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*