curently: august.

working from home after a minor leg injury — that's all you need, it's kind of gross.
reading The Invisibles for book club with my friends, and liking it a lot so far.
catching up on Bachelor in Paradise and kiiiind of crushin' on Dan a little bit.
getting excited about cooler nights. Fall. Is. Coming.
obsessing over this video — too funny.
making a million lists in my phone for every little thing, and trying to decide if it's obsessive or productive.
eating peanut butter and jelly like my life depends on it.
listening to this song on repeat for actual full work days.
craving doughnuts on the regular — don't think this one is going away until I give in to the urge.
running on the treadmill and remembering how much I hate running on a treadmill.
going on vacation with my nuggets in November and couldn't be more excited.
wanting to make these soooo bad.
trying to keep this blog afloat. It's so much harder now with significantly less downtime.
loving the end of summer.

currently: april.

listening to Hallelujah on repeat.

moving into my new apartment little by little before the big move this weekend. 

feeling a piece of me missing since taking a break from the blog. 

adjusting to life at Popsugar and loving it.

missing my chickens so much it hurts.

reading American Sniper.
drinking tea, cup after cup.

trying not to invest my time in people who don't want to invest their time in me (but easier said than done, because I'm me).

snuggling my puppy extra hard before I move out and leave him.

getting a little sentimental about no longer living in my childhood home.

enjoying baseball season being back.

looking for a new show to binge watch.

re-watching Orange is the New Black with my friends in the meantime.

planning to get back to blogging full-time in a couple weeks. 

currently.

Freaking out over Breaking Bad. Just started it March 23, and have just seven episodes left! So. Damn. Good.
Beating myself up because I didn't read one page of a book in March. April will have to be better.
Getting excited to go to San Francisco next week to train for my new job.
Dealing with leaving my kiddos again. Last time I wrote this to help myself cope and process what was going on, this time around it's feeling much different.
Kissing Skylar so hard that she actually starts cracking up.
Planning on making these cookies soon.
Drinking so much Strongbow. Bought a case and never looked back.
Listening to this 00s Teen Angst playlist I made last week because it is the best playlist that has ever been created in the history of playlists.
Thinking of watching Friday Night Lights next on Netflix because I've heard three people talk about it in the last week and it's been on my list forever.
Laughing at this commercial so hard it hurts.
Waiting not-so-patiently for Spring to show its face.

currently.

Relaxing on a much needed vacation. I'm calling it a vacation from real life.
Remembering what English water does to my hair and how awful it is.
Struggling with what to give up for Lent, even though I know it's already a while in.
Rewatching Gavin & Stacey while in England, because it doesn't feel right watching it without an English person by my side.
Getting excited about a few potential jobs in the works.
Obsessing over every single outfit I've put Skylar in. Baby clothes for girls are too much.
Walking a lot more in London, which is making me miss my daily walk from Penn and back.
Bingeing on The Blacklist. So. Good.
Considering a huge life change with a potential move across the Atlantic.
Watching any movie with Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughn, and Will Ferrell.
Having anxiety over bumping up my blog posts a week because I was too lazy/busy to queue them up before leaving for my trip. Though, the alternative has been some much needed R&R and a lot of time with my family and best friend. So, can't complain too much, really.
Reading Slaughterhouse Five. 
Feeling confused about Slaughterhouse Five. Anyone? Thoughts?

currently: january.

Feeling so insanely excited over finishing my 2014 Project Life album.
Devouring book after book lately (currently reading Landline, with Big Little Lies on deck).
Making an effort to do more DIY projects and cooking/baking in the next few months.
Figuring out what items I have left to do on my 25 Things list before my birthday in March.
Compiling a few things here and there for my 26 Things list, this year's birthday project.
Planning posts further and further ahead of time and really working on making sure they're all lined up in advance.
Taking photos of my coffee every morning and deciding if I want to change my 30 days of: project into a 365 project, since coffee was my favorite installment of the 30 days of: project so far.
Finishing up 30 days of: shoes regardless.
Laughing at this photo progression I made of Skylar #secondchildprobs.

Watching so much Parks and Rec, and losing my shit at scenes like this one and this one.
Loving that I'm getting to spend so much time with my chickens in the interim between jobs (even if they're asleep half the time).
Missing the city and my friends, but trying to keep focused on finding my next career adventure.

new year, new goals.

While most people find the brand new year a bit cold and depressing, and kind of slow after the rush of the holidays, I find it to be inspiring and full of life. I love setting new goals for the year and thinking about what can happen in 365 days. After this whirlwind year of planting a lot of seeds in different places, I'm excited for this coming year and to watch all of those seeds grow. I'm starting the year off with smaller goals and I'll work through those as others are set.

Reading // I set a reading goal of twenty five books, (which I ~almost~ made, had it not have been for the dry couple of months where I wasn't very committed), and while that goal was great, I also decided that part of those twenty five books would be those compiled into my paperback lust list. I labeled it as a "2014 edition", meaning I was optimistic it would continue in the coming years, and I also called it "part one", which meant that I assumed I would read all of those first, then make a part two and continue from there. That got too complicated, and though I read over half of those books, I am constantly lining up books to read only to have a new one creep up from a recommendation or of the author I just finished reading. I've learned that I'm too sporadic of a reader, and though I will read those remaining books at some point, I can't commit to doing it in a certain order. So this year, the goal is twenty five books in no particular order and from no particular list.

Living // I AM MOVING OUT OF MY PARENTS HOME VERY, VERY SOON WITH OR WITHOUT THE MEANS, AND YES I KNOW THIS ISN'T NECESSARILY RESPONSIBLE, JUST LET ME LIVE.

Learning // This year I want to learn (and most of these are on my 25 things list, so I'd better get moving): more HTML, how to use my bamboo tablet, how to get off the auto setting of my DLSR, and how to do more with photoshop.

Travelling // I'm working on getting my entire dad's side of the family on a vacation late next year, like the ones we used to take when I was a kid, and I would love to make it to London once this year to spend time with my family there and my friends.

"Rememberlutions" // I collabed on a DIY post with some of my coworkers in which we jazzed up some mason jars in true pinterest fashion to deposit little slips of paper in all year. Rather than make a resolution that I won't keep, I'll put little snippets of paper with things that I'm proud of accomplishing, or have happened to me over the course of the year, and I'll dump them all out and read them on NYE next year to remind myself of the great things that happened over the year.

These are a mix of small scale goals, plus an attainable way to be proud of those goals. Nothing is huge, nothing is groundbreaking, but I'm excited for the year and ready to put some of these plans into action.

goodbye, twenty fourteen.

Twenty fourteen has been the most turbulent, eye-opening, joyful year of my life. To use the cliché, "it was a roller coaster" would be so unbelievably accurate. I started the year in a completely different place than I am now. I'm so different, I can barely recognize myself, but looking back on my goodbye to twenty thirteen and the he + she breakdown, I remember the hopeful girl who wanted twenty fourteen to be a year of growth and change, and man, she got her wish in both happy and sad ways. I began the year as a girl in a loving relationship, hopeful for an end to long distance (I cringe at the he + she post now because I am so not that girl anymore), but instead it just ended altogether. I began the year as a nanny, knowing that I would probably start to apply to teaching jobs again in the summer, and then my life totally changed, I realized what I want to do in this life, and I did it, leaving nannying behind, one of the hardest things I did this year. Amidst the craziness was every day life, and every day life was good:

// I documented my entire year using the project life system, and it was amazing. I'm so pumped that I have this huge album to look back on all of the tiny things that happened this year, and I plan on doing it again this coming year.
// I spent what I know (positive this time, guys) will be my last year at home with my parents, and though some days they drive me nuts, it's been a good year.
// I landed my dream job at BuzzFeed, and decided with certainty that writing is what I want to do with my life, and it will be the core of everything I do from now on, presumably.
// I had another great concert year: The Script + One Republic, One Direction, Ed Sheeran, and The Script again, for free!
// Though the year in blogging didn't go exactly as I had planned (I still have 13 followers on bloglovin' doesn't look like that's changing anytime soon), I still feel really connected to this little internet space, and feel excited about its future. I'm thinking of a makeover, some new features, and a bunch of little tweaks on how I do things from now on.
// I went to six countries in two weeks, California for the first time, and went on a bunch of local trips in between.
// I set a goal to do 25 things in my 25th year, and because I'm a March baby, most of the completed items happened this year, and I still have a couple months left to complete as much as I can. It was a fun project, not necessarily the type of thing I'd be upset over not completing, but a good way to keep small goals ingrained in the things I do all year.
// I didn't exactly keep up with grow, my one little word for the year, in the ways of the album, I definitely did some growing this year. While I feel that I may be a little too busy for OLW in the formal sense (album and monthly updates) this year, I still want to pick a word and execute it in another way on my blog, a way that is more attainable and easy to keep up with.

My most important takeaway from this year is most certainly that while there were highs and lows, I am still here, I'm still motivated, and I still feel that fire under me, encouraging me to do more, be more, and love more. That being said though, I am more than happy to be kicking this year to the curb and starting fresh. Goodbye, twenty fourteen, and hello, twenty fifteen, you beautiful thing, you.

currently: november.

eating Thanksgiving leftovers like it's my job.
watching Arrested Development and Parks & Rec from the beginning on Netflix, and New Girl season four on dvr.
wearing a variety of jackets because the weather just can't get its crap together.
trying to get back on the DIY horse and line up some new projects for the blog.
working on planning posts for the next month so that I can manage my time better.
looking forward to having my house to myself for ten days while my parents are away #freedom.
wishing my dog was staying home with me, but I'm not home enough during the week, so he's going to doggie camp.
reading way too many books right now, which is something I normally never do. I'm part way through this, this, this, and this.
enjoying the beginning of Christmas buzz at work.
having a hard time understanding how December has already creeped up on us, and how an entire year has gone by so quickly. Scarrrryy.
loving the look of the Steven Hawking movie.

currently: october.

settiling into my new job at BuzzFeed.
loving every. single. second of it.
liking commuting more than I thought I would.
missing my chicken nugget and little wing so, so much every day.
reading The Bell Jar and Crazy Rich Asians.
enjoying wearing more than sweats and sneakers to work.
giving Breaking Bad a second try on netflix because I'm tired of people telling me, "I swear, it gets better!".
watching Step Brothers once a week and quoting it several times a day, to everyone's dismay I'd imagine.
listening to so much new music.
trying to do something exciting every weekend now that it's only two days like the rest of the working world. I was so spoiled with three day weekends for two years.
drinking more coffee than any human ever should.
trying to keep up with the blog, but obviously my first priority right now is kicking ass at work.
taking in fall and all its glory.

currently: august.

reading The Hundred-Foot Journey.
eating a square of Trader Joe's swiss milk chocolate with 30% whole hazelnuts every. single. night. Hazelnut lovers rejoice!
listening to Taylor Swift's new song, Shake It Off over and over, and because of that, her last album Red on repeat. It is a completely different album from the perspective of a single girl, which inspired my latest BuzzFeed post.
planning to possibly go back to school to take a few courses.
longing for a long weekend vacation opportunity to present itself soon. Cali anyone?
loving how cuddly max has been lately, & enjoying spending all of my time with him before he becomes a big brother and our time together gets divided.
finding it difficult to drive around in my car because the old six disc changer I always mention is finally broken for good. I hate the radio.
catching up with project life after getting nine weeks behind.
starting 30 days of: lunch today.
wearing my new ash boots!
enjoying the cooler nights & mornings paired with sunny & warm days.
writing about always being hungry and traffic jams.
thinking a lot about the future. Immediate, far off, just what's to come. Sometimes it's exciting, sometimes it gives me heartburn.
wishing I was back in Europe on my contiki trip.
throwing around the idea of a YouTube channel. Still not sure, but I'm really into it in my head.
missing hot yoga. Maybe it's time to get back into that.
focusing on doing more of what makes me happy, rather than needing someone else to make me feel happy.

currently: in a nutshell. (a large nutshell).

Life is interesting right now, and has been for all of July. And interesting isn't even the best word, but I'm going to try to break it all up in a cohesive way (more for my own sanity than anything else).

bitten by the travel bug. I started off July with the trip of a lifetime, and immediately upon returning, my travel high became more like a mini depression. I missed all of my new friends, many of which kept on traveling after our contiki, which made looking at any social media difficult. I also just missed the carefree lifestyle I had adopted for those two weeks. Hop on a bus, drive to a new country, see the most amazing sites, go out with my friends, sleep in hotels, wake up and do it all over. It was amazing, and something I hope to do again next summer, but until then, the loss of it is kind of making the rest of my life seem a little bit more dull than it maybe is in reality. Maybe.

childhood friends. I came home to my friends a bit divided. It's concerning because we're a group of six girls that have been friends for twenty years, and while two of us were away, the other four fell out. It wasn't something I was expecting to come back to, but even now it's still being dealt with. It's extremely overwhelming to see my friends upset with each other because we never fight as a group, let alone only a few of us. It's a weird situation that I hope gets resolved soon, because it definitely adds to the stress of everything else and makes all of us sad.

working three jobs and then some. I've been applying for online publication jobs for a couple of months now, and it's getting a bit discouraging to never get a response. I'm not going to stop trying though, as I know what I want to do in life now more than I ever have before, and that initself is keeping me going. On the Max front, he's loving life and in camp for six hours a day, so while he does that, I'm temping at an accountant firm for the cash I'm missing out on while he's off learning to swim and do gymnastics, making everyone proud. Though it's not the type of work I'm used to, or honestly, that I enjoy, it's definitely a nice change of pace for the next few weeks. But this means that less and less time is available for me to work for Chelsea Dogs, and even less time to be posting on this blog and working on the projects that keep it afloat. It's stressing me out, but hopefully over the next couple of weeks I'll be able to find some balance.

love story. I wasn't sure that I was going to share this here, but I've always been open and personal, so I need to continue to do what feels right for me. I find myself a single woman after six years, and while I'm not going to go into detail, it's a weird feeling. I've only skimmed the surface of the struggles of long distance relationships on this blog, I think partially because it's something that is so complicated and unique in every relationship that it is really hard to generalize what a LDR really feels like. But basically, long distance is not something to be taken lightly, and it's the type of thing that no matter how in love with someone you are, distance just crushes your dreams and makes you unhappy. Again, every relationship is unique and there are a lot that work out just fine in the end, it's just not the case for mine.

So that's my month of July and current status in most aspects of my life right now. It's been a very stressful and emotional time for me, but this blog makes me happy and keeps me busy, so I'm hoping to find the balance soon and be able to resume the parts of my life that make me feel joy and start worrying a little bit less about the parts that don't, especially the things that I can't control. It's only going to go up from here, and I'm excited about that.

currently.

feeling anxious/excited/nervous/happy/all the feels about my two week Eurotrip that starts on Wednesday (omgomgomgomg).
running around like a chicken with no head trying to pack + prep for this trip.
deciding whether four pairs of black leggings is too many to bring?
craving a really good grilled cheese with bacon.
wearing the same pair of denim shorts every single day.
wishing american eagle made them in more than one wash so I didn't have to look like I don't have other clothes.
listening to Ed Sheeran's amazing new album & the new (and first) American Authors album.
obsessing over the fact that you can buy a physical disc on amazon but also download it straight to iTunes. It's the best of both worlds for CD lovers like me (aka people with cars with no AUX plug, xm radio, or bluetooth #firstworldpains).
smelling like this perfume.
reading The Hundred-Foot Journey on the plane this week.
needing a manicure desperately.
enjoying BBQ season and grilled everything.
watching Frozen whenever Max will let me put it on.
finding it hard to believe that it's already July tomorrow and that 2014 is half over.
realizing more and more that life passes you by whether you're prepared or not, so best to enjoy the ride every second.
being philosophical, apparently.

currently.

feeling a little bit overwhelmed working on three separate blog projects at once.
wanting to get back into blogging here regularly because it makes me happy, not because I feel like I need to.
laughing at max every time he mentions the reason why he can or cannot do something as "because I'm three now" (while holding up five squeezed together fingers because his fine motor skills won't allow him to hold his pinky down with his thumb yet).
listening to this band over and over and over on spotify because they are amazing + remind me of my high school self mixed with my adult self in terms of music style preferences.
praying that I get the job I applied for even though it's bittersweet thinking about leaving max.
living in these tees every single day.
exploring new diet and exercise regimens to keep it new + fresh.
trying to get a little bit of color injected into this pale winter skin.
rewatching seasons one + two of new girl on netflix before I binge watch the third on hulu plus.
getting excited for my friend's graduation/birthday bash next weekend.
thinking about what to make for the party.
finding it hard to believe that May is already over and that June, the official month of the beginning of summer is already upon us (where the heck is this year going?! slow dowwwwnnnnnn!)
reading a few different things and trying to make up for how much time it took me to read this.
taking pictures of max more and more because I swear that every time he sneezes he grows another inch and I'm just having some troubling coming to terms with it all.
quoting movies and television shows more than I realize now that my friend's new boyfriend seems to always catch my quotes and spit back the next line (#imsoannoyingthough).
racking my brain for new ideas and concepts for this blog, Chelsea Dogs, and Buzzfeed because I feel a bit burnt out and uninspired right now even though my brain would like me to get off of the couch and stop watching netflix.
driving with the windows down, sunnies on.
loving this slow unfold to summer weather + all it's glory (before it gets so effing hot that I want to curl up in front of a fan and never move again until fall).

currently.

brimming with ideas, thoughts, inspirations, + concepts.
finding that there just aren't enough hours in the day to follow through with everything all at once.
trying to get a handle on blogging regularly again after a very busy april.
watching the challenge on mtv, which is forever my favorite reality show.
recovering from a weekend in AC with my girlfriends.
drinking so much coffee and documenting it every day.
missing R now that he's back in England until July.
wearing shorts and sandals whenever it's the least bit sunny #coldbutworthit.
tucking my shirt into my pants whenever it's remotely possible (once I find a look that works, it's an all day erryday mentality).
eating pretzel crisps in every flavor like it's my job. these are my faveeeeeee.
lusting over army print everything: see this, this, + these from my current wishlist.
reading wild by cheryl strayed and really loving it despite it being something I never thought I'd like.
waiting on the library request list to finish the goldfinch.
making lists and taking names.
working on opening the etsy shop (I feel like this has been a work in progress for months now, but may is most certainly the month, people!)
obsessing over Amy Tangerine's plus one paper pack for all of my project life and paper lover needs.
planning some facelift operations for this blog in the near future.
scheduling a fingerprinting appointment for my NY teaching certification to finally go through #newyorkstressesmeout.
loving the beginning of spring & sun & flower buds & dog walkers & sidewalk chalk & lemonade iced tea.

currently.

getting back into the groove after a four day fight against spring allergies.
working on a couple of new ideas to reopen my empty etsy shop very soon.
loling (it's a verb) every time I watch this video (2:47 soooo many chins).
reading the goldfinch, which is taking a while because it's so long, but man, it is well written.
enjoying this image as my phone background because, I meeeaaaaaaaan, really.
craving soup all the time.
hating that the spring weather from last week is nowhere to be found this week (since I'm paying for it through my allergies anyway).
listening to queen bey on repeat.
working on my 25 things whenever appropriate and actively thinking about my OLW intentions daily.
thinking about my next tattoo and tossing around a few different ideas.
wanting to see divergent in theaters again because even though I have mixed feelings about the rest of the series, this adaptation was fantastic.
blowing my nose, then max's nose, then mine again #helloallergyseason.
watching parenthood on netflix, sooo goooood.
baking these, these, and these in the near future.
feeling a little bit run down, but a nice break from the norm is a good way to fix that.
starting to get really excited that R will be here in just over a week.
planning a new blog series/feature that will begin once I'm completely back on my feet.
joining the frozen family after finally renting it on demand - I jumped on the wagon - it's so great!
loving watching max really grow both physically and emotionally these past few weeks. He seriously changes in the blink of an eye and is becoming more and more of a little person.
waiting ever so patiently for spring's arrival so I can be outside and put my coats away. It's enough now, winter.

currently.

taking selfies like it's my job #sorrynotsorry

missing R already because his week here flew by too fast.

devouring Where'd You Go, Bernadette. 

sipping coffee through a straw because I got my teeth whitened.

thinking about where I want to live the next year or so of my life starting this summer (Cali is in the forefront of that for suuuuuure).

keeping up with my project life and looooooving it.

testing out the products that came in my first ipsy glam bag and already getting excited for the next one.

wearing leggings every day because it's just too cold for me to care what I look like.

enjoying my starbucks coffee when I can wake up early enough to make a stop before work.

planning to bake vanilla bean donuts and more oreogasms (patent still pending).

listening to the fray's new album, helios.

writing anything and everything down on post-its, to-do lists, and in planners.

getting really frustrated that I seem to have to charge my iphone halfway through the day, everyday.

using hashtags in my speech #donthatemecauseyouaintme.

dreaming of warmer weather.

starting to get excited for my birthday next weekend.

loving how I'm organizing my every day schedule at the minute in terms of variety of tasks and productivity, but wishing that I could get to the gym a little bit more (or that it would warm up so that I can run outside without losing my voice and feeling like an icicle).

welcoming March + spring + sun.

currently.

Feeling inspired and ready to do more of what I love throughout the upcoming months.

Getting in touch with my dslr on a more regular basis.
Ticking off items on to-do list after to-do list like a boss.
Reading the Cuckoo's Calling from my paperback lust list.
Wishing away this freezing cold NY weather (more about this in my post from yesterday).
Pinning things on pinterest that I know I will actually use/do/try etc. so that my boards aren't getting clogged up with so much stuff that I forget what I pinned only a few days before.
Planning things to do with R when he's visiting for Valentine's day and the week that follows.
Absolutely loving project life and the idea of my finished album(s) at the end of this year.
Watching New Girl episode after episode and fearing catching up with the live season. Thank you, netflix, for yet another addictive series at my complete and utter disposal 24/7.
Listening to Bastille and Daughter on repeat.
Drinking water with strawberries again on the reg #delish.
Cleaning my over cluttered closet out this weekend.
Using a new beauty oil that is making my skin feel baby soft and super hydrated.
Dreaming about California.
Connecting with my one little word and trying to grow and expand in every aspect of my life.

currently.

running outside as much as I can before it gets too cold (which could be any day now).

highly enjoying the return of layers and tights and legwarmers.

reading as fast as I can get my hands on new material.

playing in the leaves with max on the reg.

drinking hot coffee every morning under a thick blanket in front of my dvr.

waking up in a tangle of puppy limbs.

using my new mug from raygun, which is awesome.

celebrating movember with the help of some cheeky mustache pencil toppers and my best friend.

baking individual pumpkin cheesecakes for Thanksgiving.

watching max sleep peacefully that last minute before I wake him up from his nap.

buying a bunch of comfy sweaters and scarves for winter.

getting excited for my Christmas trip to see R and some friends in England.

feeling better about Homeland now that the storyline is starting to speed up a bit and get exciting.

listening on repeat to the first few songs of One Direction's new album, which is out today (so by now I'm fully immersed in this entire album and just crying with excitement over new lyrics to memorize).

looking all over the place for holiday gifts for family and friends before I leave for my trip.

loving that the Christmas season is on our heels. It's the most wonderful time of the year, and the most inspiring + hopeful.

currently.

wearing ugg slippers, chunky scarves, tall boots, comfy leggings, and pom pom topped hats.
obsessing over my new monogrammed + studded cross body bag.
dressing max in the cutest fall outfits (and sometimes like danny from grease because it's too cute to resist).
trying not to stress out about being busy and overwhelmed with work and my lack of time to accomplish anything fun.
watching the new season of homeland, which just dropped a pretty awesome bomb last weekend.
missing my best friends and housemates from college already after our super sweet weekend in atlantic city.
getting ready for halloween with pumpkin carving and apple cider sangria (recipe to come).
hugging max whenever I get the chance, and when he initiates one it's even better.
bursting with excitement waiting for the ed sheeran concert on tuesday at madison square garden (so. freakin. pumped.)
coming to terms with the ending of allegiant, the third and final book in the divergent series (thoughts, anyone?)
listening to one direction's new song 'story of my life' on repeat. it's so grown up and indie/folk sounding and I can't get enough of it.
becoming aware of what I put into my body with the help of weight watchers (I did it in high school and didn't really have the capacity to understand what the benefits were, now I'm realizing how perfect it is for me at this stage in the game).
wishing I had more time to DIY because fall is my favorite time for it.
snacking on almonds, mandarin oranges, and apples with cinnamon like it's my job.
missing my man, but loving that I finally booked my flight for christmas so we can count down to a specific date (december 20!)

loving that fall is finally here in all of it's glory and that sweating walking out my front door is off the table.