Favorite Things

Rain drops on roses and whiskers on kittens

Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens

Brown paper packages tied up with string

These are a few of my favorite things....

1. Books

My love for reading extends far beyond any normal healthy obsession.

2. *SNIFF* ahhh - the smell of rain, the darkness of the clouds, and the dreary dampness all around... I quite simply love it all.
3. Any cake in the shape of a woodland creature is a work of pure genius if you ask me.

4. Dark nail polish makes me happy. Its suits my style.

5. Clever signs make me laugh- I think every past boyfriend of mine can relate to this one...

6. Coffee with friends- too beautiful for words

7. And of course my favorite new artist Laura Marling.

Her sound is hypnotic, her lyrics poetic, and her spirit free.

I love it all.

Happy Birthday Ty

It should be no surprise to you by now that I never seem to do anything in a conventional or timely manner. So excuse my inexcusable lateness in writing this very special blog post.

Last Saturday was an important day in the Anderson household as it officially marked my sweet nephew Ty's second birthday. I can hardly believe my handsome little man isn't so little anymore. It seems everyday he has a new word, sentence, or clever way to me smile.

Nothing lights up my day like a bear hug from Ty when I walk through the door.

My heart melts every time he says my name, and I can never help but laugh at the many funny expressions that are always on his face.

There is no boy more precious than my nephew, and according to his mother and I- there will quite simply never be a woman good enough for him... besides "mom" and "aunt emily" of course.

I love you Ty!!!

Happy 2nd Birthday!!

"And this I believe: that the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world. And this I would fight for: the freedom of the mind to take any direction it wishes, undirected"

~John Steinbeck (East of Eden)

My Sister- the miracle worker

The beauty about having a sister is of course getting to brag about how wonderful she is all the time. For those of you who don't know Bri, your seriously missing out on knowing one of the most amazing women I've ever been privileged to know.

She's an incredible friend, mother, wife, daughter, and sister.

She loves with all she has, puts her soul into everything she does, and somehow possesses a confidence like none I've ever seen.

Among her many talents, my sister is an amazing photographer. Though she is incredibly humble and would never admit to it, she has a way of capturing even the most awkward of models (namely me) and making them look radiant. She gets the shot every time, and makes me feel beautiful even on my most grungy feeling days.
Yesterday Bri and I shot around in an amazing secret field we discovered.

This was the result.....

Thank you Sister!!
I love you more than words.

Likes / Dislikes

Well, as the opinions regarding my desired new hair cut continue to flood in, I've decided to take a break from talking about whats on my head, and instead give you a glimpse as to whats currently taking place in my head... scary thought huh?? Brace yourself for some serious madness people.

I'm Currently Totally Obsessed With:

1. Discovering the world of classic literature - currently reading East of Eden and loving it

2. Listening to some seriously amazing bands such as Band of Horses, Bat for Lashes, The Drums, and of course more recently discovering my love of Van Morrison.

Oh and a special shout to my adorable cousin Michael who's band If A Tree Falls totally rocks- I'm couldn't be prouder of him!!!

3. Painting my nails dark colors and wearing as many pretty rings as possible- decorated hands make me happy.

4. Taking long walks with the kids I nanny as a way to escape and be alone with the craziness running through my head.

5. Drinking tea alone in relatively undiscovered and privately owned coffee shops.

6. Spending time with my sister- my biggest inspiration, the reason I am who I am today, and the one who truly keeps me sane and grounded.

7. Daydreaming about moving to New York in 3 years.

8. The Christmas season... enough said.

I'm Currently Most Irritated By:

1. School. I'm just not interested in sitting in class for hours on end.

2. The fact that I'm deeply insecure about how I'm perceived by others

3. Lateness- its rude

4. Time in general- I wish I could slow things down and soak things up more than I do

5. Bad drivers. Go the speed limit, don't tailgate me, let people merge, don't cut people off.

6. My cell phone. I hate feeling so enslaved to it and dependent upon it.

7. The feeling of not being in control. I like control- it makes me feel safe

8. How un-athletic I am.

*Ahhhh* - its always nice to perge some of that.

Winds of Change

Ok guys I need you all to do me a favor and leave me comments with your honest opinion of my sudden desire to cut my hair into this style.....

Its drastic, edgy, and totally fun.

What do you think??

Winter Desires

Here are some yummy little winter finds.

The following images are today's objects of desire.....

Broken

Sometimes I wonder why God allows us to live in a world filled with pain, heartache, and seemingly unending trials. Some days I wake up and simply ache to go home. I know God put me on this earth for a purpose, and I'm content to stay here until He deems me ready to return to Heaven, but I truly cannot wait until the moment I am freed from this body, this mind, and this world. As most of you already know, for the past two+ years I've battled an unwelcome autoimmune disease which seems to do nothing more than wreak havoc on my body. Its painful, exhausting, unpredictable, and emotionally draining. But even through all the pain I endure or will ever have to endure- I know there is purpose. My tattoo reminds me once again that I am "Fearfully and wonderfully made". God didn't make any mistakes when He lovingly knit me together, but He did place me in a broken world with a broken body so I might be a light that shines for Him.

I know this video looks long (8min) but please take a few minuets to watch it. This simple video had the power to change my pain, alter my pessimistic view of life, and remind me once again of the great glory of our God.

An Enchanted Life

I want to live here...

And be her...

And wear these pretty shoes everyday...

The flu stinks- but chic hippies make me happy

The flu sucks.

Every year around this time I get a call from mom who lovingly suggests I get the annual flu shot- and every year I refuse. I pride myself on my rather hardy immune system, which means I'm not interested in having a dead form of the flu injected into my body only to risk side effects that mimic the flu itself. Its just all sounds silly if you ask me.... until I get the true flu that is. Yep that's right. Sunday evening around midnight I was pleasantly awoken by body aches, chills, and vomiting. Lots and lots of vomiting. I basically thought I was dying. And while I didn't die, I did get pretty well acquainted with the floor of my sister's guest bathroom. It was nice- kinda cold and a bit uncomfortable, but nice overall. Finally today I feel somewhat normal. A little weak, a little tired, but generally good. Which of course means it is time to DISINFECT my entire apartment!! So while I attempt this rather large and daunting project, here are some of my latest pieces of inspiration for you to drool over. I know they help me feel better! Enjoy!

Don't you just want to join in and dance with her?!?

So free- so beautiful!

A State of Being

Fashion- I crave it. Live it. And ache to breathe it in.

My style is eclectic and my inspiration random.

There is no method I follow. No rules I stick to.

It is deeply personal, ever changing, and always objective.

No one is right and no one is wrong.

This is my world- a reflection of who I am.

It's comfortable, easy, simple, a tiny bit dark, somewhat slouchy, and always interesting.

Today, this is what inspires me.....

A friend once taught me that to be "stylish" and to have style are two very different things.

Wearing clothing might be easy- but wearing confidence takes strength.

My Library Hideout

I've been submerged in a strange mood lately. Maybe its because school is utterly stressing me out. Or maybe its because the holidays are rapidly approaching and I feel completely unready for such busyness. Or maybe its simply because with everything I attempt to accomplish, I suddenly become unequivocally distracted. Procrastination has become my new best friend. Nothing gets done these days. My apartment is a wreak. My car looks as if my closet threw up in it. My dishes have piled up. My laundry remains undone. My bed has no sheets. My carpet shows no signs of vacuum lines. My dishwasher smells a little. My fridge hasn't been emptied in far too long. And I currently have no fresh groceries to speak of. My world is chaotic and I have neither the time nor desire to clean it up. Sometime I can live in a mess and still feel at peace, but not today. Today it feels..... distracting. And annoying. So here I sit- in the library, my escape of choice. The smell of used and check out books fills the air and refreshes my spirit. Its quiet here. Peaceful and calm. I'm amongst fellow book nerds and I feel at home. My two greatest addictions sit at my right hand- coffee and a new book. All is well for the moment. And although my messy apartment awaits my arrival, I'm pretending it does not exist. Denial suits me today. Yes- coffee, a good book, and a large helping of denial... just what the doctor ordered.