also carved this super awesome jack-o-lantern. He's scary, right? I know. I think it was one of the first scary jack-o-lanterns I've ever made. We usually make nice, happy ones. He's awesome, though. (We also didn't have any tealight candles so we used birthday ones. Resourceful thinking, I tell ya.)

We did make s'mores, but we each only had one because there is nothing worse than having a super full stomach while lying on the cold ground. Then we sat by the campfire and talked about all sorts of different things. It was so nice to be together without any inclination to do schoolwork (because we couldn't since we were in the middle of nowhere!). We played Uno in our tent with a flashlight (we also forgot lanterns), and then called it a night. I couldn't sleep, of course, because earlier in the day I had caught a creepy glimpse of some murderer from the 50s (The picture was in one of Jeffrey's roommate's photography books.) and I couldn't get his image out of my head. Search Dick Hickock if you want to be creeped out for life. He's been dead for over 40 years, but of course that didn't matter in the dead of night. After finally falling asleep, I woke up at 1:30 with the urge to pee (It would happen that way. Once, I had to pee 4 times in the middle of the night when we were camping. True story.) and of course I couldn't go by myself because Dick Hickock was totally waiting by the girl's bathroom for me, right? So I woke Jeffrey up and we walked to the bathroom. It was freezing out and Jeffrey was totally incoherent, which would have been funny if it wasn't 1:30 am. After that I wrapped myself in my blanket, curled up in a little ball, and tried to think of things like cotton candy so that Dick Hickock wouldn't come crawling back into my brain. Apparently it worked because I woke up at 8:30 to the sound of singing birds, and our neighbors' crackling fires. Yay!

We ate cinnamon rolls for breakfast, which our neighbor totally scoffed at, but hey, we were wrapped in our cozy blankets while he tried cracking open eggs over his skillet while his fingers were freezing cold. So who's the smart one now, buddy? We packed up, went for a beautiful bike ride, and called it a day! I'm always amazed at how much camping restores my love for Florida. Sometimes I get caught up in thinking of all the different states I could eventually live in, but Florida's pretty awesome, and I'm glad I live here! I hope you had a fabulous Halloween! Jeffrey and I roasted pumpkin seeds and did schoolwork. We could have been more festive, but that's what we get for totally shirking all responsibility the day before. It was worth it. xo, R.