hey, you.

yes, you! I want your pretty face on my sidebar, right over there -->

free 150x150 with code swap3
or
free 250x250 with code swap5

or we could actually swap if you want (:

xoxo.

August Cara Box Reveal

I participated in Wifessionals' Cara Box exchange again this month.

I got to know two lovely ladies this month - Hannah who sent me my box, and Nicole who I sent a box to.

This month's theme was "seasons in time" and the box was to be filled with things that the person you are sending to loves! Hannah did great (:

pink picture frame - one of my favorite colors & I love photography {also these are probably my favorite frames!}

Yankee Candle Cinnamon & Spice candles {which smell really yummy!}

fun cupcake liners - because I love to bake, especially cupcakes! I usually buying boring liners though.

sprinkles - another thing I rarely buy!

L'Oreal's Spice Things Up nail polish - I have a slight nail polish addiction, but this is the only neutral color I have!

thank you again to Hannah for the wonderful box, and to Kaitlyn for hosting Cara Box!

xoxo.

Summer Bucket List {revisited}

summer is nearly over now, and it's almost time to go back to class :( back in June, I wrote up my summer bucket list. let's see how I did!

{from last night at Door County Boat Launch}

1. go horseback riding - I knew that I wouldn't be able to do this one, but I really wanted to!

2. go a month without shopping - hello July spending freeze

3. attend a few concerts {Delaney Davidson, Chris Aaron & Friends, Todd Carey}

4. eat watermelon

5. read/finish some books {Bloom by Kelle Hampton; The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, translated by Richard Howard; Paris, My Sweet: A Year in the City of Light (and Dark Chocolate) by Amy Thomas; Adulting: How to Become a Grown-Up in 468 Easy(ish) Steps by Kelly Williams Brown}

6. have ice cream at Wilson's - Firecracker on July 4th

7. mess around with PSE a little more and learn something new!

8. work on learning to play the guitar! - hahaha that never happened

9. watch the sun set on the water - um. I tried. at least twice. once I was in the wrong place to watch the sun actually set, and the other {last night} it turned into a thunderstorm.

10. blog more!

facelift

the blog got a little facelift thanks to the lovely Erin! (:

I am slowly beginning to accept sponsorship for the blog, and when I get some time next week, I will be trying to put my button on some of my favorite blogs as well!

you can view sponsorship options here.

thank you and I love you! (:

xoxo.

Chateau Hutter

{photos taken on Wednesday 14 August 2013}

I was driving home from up north on Wednesday, and while driving south on County Road B, I saw the sign for Chateau Hutter. The first time that I had heard of Chateau Hutter was back in November, and another one of my friends had mentioned it recently, so I did a y-turn and pulled into the gravel driveway.

Chateau Hutter is an abandoned waterfront resort between Egg Harbor and Sturgeon Bay. I tried to do some research about the place when I returned home, but the only thing I could find were some more pictures of the resort while it was abandoned, and three different court cases involving the resort.

it was so pretty out there, and I really like the pictures that I took, but I was pretty freaked out being out there alone, especially since I didn't seem to have any cell service.

the clouds were so perfect. I love when the sky is multiple shades of blue and the clouds are puffy and white!

I think that this property would be an awesome picture to take some portraits; I love the overgrown field.

xoxo.

mini birthday recap

so my birthday was on Friday (: {you can read my twenty while twenty here}

I made cupcakes on Wednesday using Sally's cookies and cream cupcakes and milk chocolate frosting recipe. they turned out great, if I do say so myself.

cupcakes!

I got 18 cupcakes out of the batter that I didn't eat... (:

I frosted and topped the cupcakes on Friday morning, and then I brought them to work.

I started out by piping the frosting, but then I messed up on the last ones, so I kind of spread it out.

topped with crushed Oreos! I got the double stuff kind, so they were a little annoying to crush.

I had lunch downtown with my grandma and my parents. the restaurant wouldn't put the sandwich I wanted on a different kind of bread, so I ended up getting a salad instead.

the rest of the afternoon and evening was crazy, but fun. I had a very happy day with some people I love very much.

with my "little sister," Abi!

Todd Carey! ahhh I love this man (:

{it feels weird to be writing about the happiness from Friday after Sunday's tragedy. we miss and love you so much Billy! tonight we will celebrate your life and love, and hopefully there will be more laughter than tears.}

xoxo.

to the man with the biggest heart

we love you and miss you so much. I have no idea what we're going to do without you. words cannot describe what we're feeling right now.

rest in peace.

xoxo.

Twenty While Twenty

today is my twentieth birthday! I have seen a lot of "twenty while twenty" lists {or something similar}, so I thought I'd make one too!

1. get my own place.
2. take a solo trip.
3. get another tattoo. {sorry, Mom}
4. graduate college with my associate's degree in Hotel/Restaurant Management.
5. try a new recipe to bring to Thanksgiving and/or Christmas.
6. create a Facebook fan page for my photography.
7. rename my blog & get a fresh design to go with it.
8. read twenty books.
9. blog at least twice a week.
10. buy a real leather belt. no more bad quality Target belts for daily wear.
11. bake a cake. {I've never baked a cake before, only cupcakes.}
12. send out one piece of real mail {package, letter, postcard, etc.} each month.
13. learn how to be more frugal. {and blog about my adventures along the way}
14. take better care of myself. {eat healthier, do yoga, etc.}
15. go to the spa to get a pedicure, massage, and/or facial.
16. learn how to apply makeup - maybe someone at Sephora would teach me?
17. start writing a book.
18. learn how to play one song on the guitar.
19. drive up north at least four times.
20. plan a fabulous party for my twenty-first! (:

xoxo.

July 2013 in Pictures

July...oh what a month. {check out my 4th of July recap here}

the Audi. I love driving manual (:

Ben & Jerry's Late Night Snack - yum!

my deluxe edition of 13 finally arrived in the mail!

baby's back and good as new {well. not really good as new, she has plenty of beautiful blemishes left}

touch up paint

my friend Geri did a Livestream concert on the 6th, and I was able to watch it a few days later.
here it is if you'd like to watch (:

a few days later, I received my order from Geri of six cds & a poster! (:

figuring out which song is which

remnants of a downtown sunset

xoxo.

if I could have one super power...

If I could have any superpower, I would want to be able to transport myself from one place to another, instantly.

For instance, if I had a day off, I could just transport myself to Los Angeles or Paris, or I could visit one of my friends in Hawaii or New Zealand, or wherever any of them are playing on tour.

I guess this could get complicated with time zones though...

If you could transport yourself somewhere, where would you go?

{this song came on while I was writing this, and I thought it was pretty appropriate.}

xoxo.

{everyone else has some really good posts, so click above and go read them!}

{I will be skipping the next four weeks of 52 Weeks of Blogging with a Purpose since they deal with motherhood and I am not a mother.}

The Month By iPhone: July 2013

July certainly flew by! lots of up and down temperatures, lots of crazy work days, lots of crazy in general - but that's how I think I like it.

borrowed the Audi while Luna was getting some rust removed...it was an interesting two days

when I went to pick up my Beetle, there was a beetle near the passenger door!

Max has been watching an adorable baby bunny with teeny tiny ears while it eats weeds in the garden

parked next to this super cute car! (: I love Union Jack details on Minis!

I left work one night right around 9 pm, just after a storm. the sky from the other direction was very cloudy and dark.

my mom went to the Vera Bradley Fall 2013 launch at my local retailer & a local restaurant, and they gave her this tumbler, and she brought me a cupcake (:

colors - mugs at work

isn't this the cutest lawn chair ever?

OPI Casino Royale + Door County cherries

flowers in my dad's office

Big Lots! has the most random products {ps the mallow bits were $0.33 each}

cloud love

eight different rolls of masking tape...really?

xoxo.