HOLIDAY SEASON

SO THIS YEAR THE FAMILY DECIDED TO DO CHRISTMAS EARLY, LIKE A WEEK EARLY, SO MY AUNT INVITED US TO HER VACATION HOME IN WHITE SALMON FOR THE LONG WEEKEND. IT'S ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS THERE WITH TONS OF THINGS TO DO, BESIDES RELAX.

THE QUAINT LITTLE TOWN BOASTS A YOGA STUDIO, SOME SMALL SPECIALTY SHOPS, AND JUST OLD TOWN CHARM. PERFECT PLACE TO WALK THE DOGS EARLY IN THE MORNING AND PICK UP A COFFEE.

THE WHOLE REASON MY AUNT PURCHASED HER HOME IN WHITE SALMON IS BECAUSE OF ALL THE OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES THAT ARE SUPER CLOSE, LIKE KIAKING, HIKING, AND SKIING. PLUS IT IS CLOSE TO HOOD RIVER SO SHOPPING AND WINE TASTING ARE A QUICK DRIVE AWAY.

THIS IS THE GORGEOUS VIEW OF THE STEEL BRIDGE OF DEATH (IF YOU CAN'T TELL ALREADY I HATE DRIVING ON BRIDGES) TO GET FROM OREGON OVER TO WASHINGTON AND A BEAUTIFUL OVERVIEW OF WHITE SALMON.

ALL IN ALL WE HAD A GREAT CHRISTMAS WEEKEND RELAXING, HIKING, WINE TASTING, AND PLAYING BEATLES ROCK BAND- I HOPE WE DO IT AGAIN NEXT YEAR!

MEET ME HERE

I HOPE EVERYONE IS IN THE MIDDLE OF A FABULOUS HOLIDAY SEASON! WISHING JOY, CHEER, AND A BRIGHT NEW YEAR TO ALL.

WHY I LOVE

TOP TEN REASONS WHY I LOVE MY FRIEND KATY- IN PICTURE FORM

WE KNOW HOW TO HAVE FUN TOGETHER

SHE'S SPONTANEOUS

ALWAYS THE CENTER OF THE PARTY

CARES ABOUT MARINE LIFE

TRUSTS HER INSTINCTS

IS WELL EDUCATED

CZECH HER OUT! CAN BE SILLY AT THE DROP OF A HAT- OR MULTI LIGHT DANCE FLOOR

WE'RE IN THE SAME BAND

SHE'S MET A LOT OF FAMOUS PEOPLE

SHE HAS A GIVING HEART

PAPER HEART

This paper heart of mine
Held together with twigs and twine
Paper-clipped to the front of my spine
Stretching in the warm sunshine

Beating faster than a birds soft wings
Collecting snapshots of forgotten things
And nothing is more delicate than it seems
More delicate than it seems

Oh this paper heart of mine
Held together with twigs and twine
What will you do with the truth you find
Clean and new, naïve and blind

When your heart is made from reams
Of tissue and soft sparkles of wish and dreams
It tears easily at the seems

Hold onto my heart gently,
hold it gently

Oh this paper heart of mine
Held together with twigs and twine
You are lost and left behind
Drowned easily in passing time

Torn neatly at the seam
What happened to the dream
What happened to the love
It doesn’t end how we thought up

Oh, this paper heart of mine
Torn down its spine
Have you lost your spark, lost your shine
Fold me and put me in your pocket, keep me safe this time.

...

..

.

ONLY ON ETSY

CALLED REAR GEAR, YOUR ANIMAL CAN BE DECENT AND FASHIONABLE.

VIA

OH ETSY, THANK YOU FOR KEEPING ME ENTERTAINED AT WORK.

SNOW DAY

I AM READY TO CURL UP ON THESE INVITING WINDOW SEATS WITH A GOOD BOOK THIS WEEKEND WHILE IT SNOWS. ADD A BLANKET AND COCOA AND I MIGHT NEVER GO BACK TO WORK!

VIA

CURRENTLY LOVING THE WINDOW SEAT USED AS A BANQUET IN A KITCHEN TO ADD AN EATING AREA.

VIA

AMAZING.

VIA

COZY COTTAGE FEEL

VIA

REMINDS ME OF A PARISIAN GARDEN HOUSE.

FRIDAY INSPIRATION

"To do anything in this world worth doing, we must not stand back shivering and thinking of the cold and danger, but jump in, and scramble through as well as we can."

~Sydney Smith

ETSY BIRD FINDS

PENGWYNNE7

KEY & OWL NECKLACES

OKAY, SO THE KEY ISN'T A BIRD, BUT IT'S SO PRETTY!

BONUS: TONS OF FUN, VINTAGE JEWELRY AND CHARMS

SAMMI84 - BOGO SALE

LOVE BIRD EARRINGS

CURRENTLY CRAVING BIRD INSPIRED EARRINGS, THESE WOULD DO NICELY

BONUS: FEMININE AND UNIQUE JEWELRY PIECES NATURE AND BIRD INSPIRED

SUPPLIES YOU NEED

BIRDIE PENDANT

LOVE BOTH! NOW, HOW TO CHOOSE?

BONUS: THEY HAVE A WHOLE SHOP FILLED WITH NATURE INSPIRED CHARMS

FRIDAY IS A DAY FOR FIGHTING

S. AFRICA TO TREAT ALL HIV POSITIVE BABIES

PRETORIA, South Africa — South Africa will treat all HIV-positive babies and expand testing, the president announced Tuesday, a dramatic and eagerly awaited shift in a country that has more people living with HIV than any other.
President Jacob Zuma's speech on World AIDS Day was viewed as a definitive turning point for a nation where the previous administration distrusted drugs developed to keep AIDS patients alive and instead promoted garlic treatments. One Harvard study said that resulted in more than 300,000 premature deaths.

TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE GO HERE

FIGHT THE SPREAD OF AIDS BY PROMOTING EARLY EDUCATION

HEAVENLY

OVER AT IT'S HEAVENLY IS A 20% OFF CUPON FOR STILA COSMETICS. GREAT FOR PURCHASING GIFTS FOR THE GIRLS OR FOR YOURSELF! CHECK IT OUT HERE AND THANKS CARLENE!

ONLINE CHRISTMAS

ANOTHER WAY TO AVOID CROWDS AND SPENDING WAY TOO MUCH AT THE MALL IS TO ORDER GIFTS ONLINE- THEY WILL USUALLY THROW IN FREE WRAPPING TOO! SOME OF MY FAVORITES THIS YEAR ALL COME FROM CRATE & BARREL'S HOLIDAY COLLECTION. TOP PICKS BELOW:

BONE CHINA SNOWFLAKE CANDLE HOLDERS

SET OF TWO VOTIVE HOLDERS: $15.95

LARGE HURRICANE: $24.95

ADORE- SO BEAUTIFUL AND WOULD MATCH ANY CHRISTMAS DECOR- I MIGHT KEEP THEM AROUND ALL YEAR!

SNOWPUP COLLECTION
PLATES: $6.95 EACH
CHILD'S MUG: $5.95 EACH

THESE ARE DARLING- I LOVE KID INSPIRED CHRISTMAS CROCKERY! MAKES IT FEEL LIKE AN OLD-FASHIONED CHRISTMAS.

PATCHWORK ORNAMENTS

SET OF THREE OWLS: $23.95

SET OF THREE QUIRKY BIRDS: $20.95


ABSOLUTELY DARLING- I'VE ALREADY ORDERED A SET FOR A FRIEND!

24 DAYS OF AVOIDING SHOPPING

IF YOU ARE LIKE MY MOTHER THEN YOU'VE ALREADY BOUGHT ALL YOUR GIFTS, HAD THEM WRAPPED FOR A MONTH AND ARE WAITING FOR THE TREE TO GO UP SO YOU CAN GET THEM OUT OF YOUR CLOSET.

IF YOU'RE LIKE ME AND MY DAD YOU PROCRASTINATE AND AVOID SHOPPING AT ALL COST UNTIL THE LAST POSSIBLE SECOND, THEN MAKE A MADE DASH TO WRAP AND STASH UNDER THE TREE.

WITH ALL THAT SAID I AM ALWAYS ON THE LOOKOUT FOR ADORABLE AND DO-IT-YOURSELF GIFTS AND BELOW IS A COLLECTION OF THE ONES I LOVE GIVING AND ARE EASY (AND STILL LOOK AMAZING).

INFUSED VODKA

FOR: THE GIRLS NIGHT OUT GROUP

COST: DEPENDS ON THE CONTAINER YOU PICK AND THE QUALITY OF VODKA- I LIKE TO SPEND AROUND $30 ALL TOGETHER (IF YOU'RE MAKING MORE THAN ONE, IT CAN BRING THE COST DOWN TO $25 EACH)

WHAT TO BUY: A CONTAINER THAT IS AIR-TIGHT

BOTTLE OF VODKA (CAN MAKE 2 INFUSED GIFTS)

WHOLE VANILLA STICKS

CRANBERRIES

RIBBON

IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE, MASH SOME CRANBERRIES AND POOR JUICE AND SKINS INTO THE BOTTLE, ALSO INCLUDE SOME WHOLE CRANBERRIES UN-SMASHED. TAKE A STICK OF VANILLA AND PLACE IT IN THE BOTTLE AND KEEP A FEW OUT FOR DECORATION. POUR IN YOUR VODKA AND SEAL, GIVE IT A SHAKE AND THEN LET SIT FOR AT LEAST TWO WEEKS BEFORE OPENING AND ENJOYING.

ALL THAT'S LEFT IS TO DECORATE THE BOTTLE. USE THE RIBBON TO TIE ON A FEW VANILLA STICKS OR A TAG WITH A COSMO RECIPE.

IT'S GREAT BECAUSE IT LOOKS PRETTY (DON'T REALLY NEED TO WRAP IT) AND MAKES A GREAT GIFT FOR A LOW COST- AND IT'S HOME MADE! LOVE.

AIDS AWARENESS MONTH

HAPPY AIDS AWARENESS MONTH! PLEASE KEEP YOURSELF AND THOSE YOU LOVE SAFE THROUGH EDUCATION AND SAFE SEX PRACTICES.

TEST YOUR CURRENT KNOWLEDGE HERE.