Gone with the Wind

"I'm riding you with a slack rein, my pet, but don't forget that I'm riding with curb and spurs just the same." --Rhett Butler

Do you ever come across a line in a book that just stops you dead in your tracks? Well, for some reason that very sentence above did that to me. I love reading. It's one of my favorite things to do and I unfortunately don't have a lot of time to read for fun while I'm at school. I do however try to read at least a few pages before I go to bed each night. For my birthday back in May, I asked for some classics, like Gone With the Wind, Alice in Wonderland, Anna Karenina, and some William Faulkner books (including a copy of one of my favorites, The Sound and the Fury). I've been reading Gone with the Wind for awhile now and it's one of those books that I just do not want to end! I've been savoring every page, every word, hoping that it doesn't have to end. I think it's safe to say this is my favorite book I have ever read. I'm very, very close to finishing and have actually made a point of not reading it for the past few nights so I won't be done with it too quickly, since I am a very fast reader. But alas, I will be done with it soon so if any of you have any recommendations for books to read (whether it's a "classic" or not), send them my way! I always love hearing about books other people have enjoyed!

So I leave you with a screen shot of Viven Leigh as Scarlett O'Hara. Just look at that dress!

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Long time no see...

Yikes! I've been a terrible blogger! I've been so busy finishing up my last few days of class which entails finalizing my 13+ page research paper and putting together my final portfolio. I've also been busy packing up my room at my townhouse since I'm going back home on Thursday and will only be coming back at the very end of the month to move into my new place. So my room right now is a total mess. Oh AND I forgot my camera back home when I was there for the 4th of July--so I haven't been able to take any outfit photos :( So instead--here are some of the items I've been meaning to purchase basically all summer:

A pair of oversized sunglasses:

Jackie O Sunglasses from Need Supply Co

A new, cute pair of sandals:

Sightseeing Sandals from Modcloth

Cool, gold accessories:

Ready Ore Not Necklace from Modcloth

I'm a long time travelling away from home

Have you ever heard a song that just stopped you in your tracks? A song whose lyrics just seem to resonate with you? It's not everyday that this happens to me, but one day a few months ago while listening to one of my many channels on Pandora, a song did just that--it stopped me in my tracks. It was a song entitled, "Long Time Traveller" by The Wailin' Jennys, a group I had never heard of before. But ever since, I have become a fan of every single song of theirs. "Long Time Traveller" remains my favorite and most listened to song of theirs, though. The lyrics remind me of the William Faulkner book, "As I Lay Dying" so if you like that book, I suggest you listen to this song. Really, I recommend their music to anyone and everyone. Their sound is just so pure...there's no other way to describe it. It hit me hard and made my heart swell, something that very few songs do to me. Oh and I'm always open to song/artist suggestions so feel free to comment and tell me about your favorites that I should listen to!

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I've been lucky to be raised in a family where music is embraced and has been deemed so important. My mother is a piano teacher and my father owns and runs music stores that his parents started when he was in high school. All of my siblings have played an instrument at one point in their life, and most of us still play to this day. I remember being four years old and begging my mother to teach me how to play piano, as I was so jealous of all of her students who walked through our front door and got to play such pretty music. The only way I was allowed to start was if I stopped sucking my thumb...I stopped immediately and have been playing ever since. Later on when we were 8, my parents gave my twin brother and I the choice of what instruments we wanted to play; he chose drums and I chose flute, and we both still play regularly. I really think I was born to make music. Music is my therapy and it's my passion, and I'm just so lucky to have such a passion passed down to me from my parents. People often say, "Oh well your dad owns a music store and your mom is a piano teacher, of course you play instruments, you have to!" but I was never forced into taking private music lessons like so many children are; I wanted to make music. And when my hands first touched those ivory keys, I felt at home.

I feel so small sometimes, in this big ol' place

So as I sit here in my bathrobe, all alone in my townhouse in Richmond, I'm getting awfully homesick! I love Northern Virginia in the summertime! Although the area in which I live has been getting pretty suburban over the years, I'm lucky to live in a house with one of the biggest backyards ever, complete with big, shady trees and no neighbors living behind us. When I was little, our yard backed up to a big open field and a little forest. One of the rules was that we weren't allowed to go into the forest alone, but my twin brother and I would somehow always manage to sneak back there. There was (and still is) an old house back there too that was said to be there since the Civil War. I don't know if that's actually true, but everyone likes to say it is!

One of the things I miss most about spending a lazy summer in NoVa is picking the violets that sprout up in our backyard. They usually come up sometime in May and last for about a month. This year, I just barely missed them but was able to pick a few little bouquets to put in a tiny vase on the dining room table. I've been doing that ever since I was a little girl and it's sad that this was the first year I didn't get to do it.

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I also miss lighting bugs! I realized today that I haven't seen any here in Richmond, and that's just sad. I remember it being dusk, and my brother and I running out with jars, catching all the lightning bugs we could. Once I got older and too "mature" for that, my mom and I would walk around the block just as it started to get dark and we would admire all the lightning bugs that crossed our path.

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And one last random thing I miss about being at home, is watching baseball games with my dad and brother. When I was little, I was such a tomboy. I would run around with the neighborhood boys, get dirty, play catch with my dad in the backyard, and then end the day watching the Baltimore Orioles on tv. I remember being about 8 years old and being so excited when Mark McGwire set the homerun record, and to this day, that one Green Day song still always reminds me of that day because they played it all the time on ESPN when they showed video and picture montages of the homerun race. And although the Orioles are having a rough season (and have been for awhile), I love watching the games with the boys and I especially love when I get to go to Camden Yards to cheer the O's on in person.

Camden Yards last summer, with the Warehouse in full view where they serve some darn good crabcakes and the BEST fruit salad ever.

Alone without being lonely

It's a Friday night and I'm sitting here in my living room watching reruns on Bravo.

I'm in the middle of a bustling city and I'm sitting here alone.

It's not that I'm not happy or content, because in fact, I totally am.

But I feel like I should want to be out in the midst of all the activity.

That I should want to be partying it up with a bunch of people I don't even know.

That I should want to be drinking and running aroud the streets of Richmond.

But (at least this particular weekend) I would much rather hang out by myself at my old townhouse tucked away on a quiet, one-way street.

Even if I'm currently trying to avoid a mouse that made an appearance in my bedroom last night, which actually drove me to tears. But that's a whole other story.

But I hate when friends make fun of me for wanting to stay in on a Friday night rather than go out.

They think it's crazy that I would want to sit by myself rather than go dance and drink and laugh with a ton of other people. But I really think they just don't understand where I'm coming from.

Because the thing is, when you come from a family of 8 (6 kids and 2 parents), finding alone time is often hard to do! I remember being only about 6 years old and carrying blankets and pillows to the bay window in our music room, because that was the only place in my house that didn't have dogs barking, my brother and his neighborhood friends running around, or the sounds of my older siblings arguing.

And to this day, that window in that room is still my favorite place because it remains to be the only quiet corner of our home.

And even though most weekends I do go out and do those things that my friends like to do regularly, there are times where I just feel like curling up in my bed, watching a chick flick on my laptop, and ending the night with a few chapters of a good book.

And the thing is, I think that the friends who judge me for wanting to be by myself are going to have a hard time once they're out of college, because they won't know how to deal with just being by themselves.

They're too used to having to be around a bunch of people and they won't know what to do with themselves when all they have are the thoughts inside their own heads.

And there I'll be with the best of both worlds: knowing how to have a good time and enjoy myself with people I love, but also knowing how to be alone without being lonely.

And if my friends want to call me an "old lady" or a "house mole", I'm cool with that. Just as long as I have my copy of "Gone with the Wind" and some good snacks to help me pass the time.

So love me today and forget about tomorrow

So I'm totally starting to feel the stress of my summer class now! It's nearing the end (I'm done on July 15th) and now is the time when we have multiple assignments due each day we meet. This week I've already turned in at least 30 pages to my teacher--how crazy is that?? Next week I have a 13 page rough draft of my research paper due so this weekend, I will be finishing up my research and hopefully writing my entire paper! Thankfully, next week our classes were cancelled and instead we have to go in for a 20 minute conference with him. I chose to do it on Tuesday so I can go back home that night and stay there for about a week! My mom is getting a puppy tomorrow so I really want to go home to see him and pictures will definitely be posted here!

OUTFIT: Floral blouse, Blue tank, and belt: Abercrombie & Fitch, Shorts: American Eagle from years ago Sandals: Ruche, Bracelet and earrings: a Tibetan shop in Greenwich Village, Necklace: vintage, giveaway from Sally Jane Vintage.

I usually absolutely hate to wear shorts, mainly because I can't find ones that are the right length or that fit right, but it was over 100 degrees out today so I decided to suck it up and wear some anyway. I love white shorts and how crisp they look, especially with bright tops, like this one. I think I got these shorts freshman year of high school (that's slightly embarrassing) but they're the only ones that fit me perfectly and aren't too long or too short! I wore this blouse in a previous post, but I think it was back in March so it was still pretty cool out and I wore different accessories with it. I love finding pieces that transition so easily into all seasons! Oh and despite how much I looove the sandals I'm wearing here, I'm so glad I packed a pair of flip flops for when I walked to class, because by the time I got there, the back of my feet were all cut up :( I'm so bad about breaking in shoes before I wear them out, and then I end up hurting my feet!

Just a few midnight musings...

If I've learned one thing about myself since coming to college, it is that I am reverting back to some of the very habits I had when I was 4 years old.

When I was little, I absolutely hated going to bed early....so much so that I would throw little tantrums on a pretty regular basis when it came time to go to sleep, mainly because it would put off going to bed. And on the nights I didn't throw a tantrum, I would sneak downstairs and hide under the dining room table while my dad sat in his recliner watching NYPD Blue. This was quite a feat as we had a baby gate (used to keep our dogs downstairs) that I had to either jump over or open quietly, which was quite difficult for a tiny 4 year old girl. But I somehow did it, all because I wanted to included in whatever was going on in our house.

Now that I'm in college, instead of sneaking downstairs to watch NYPD Blue with my dad (unbeknownst to him), I stay up solely because I don't want to go to bed immediately after finishing an assignment or studying. Take tonight for example: I finished two assignments for my summer class (a total of 18 pages...craziness!) about thirty minutes ago, and despite being tired, I feel like I need to relax before I go to bed. So I'm sitting here watching The Bachelorette on Hulu while eating some delicious white grapes. Now let it be known that I've NEVER watched any of those reality dating shows before...except for the super trashy ones on VH1. I feel like I've hit an all-time low because I'm basically watching this show solely because I do not want to sleep. Plus, all these guys seem like complete freaks so far! Especially the one who said, "I need a girl to go ice fishing with!", or how about the professional wrestler??...I'm speechless. You could not pay me enough to go on one of those shows.

P.S.: It may seem that I was a complete brat when I was 4 (i.e. throwing tantrums each night just because I didn't feel like sleeping) but I just like to think I was sassy, which is totally acceptable when you're the youngest of 6 kids. ;)

I know they say you can't go home again

So I'm back home for the weekend and it's just so nice just to run errands with my mom and watch movies late at night with my dad. I really don't understand when people my age hate to go home. I have so many friends at school who dread going home and I just don't get it! My family is probably one of the most close-knit ones you'll ever come across. My parents are celebrating their 39th wedding anniversary today (they were high school sweethearts and got married just a few weeks after graduating) and they will do anything and everything for my siblings and me. Every single night we sit down to a family dinner when my dad gets home from work, even if we're just eating take-out...even if I have already eaten with friends, I come home just to sit at the table and laugh and talk with my family. The entire family attended every single baseball, football, and softball game each kid played in and sat through every band and orchestra concert. My parents never missed any back-to-school night or award ceremony, except for one when I was in 6th grade due to my mom being in surgery. I do understand that not everyone has such a supportive family and every single day I'm thankful for having so many people around me who love me and would stand by me no matter what choices I make in my life.

OUTFIT: Vest: Abercrombie & Fitch, T-shirt: Target, Jeans: 7 for All Mankind, Elephant Necklace: Fred Flare, Pearl Earrings: gift.

I got this vest for my birthday and I love everything about it: the color, the embellishment, the cut, etc. I'm always on the lookout for a piece of clothing that will dress up a simple v-neck tee.

I love the tree that I'm standing in front of in these pictures. It sits directly behind our house and when I was little, my dad would put me on one branch and my twin brother on the other (it has since broken off the tree) and we'd pretend we were riding horses while my dad cooked dinner on the grill. I think if my parents ever sold this house I would have an emotional breakdown...I just have way too many fond memories of this place!

Throw your diamonds in the sky

So I thought I would do a jewelry post with a few necklaces that I've been wearing a lot lately. I've always been into jewelry, mainly because of my mom and older sisters. Every birthday and Christmas, I'm given at least one special piece of jewelry. It's also a tradition in our family to give jewelry to the girls as graduation gifts, for both high school and college. Usually if I ask for an expensive piece of jewelry, I try to only ask for classic pieces as I don't want to have my parents spend a ton of money on some trendy piece that I will only wear for a season or two.

So here are the four necklaces that I've been loving lately! And yes, they're all being proudly displayed on my copy of "Gone with the Wind." I'm obsessed with this book! I don't know why it's taken me so long to read it! But getting back to the jewelry, I'll start with the one all the way to the left:

This owl necklace is from Urban Outfitters. I got it back in March when I was home for spring break and my mom insisted on buying it for me when we saw it in the store. I have been obsessed with owls since a young age--my entire family is. We have a real, stuffed owl on our wall when you first walk into our house (it flew into my parents' car on their way home from their wedding) and one of the first Christmas ornaments my parents got when they were first married was a pretty tacky blue, glass owl that broke a few years back after our Christmas tree fell over. We have been obsessed with finding an exact replacement ever since!! I wear this necklace at least a few times every week since I've gotten it and it's perfect to layer with other necklaces as it's super small and delicate!

And now my infamous hinged fish necklace that I got from Need Supply Co. I initially went to the store with my friend to find a new outfit for a party we were attending...we didn't leave with an outfit, but we both left with fish jewelry! I love this necklace!! I love that it's super long so I can layer it with my owl necklace and I haven't seen anyone else with it. So cute!

This necklace is from Fred Flare and was given to me as a birthday gift. Elephants are by far my favorite animal...ever since I was little I've been given some sort of elephant knick knack for every holiday. I have shelves full of elephants at home and have been on the look-out for the perfect elephant necklace! I love this one because it has the gold accents and the pops of color that can really dress up just a t-shirt and jeans.

This final necklace was a birthday gift from my sister. She has been making jewelry since she was in high school (so for about 10 years now) and since she started, she's been using me as her guinea pig. Whenever I've needed a piece of jewelry for a school dance or just to go with a certain outfit, she always makes me something that is absolutely perfect. This is her latest piece. The pendant is actually a vintage brooch she found at our favorite antique store in Leesburg, VA. Emerald is my birthstone and I absolutely love pearls, so this necklace is perfect! So far I've worn it with my favorite black dress and yesterday I wore it with just a burgandy, ribbed tank top and other gold accessories. I've been pushing my sister to start an Etsy shop so as soon as she does, I'll put up the link here!

You know I look like a woman but I cut like a buffalo

This week has been crazy so far...and it's only Wednesday morning! Monday I got a call saying that mine and my roommate's applications got approved for our apartment so that was exciting! They're still waiting for our other roommate's application as she lives in NoVa and couldn't turn hers in with ours, so hopefully hers will be approved to so we can hurry and sign our lease! Tuesday (I almost said today as I haven't slept yet) was busy with class stuff. I'm only taking one class this summer (I'm halfway done!) but it's so stressful/annoying! It's an English class that all students have to take at my college and it's just a big pain. I'm fine with writing the big research paper at the end of class, but it's all the busy work he has us doing leading up to that point. I have turned in at least 35 pages of work in the past 3 weeks...what happened to not wasting paper?? I don't even want to think about how many trees I will have killed by the time I'm done with this class.

In other news, I am soooo jealous of my twin brother who just got back from Bonnaroo early Tuesday morning. One of his birthday gifts was tickets for him and a friend to go, so he's been planning this for awhile. He had a huge list of all the bands he wanted to see and had it timed down to the minute. He called me this afternoon to tell me all about it and I'm already gonna start saving up slowly for next year. I'm determined to go! If you went to Bonnaroo this year, tell me how it was!! I love hearing everyone's stories! And in case you didn't know, the title of this post is lyrics from a song by The Dead Weather, one of the many bands I wish I could have seen this past weekend. :(

OUTFIT: Striped sweater: Abercrombie & Fitch, Skirt: Actually a dress from Modcloth, Sandals: American Eagle from years ago, Necklace: Need Supply Co.

Okay, so I'm mad that I didn't get any other pictures, but my camera died right after this lone shot. I really wanted to get a better picture of my favorite necklace! It's a little black fish from Need Supply here in Richmond. I bought it about a month ago and have worn it to death already, but haven't managed to get a picture of it yet! I wore this outfit out to dinner last night with some friends and it was supposed to rain, so I threw on old sandals that I wouldn't care if they got wet. I may be doing a jewelry post sometime this week, as there are so many pieces I want to show to everyone!

This is just a stop on the way to where I'm going

This week has been CRAZY! Between assignments for my class and house/apartment hunting, I'm totally burned out. I had a little bit of an emotional breakdown earlier this week as I found out that my financial situation is A LOT different than I thought (and not in a good way) so I have to go talk to the financial aid department and find a job fast before I'm totally broke.

But in happier news, my (future) roommate and I just handed in our applications and deposit for an apartment for the next year (starting in August)! It's within walking distance to campus, plus the building is eco friendly! They recycled old buildings in the city, rather than tearing them down, and basically all the things in the apartment are supposed to have minimal impact on the environment which is pretty cool if you ask me. Even the parking lot is eco friendly! Honestly, I'm just relieved we found a decent, affordable place...I was starting to stress out!

OUTFIT: Dress with belt: Modcloth, Necklace: Peapod Treasures Etsy shop, Pearl earrings: Christmas gift, Bracelet: from a Tibetan shop in Greenwich Village

This is the outfit I wore yesterday to go apartment hunting in. It was really hot so it was the perfect day to just throw on a dress. I got both the dress and the necklace for my birthday...I think they're so cute! And I'm just gonna go ahead and point out that scar right above my lip...it's so annoying! My brother and sister *lovingly* call it my herpes outbreak whenever they see me. I don't even bother covering it with makeup anymore, and no one outside of my family has pointed it out to me, so I guess I'm good for now!

The smell of wine and cheap perfume

While reorganizing my desk last night, I found all these bottles of perfume that I totally forgot I had. It was pretty exciting so I thought I would do a perfume post. I really do think perfume is just as important as clothes and accessories, especially since I'm pretty sure I judge people way more if they smell bad than if they aren't dressed nicely. I went through a phase in high school where I bought all different scents and would change it up every day, but lately, I've been stuck in a rut of wearing the same perfume all the time. I think I'm long overdue to get some new scents, so feel free to tell me your favorite scents (for both everyday and for going out at night), I'm totally open for suggestions!

In order from left to right:

The scent that I wear every single day is Hollister's Malaia. It's a really fresh, light scent and it's perfect to wear during the day. It's a light and crisp floral scent with a little bit of a woody hint to it. I probably wear it every single day I'm away at school and I love it. I think the reason I tend to always wear it is because (at least when I bought it) it came in this cute, round case so it's really easy to just throw in my duffel bag when I'm going home so I don't have to worry about it leaking.

Another perfume I wear pretty regularly even though it's not pictured (usually when I go out at night) is the original Juicy Couture scent. I got it as a gift and instantly loved the packaging. I love the Juicy Couture Body Sorbet (the same scent which is pictured) which use it daily. The scent is definitely stronger than the Hollister perfume I wear everyday as it's made up of fruitier top notes, as well as a stronger floral scent and a hint of vanilla. It's a nice scent though, but a little strong for me to wear every single day.

The next scent I wear is the classic Abercrombie and Fitch scent. Although I know a lot of people think that the smell of this particular store is really overpowering, this perfume doesn't smell anything like that at all. I wore this all the time in high school and for some reason it reminds me of the first day of school whenever I smell it. It has a bit of a sharper smell than the other two perfumes but it still has really nice floral and citruc scents.

The next scent is Burberry Brit. I love anything and everything Burberry. I got this as a Christmas gift 2 years ago and I'm pretty sure the only reason my mom got it for me was because of the bottle. but it smells really good! It's a really different scent...I've never smelled any perfume like it. It has sweet and fruity notes, but it also has deep amber and vanilla undertones which make it pretty unique. This is one perfume that I can wear both during the day and at night. The body lotion in this scent is also really nice.

The next scent is one that is discontinued but I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to buy it on Ebay or any other trustworthy site. It's called August by Hollister (I know, another Hollister perfume, which is weird since I don't even shop there). It's a unisex scent but honestly, I find it geared more towards women. It's a realy beachy scent with a hint of smokiness that's really different. I still have a little bit of this perfume left and use it sparingly since it's so hard to find.

The last perfume I find myself reaching for when I go out at night is Gucci Eau de Parfum (the original one which you can buy online has now been replaced by Eau de Parfum II which you can find at department stores). This scent was the first one that I bought that smelled 'grown up' to me. It's really fun but instantly makes me feel dressed up when I put it on. It's a little bit citrusy and also has a vanilla hint to it. This reminds me of my sophomore year of high school, the year that I first fell in love; it specifically reminds me of the dates we would go on, as I would spray this on right before he would come to pick me up in his red convertible.

Flower child

So I'm back in NoVa for the weekend and have been spending all my time running errands. Today I went to get a much needed haircut, but it literally took the stylist 10 minutes to shampoo, cut, and dry my hair so she asked if she could curl it for me. I said sure, since I really do love having my hair curled but I just don't have the patience to do it myself. I love how it turned out! When my mom saw me, she said it looked like I was trying to be Farrah Fawcett...I don't know if that was meant to be a compliment or not, haha. I decided to take my pictures outside this time and I LOVE how they turned out! I think this is the first time that I've been actually excited about posting pictures...I guess I'll have to take my pictures outside more often!

OUTFIT: Blouse: Modcloth Jeggings: Abercrombie & Fitch, Necklace: won in the Revolving Styles giveaway via Sally Jane Vintage, Sandals: Abercrombie & Fitch

I absolutely adore this necklace! I remember seeing it on the Sally Jane Vintage blog and hoping that I would win it...so when I received an e-mail that said that I was the lucky winner, I was so excited! I got it in the mail yesterday and knew immediately what I wanted to wear it with.

With love in her eyes and flowers in her hair

It's rare for me to come across an article of clothing or piece of jewelry that I absolutely yearn to have. I never really crave or covet things, unless it's something really special. I usually separate things I see into several different categories: Things that I could see myself wearing/things that I would actually spend my hard-earned money on, Things I would NEVER wear, and Things that I really have no opinion on one way or another. And then there's the rare category that is: I absolutely MUST have that or something like it/how have I lived this long without that item??

Some of the things that have fallen into that last category include:

Miu Miu Cat Print Mary Janes (photo from Neiman Marcus). I remember when I first saw these shoes, I told my friend, "I need to be the girl wearing cat shoes! That's who I was meant to be!!"

Marc by Marc Jacobs Petal to the Metal bag (picture via PursePage)...I saw this at Nordstrom last summer and totally should have bought it but didn't. I hate when that happens!!:

And now, the item that I absolutely NEED is any one of the beautiful ban.do black label hair pieces. If I had to pick one, it would probably be this one...wait scratch that, why pick just one when you can have three?? In the order they are shown here they are: Sophisticated Whimsy, She Lives a Fairytale, and She Reads Keats.

On a total side note, I not only want the hair pieces in those pictures but also that actual hair. Don't get me wrong, I love my blonde hair and am quite happy with it, but I often find myself dreaming of having beautiful red hair. *Sigh*

A little about me...

Since I don't have an outfit post for this weekend (story of my life!), I decided to do a little 'about me' post. These are just some random facts about me that you might not know just from reading my little blog:

1. I'm a social work majors and a criminal justice minor...I started college 2 years ago thinking I wanted to work with the elderly, but now I have NO idea what I'm going to end up doing. I'm leaning toward getting a master's degree in Criminal Justice or a related field and working in an agency involved with missing and exploited children, but I don't know yet.

2. I have always been insanely shy. Since the 1st grade when I was no longer in a classroom with my twin brother, I would freak out at the idea of being in a new, strange place without him or someone else in my family. I've gotten a ton better now that I'm finally becoming more comfortable with myself, thank God.

3. I'm the youngest of 6 children; I have 3 older brothers and 2 older sisters, ranging in age from 38 to 20. Three of them are married and their spouses are like siblings to me. I also have two adorable nephews, one who is 8 and the other who is 17 months, although I do not see them nearly as much as I would like since they live in Minnesota.

4. My oldest brother has autism. He is the most amazing person I know; he is hilarious, witty, and really intelligent. He knows everything there is to know about cars and rock n' roll music, and he can quote almost every movie he's seen word for word. Lately, it's been a lot of lines from My Cousin Vinny and Wayne's World. He has his somewhat annoying quirks too, like flushing the toilet excessively, but it's just a regular occurrence to my family and me.

5. Music is my true passion. I've been playing piano for 16 years and flute for 12. Whenever I need to de-stress, I go up to the music room at my parent's house and play whatever piano music is laying around. My favorite music to play is anything classical as well as Josh Groban pieces.

6. I absolutely love to read. Ever since I was about four years old, I've had my nose in a book. Right now I'm trying to read more 'classics' and got a few for my birthday. Right now I'm reading 'Gone with the Wind' and it's quickly becoming one of my favorites. Some other favorites of mine are: "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner, "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott, "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith, "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen, and anything and everything by Jodi Picoult.

7. Nicknames aren't that common in my family, with the exception of the pet names my mom calls us kids. Despite that, I have had two in my life: "Tweety" and "Leewa". Tweety was what my family called me when I was a baby because I was bald and had huge eyes. I still get comments about my 'big eyes' from complete strangers, especially when I'm not wearing any eye makeup. My eyes are definitely my favorite feature. Leewa came about because my twin brother couldn't say my name properly when we were little, so he resorted to calling me Leewa. All of my older siblings call me that to this day and I really do love it.

Those are a few random things about me, and if you have anything else you're curious about, just ask and I'll be sure to answer! :)

Back in Richmond...and hopefully back to regular blogging!

Wow, I've been a terrible blogger lately! I only was back home in NoVa for less than two weeks and now I'm back in Richmond to take a summer class. While I was home, I tried to spend as much time with my family as possible so that meant I wasn't worrying about outfit posts, and some days, I didn't even worry about getting dressed. It was so nice to be home, especially to celebrate my birthday (which was so much fun!). I got a lot of really cool gifts that will hopefully be sprouting up in upcoming outfit posts. I got some really cool jewelry made out of vintage pieces (some made by my own sister, and others that I found on Etsy). I also got a lot of cute clothes, a new pair of leather sandals, and this beautiful diamond bow necklace that my mom and I have been on the lookout for for YEARS. I also got some fun stuff for my apartment next year, like cute glasses with owls on them and bowls with birds, as well as the most adorable mug from Modcloth with dachshunds dancing around it. I also got a tv for my room next year (I've had some issues with one of my roommates this year about sharing the tv in the living room...she literally had never heard of the word 'compromise' haha) so I can watch all the trashy shows I want!

OUTFIT: Blouse: Modcloth. Jeans: Citizen of Humanity. Flats: Modcloth. Necklace: gift/handmade by my sister.

I wore this outfit on Saturday to go out to dinner with my family. It was my last meal out with them, and it was also my sister's last meal with us before she had a surgery that involved getting her jaw wired shut. We went to one of our favorite restaurants, a Japanese steakhouse that has the most delicious food. I love the blouse I'm wearing in these pictures...it's super flattering (at least it is when I'm standing up straight) and I love all the details, like the embroidery on the sleeves and the buttons that go down the front. The necklace was a birthday gift from my sister...my other sister had given me that pendant a few years ago. It's from Italy, where she and her husband lived for several years, and is a champagne colored Swarovski crystal. I love the irregular shape of it, but hadn't gotten around to finding a chain for it, so I decided to give it to my other sister to make into a beautiful necklace. I love that she combined the champagne color with garnets...so pretty! Well I better get to bed, I have to go to class tomorrow...UGH!

I'm 20!!!

Happy Birthday to me!! I don't have an outfit post today, partly because I've been busy celebrating but also because the outfit I was originally gonna wear didn't really work, so I just threw on a dress that I wore a few weeks ago and already featured in a post. Oh well.

So far today, I woke up at 9:01 (the time I was born 20 years ago) and got ready to go out to lunch with my mom and twin brother. We went to Ted's Montana Grill and we all ordered delicious bison burgers. We then went by Coldstone to pick up my cake and came back home to relax. We'll be opening our birthday gifts once my dad gets off work in a few hours and once my sister comes over, we'll be eating our birthday dinner made up of tacos and fruit salad. I can't wait! I hope everyone's having a great week and I'll post more tomorrow! :)

You're my flowerchild and I'm your forget-me-not

I'm officially done with my sophomore year of college! It's so weird to think that I'm halfway done with college...I feel like I just started college like last week. I unfortunately was less than one point away from an A in my abnormal psych class so I didn't get the 4.0 I was hoping for, but I was still able to raise my overall GPA so I'm not too upset about it. I came back to NoVa late Tuesday night and have just been relaxing and running errands since then.

OUTFIT DETAILS: Black tee: Target. Jeans: 7 for All Mankind. Scarf: Vintage, won in contest from Jen Loves Kev. Wedges: BC Footwear via Nordstrom. Bracelet: Tiffany Co. Sunglasses: Chanel. Earrings: Anthropologie. Braided Belt: Abercrombie & Fitch.

I finally got a chance to wear the beautiful scarf that I won in the Kdiko Vintage giveaway on Jen's blog Jen Loves Kev! I had it delivered to my house in NoVa so when it came several weeks ago, I didn't have access to it. I absolutely love this scarf and it was perfect to wear when I just felt like wearing a t-shirt and jeans to run errands. The colors in the print reminds me of Germany, so this morning I sat and looked at all of the pictures I took when I was there a few years ago. I wore this outfit to run to the mall to buy my brother a lock for his unicycle for his birthday so he can finally ride it to class (yes, he rides a unicycle and he's AMAZING at it!). Our birthday is on Wednesday and it's so weird to think we're going to be turning 20! Every year we get to choose what we want for our birthday dinner and what kind of cake we want. Usually, we end up just asking our dad to pull out the grill and make some chicken and shrimp, but this year we randomly decided we want our mom's tacos. Probably because we haven't been home and we just crave random meals that we haven't had in awhile, but our entire family thinks this choice is hilarious. For cakes, I'm asking for a Coldstone ice cream cake and my brother is having a chocolate cream pie. It's going to be delicious!

Just a random sidenote

This is gonna be the shortest post ever, but I'm busy studying for my Abnormal Psych final that's tomorrow and I'm freaking out! This kind of relates to my Mother's Day post yesterday.

On Saturday night, I had plans to meet up with my good friend, Teri, and her boyfriend at our favorite restaurant in Richmond before going to a belated Cinco De Mayo party. I waited for them outside when a homeless man came up to me (which is not rare at all). He asked me how I was doing, and I smiled and said 'Just fine." He then continues to say "I can tell! Happy Mother's Day! You look REALLY good for being a mother!".....

Not gonna lie, I was a little flattered. Hahahaha. I found it hilarious and just wanted to share it here.

Oh and by the way, my dad got my mom a puppy for Mother's Day yesterday!!!! How exciting is that?! She sent in the deposit today to a Shetland Sheepdog breeder and the puppy should be ready to come to our house at the end of June. My sister and her husband are also getting a puppy from that same litter...I'm so excited to play with a tiny puppy again since all of our dogs are old ladies now.

Mama, you taught me to do the right things

Happy Mother's Day!!

One thing that I hate about finals week is that it always manages to fall right around Mother's Day and my dad's birthday, which is also today. I won't be able to go home until Tuesday night, so I have to wait to give my parents their gifts. The rest of my family is taking my mom out to a Japanese steakhouse tonight (so jealous!) and last night, they treated my dad to a lobster dinner. I really wish I was there to celebrate with everyone! My mom is absolutely amazing...I really think she's one of those people that was just born to be a mom. She has 6 children, ranging in age from age 19 (almost 20!) to 38, and has always been there for all of us, no matter what we need or when we need it. She's also a grandmother and I am envious of my nephews (pictured with my mom above) for having such a loving grandma in their lives.

I hope that all you moms out there are having a great and relaxing Mother's Day! You deserve it!

Shake me til you wake me from this bad dream

First thing's first....whyyy must Justin Bieber songs be so catchy??? I've been singing/listening to 'Baby' for the past 3 days straight. I blame my friend who always manages to get it blasted at every party we go to. Although, let's be honest...I do wish I had a guy to sing 'I'll buy you anything, I'll buy you any ring' to me. Oh Biebs, a vintage sweater will do! Biebs would be my pet name for him, clearly.

On a totally different note, finals WILL be the death of me. I had one on Tuesday which I got a 95 on! So awesome! I had another final today and I am crossing my fingers, hoping that I got an A on it. If I do, I'll be one class away from securing a 4.0 for the semester. That would be amazinggg.

Since classes are over and I'm done with finals til Tuesday, I went out to lunch with my friend and we went to Carytown to do some shopping. We have a party to go to tomorrow so we were trying to find cute dresses or something...but of course we got sidetracked and both ended up buying fish jewelry. Yes, that's right. Fish jewelry. I got a little fish necklace from Need Supply and she got earrings. They're ADORABLE, trust me. I'll have to wear the necklace in my next outfit post :) I also went to another cute store and got my mom a pair of earrings for Mother's Day. We ended our shopping trip with a visit to Bygones Vintage Clothing and it was sooo much fun. There were so many pretty things, I was overwhelmed! I did however find a little white angora 1950's sweater that I would love to have and a cute 1950's black and white dress with a little red belt. I'm pressuring my mom to come visit sometime this summer and take me there so maybe she can buy me something. They also had a really cute selection of old gloves...I've been dying to get my hands on a pair of lace ones with little buttons at the wrist. Apparently my grandma has a vintage glove clip waiting for me at her house so that's even more of an excuse for me to get cute gloves!

Well, sorry for not posting any outfit pictures but hopefully I'll get to snap some tomorrow before I go out! Expect regular outfit posts again next week once I'm home. :)

Trying to be everything can make you lose your mind

Hello! So I decided that since it's finals week and my outfits will consist of randomly thrown together combinations of jeans and t-shirts, I would start the week off with a "What's in My Purse" post.

First off, this is my purse. It's a brown leather Burberry hobo bag that I received as a gift this past Christmas. I love the pleats that are on the front and the back, as well as the interior which is the classic Burberry plaid print. Whenever I get a nice, designer bag, I use it to death. I have 3 other Burberry bags and absolutely love them. They're so well made and really durable...I know I'll have each of them forever! I usually don't like fabric bags because they tend to get really dirty and worn in, but my last Burberry bag that I used constantly was a quilted, plaid fabric tote with a leather bottom and handle. I used it for a year and a half as my everyday bag and it shows no dirt at all! I would definitely recommend Burberry bags to anyone who wants a well made, classic bag.

This is what I carry in my bag (from the top left, clockwise): a bottle of Motrin, a pen, Burberry wallet/checkbook holder, Coach wristlet (used as emergency kit), Burberry Nova Check coin purse, Coach leopard print coin purse, and a Vera Bradley notepad.

This is what I carry in my "emergency kit" (from top left): Band Aids (I am constantly getting blisters on my feet), mini Stila mascara, Burt's Bees chapstick, Colgate Wisps, Tide To Go pen, Vera Bradley mints, floss, flash drive, extra tampon. I also need to add an extra pair of contacts in there just in case. My biggest fear is that I'll lose a contact when I'm out and then I'll be totally blind.

I wanna let go and know that I'll be all right

Do you ever have one of those nights where everything that happens is just so...random? Well last night was one of those nights. I went out to dinner at the Village Cafe (one of the best restaurants here in Richmond...and its cheap!) with one of my really good friends. We ended up going to a really small birthday party with some friends and it was a lot of fun...but strange. Last night was probably the first night all semester where I felt pretty. It sounds ridiculous, but that 'friend' who called me ugly (I wrote about it in a previous post) really got to me. I'll feel like I look good when I'm getting ready at my house, but then once I'm out at a party or in some other social situation, I feel like I pale in comparison to every other girl there. But last night, I felt fantastic about myself. I think part of it was that my friend was there...whenever I'm with her, I feel 100% comfortable with myself. I think I just need to surround myself with more people like her. In-between socializing and partying, my friend and I started scouting out the apartment we were in. It was absolutely adorable AND huge. There were at least 5 bedrooms, and 3 bathrooms...and it allows dogs! It's absolutely beautiful...and yes, we were the girls walking around the entire house admiring the doorknobs and sunroom (yes, it has a sunroom!).

OUTFIT DETAILS: Dress: Need Supply Co. Sandals: American Eagle. Owl Necklace: Urban Outfitters. Necklace with blue stone: Lori McLean (NYC).

Sorry for such blurry pictures...I was in a hurry and only had time to take these two. This is my absolute favorite dress...I got it from the Need Supply Co. store here in Richmond. It has little birds and flowers all over it. I love how bright it is and the combination of blues and purples and pinks. Oh, and ignore my messy room. Finals are right around the corner and that means my room becomes a total pit.

You had a hold on me right from the start

I'm done!!! Well almost. Sorry again for the kinda long haitus. Ever since I got back to Richmond on Monday, I've been insanely busy. This has been my last full week of classes, and just today I had 2 presentations and a paper due. I hate presentations...I'm horrible at public speaking and I especially hate when some jerk in the class asks some ridiculous question that I would never have a reason to know. Thankfully, today my more serious presentation was on the effects text messaging has had (and will continue to have) on adolescents so the only question I was asked was, "Do you text?". Thank God. Luckily, I didn't have to go to my last class because I have a high enough grade to be exempt from a big assignment and the final, so I don't have to show up to that class ever again. I have 2 exams on Tuesday, a final on Thursday, and another final the following Tuesday and then I'm home free for two weeks (just in time to celebrate my 20th birthday!!) before I have to come back for my summer class.

OUTFIT DETAILS: Sweater: Guess via Lord & Taylor. Striped shirt: Urban Outfitters. Belt: Kohl's. Jeans: Abercrombie & Fitch. Red necklace: Sundance Catalog (made out of waxed linen with silver beads). Gold Owl Necklace: Urban Outfitters. Shoes (not pictured): Sperry's

Today it was kinda cool out, so I knew I wanted to wear this sweater but I have been having a hard time styling it lately for some reason. This is the first time I've worn this striped shirt and I really like it...I'm definitely looking forward to pairing it with white shorts this summer. I threw in the belt to finish off the whole nautical look I had going on (complete with my favorite boat shoes!)...I've always loved the nautical, preppy look and I feel like it's in-style every spring/summer. By the way, I noticed after uploading these pictures that I look somewhat wild-eyed and crazed in them...that my friends, is the look of relief. Relief that I am done with the worst group project known to man and relief that although I still have 4 huge tests looming over me, I am basically done with all of my classes for the semester. I'm so pumped!!

One more reason I can't wait for summer: better pictures! I love having our grand piano in the background of my pics, and when I was home this past weekend, I scouted out some perfect places in my backyard for outfit pictures so I can't wait!

All I can taste is this moment

Happy Saturday! I think Saturdays are my absolute favorite day of the week. It's one day that I don't feel like I have to do any homework and I can just hang out with friends and run errands that I've been putting off. Today I got ready and went to the mall with one of my friends who goes to the local community college...she's hoping to transfer to the university I'm at now, and if she does, we'll be living together next fall. I also went to Target to get a belated birthday gift for my brother. Tonight I'm going out to dinner with my family...we go out to eat every Saturday and when I was living at home, I always looked forward to it because it meant I was able to dress up.

OUTFIT DETAILS: Blazer: BCBG. Jeans: 7 For All Mankind. White tee: Target. Shoes: Sperry

I hear you call my name and it feels like home

Sorry for the week-long haitus! The semester is winding down (only 19 days til I'm completely done for the spring) so that means all the professors are piling on the last-minute papers, tests, and group projects. Last weekend I had 3 papers to write, plus group projects to work on. Thankfully, I finished them early on and was able to actually go out with friends on Saturday night. I got to hang out with a friend who was visiting from Tennessee which was sooo much fun...he's adorable and it was nice to be able to spend time with someone new for a change. I'm back in NoVa this weekend, mainly because my mom's worried about me since I fainted earlier in the week (I think it was mainly due to stress and not eating right/enough). I'm fine now though, just trying to relax before finals start in a week.

OUTFIT DETAILS: Striped Sweater and Jeans: Abercrombie & Fitch. Beaded flip flops: American Eagle (from years ago). Necklace: Urban Outfitters. Buckle bracelet: Modcloth

I didn't do anything too exciting today while wearing this outfit...I just went grocery shopping with my mom and then went out to dinner with my parents and older brother. It was a little on the cooler side today so it was the perfect day for a thin sweater and jeans. I usually try to steer away from horizontal stripes, but I loved the thickness of the material of this sweater and the bright, cheerful color. These jeans are my go-to jeans...they need to be washed so they're a little slouchy in these photos, but usually they're pretty fitted but comfortable and perfect to wear around campus and to parties when I don't want to get my nice, expensive jeans messed up.

Lastly, last week I won a scarf in a giveway from Jen Loves Kev. I can't wait to get it in the mail and figure out fun ways to style it!! It's especially exciting since I haven't won anything in AGES. I think the last thing I won in a contest was back in high school at our honor roll night when I won $100. Needless to say, that email from Jen made my day! Not only because I won the scarf, but also because I absolutely adore her blog...her's was one of the first blogs I stumbled upon and made sure to bookmark. Now, I read it every single day and love reading about her adorable life...I hope one day I'll be as lucky as her in love and in life in general. :) Oh and in case you were wondering, yes my title is from a Madonna song...I've been playing it nonstop since I watched Glee this week. Anyone else a Gleek?? Because I totally am and I'm not ashamed to admit it!!

Live for 32

I really never intended to let it slip where I used to attend college--I figured this blog would be about my life now, and mainly a place for me to be creative. Plus, whenever I tell people where I transferred from and where I transferred to, they act all weird. I'm still keeping quiet about where I go now (although it's pretty easy to figure out), but once I realized that April 16th was rolling around, I knew I couldn't keep quiet about Virginia Tech, my first home away from home.

Living in Virginia my entire life, Virginia Tech has always been the school everyone wants to go to. The campus is beautiful and sits in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the students are filled with school spirit, the school is known for their great academics and high standards, and don't even get me started on their football team! Long story short: I worked hard, got into and attended Virginia Tech, and then made the hard decision to leave Hokie Nation to find the school that I was meant to be at. Whenever people ask me if I miss Virginia Tech, I say no, that I love the city I'm in now and there's so much more to do here. That's true at times, but what I do miss is walking to the football games and realizing I'm in a sea of maroon and orange. I do miss looking at the buildings made of Hokie Stone that I can't help but compare to Hogwart's. I do miss the pride I felt whenever I said "I attend Virginia Tech", because I knew that our student body was totally united as one.

Although I wasn't a student at VT on April 16, 2007, I do remember that day vividly, as many Virginians (and everyone else for that matter) probably do. Whenever I walked across the drillfield and walked by the memorial for those 32 Hokies that lost their lives, I would think about it. Think about how they were walking to class just as I do every single morning and they had no idea that it would be their last. So I end this post with a quote by a Virginia Tech alumnus, Michael Olsen: "Let us all lift upon our shoulders the victims we have chosen and carry them with us so that they may, through us, live the lives that they should have. Every time we don the orange and maroon, let's think of them. ... Let us carry them forward so that we can forget the one name we shouldn't remember and instead recall more than just a date."

neVer forgeT - All my fellow Hokies are on my mind and in my heart today as well as every other day. Once a Hokie, always a Hokie.

picture from here

I've walked for miles, my feet are hurtin

Hello all! Sorry for the kinda long absence...totally didn't expect to be M.I.A. for so long. Whoops! The semester is coming to an end in the next few weeks so all of my professors are piling on the papers and presentation. So annoying! I have 3 papers and 3 presentations within the next two weeks...most of which are due on the same 2 days. Greaaaat. I've also been stressing out about house/apartment hunting for next semester...everything is super expensive and I'm a broke college student. Those two things don't really go together too well...plus the girl I'm living with is insisting we live in a house which totally limits our options. I'm gonna have to tell her that we need to totally keep our options open at this point--we'll see how that goes. Today actually went really well though...my classes seemed to go by pretty quickly and I got to meet up with a friend who I haven't really seen much of since last semester. It was so nice to sit outside in this beautiful weather, sipping chai tea, and gossiping.

Outfit Details: Oxford shirt, gray tank, and trousers: Abercrombie & Fitch Boat shoes: Sperry.

In case you haven't noticed, I usually dress extremely preppy. And today's outfit is a total example of that. Part of my reason for starting this blog was to sort of shift away from that whole prepster look, but alas, I have way too many A&F clothes in my closet to do too much of that. I know so many people don't like that store, but a lot of my go-to items I own have come from there. Like the shirt I'm wearing today...it's flattering, comfortable, and I can dress it up or down. I've worn it with jeans, trousers, blazers, leather skirts, etc. They also sell a ton of really good layering tanks and have recently done a good job of changing up the style of their clothes that they sell (i.e. offering more pretty, flowy blouses rather than just an assortment of polos). My everyday, worn in jeans are also from A&F, mainly because they're the only store that aren't super long on me (I'm just barely too tall for short lengths and a little too short for regular lengths, hence the awkward cuffing of these pants) and I'm always able to find at least one pair in their store that fits my body correctly that aren't insanely expensive like at department stores.