Greenery and Humid Air

     I had a wonderful day spent with Andy; thrifting, eating junk food, walking about the reservoir, and watching him skate. We took another day-trip to Marion to rummage through Goodwill and The Salvation Army, and also to gorge on Sonic; our tradition every time we're in the town. We didn't score much at the second-hand shops, but I was able to find a cookbook I've been hunting for on sale at their T.J. Maxx. If you haven't heard of Katie Quinn Davies, I suggest you get to know her. I've skimmed through the book about a million times in my two days of owning it, and salivate at every image. (Too much?) 

     After we had made our rounds, we headed back to Galion to watch the sunset and snap some pictures at the reservoir. We were pleased to make the acquaintance of a few critters hanging around the water, especially this precious calico. We saw this little guy after some fishers left, and he came right up to be petted. It was love at first sight basically. I was completely ready to take the sweetheart home until we realized he belonged to some people living nearby. Can you say heartbreak?

     I was forced to drown my sorrows in a Reese's Cup Hurricane from my favorite dairy bar. Andy and I brought our sweets to the park, where we watched a baseball game on the swings. I was reminded why I've never been a huge sports fan after some close calls with a few over-the fencers. Jeesh. The sun finally went down, and we headed back to Andy's after he got the chance to skate for a bit. I know I've said it before, but having days like these where you're free to just do as you please, without having to stick to any type of schedule, are my absolute favorite. Mostly because they have been so few and far between lately. I fear I will have even less of them to enjoy now that I've begun my search for a second job. HELP.

Until next time,

Heather

   

A Milestone

     We celebrated my sister, Shandi's, graduation this weekend with an afternoon spent with all of our favorite people. It was a blast seeing familiar faces and catching up with our friends and family who we seldom see. Shandi, my mother, and myself worked hard to prepare for her Mexican-themed fiesta; waking up before sunrise to use the kitchen at the restaurant my mom works at to cook up massive batches of taco fixings. (The theme was chosen because Shandi will be leaving for Cancun in two weeks. Jealous!) None of the scrumptious food made it onto my camera, rather into our fridge; we'll be eating taco salads for weeks.      

     Due to the business of my sister's graduation weekend, I really did not deliver the amount of photo's I had originally planned on snapping. I wanted to get group shots of Shandi with each group of our extended family; one with the grandparents, one with the grandchildren, one with aunts/uncles, etc. But, I mostly just took pictures of babies instead. Uh-oh. Fortunately for me, no one is really sweating over this; we're just glad to have the chaos over with. 

     I'd just like to say again how proud we are of Shandi for her accomplishments. She deserves every ounce of recognition and praise for her work, and we can't wait to see all of the wonderful things she'll go on to do. Love you, sis!

Until next time,

Heather

Outfit: In the Flowers

     I couldn't be more thrilled with how these photos, taken by my lovely boyfriend Andy, turned out. I am blown away each time he is kind enough to snap pictures for me how well the outcome is. It definitely makes sharing style posts less nerve-wracking when I know they are visually appealing; so thanks a heap, Andy!

     On this particular day, I did the unthinkable: I wore shorts. Crazy, I know. But, the heat around here has been pretty consistent, and I am taking full advantage before July when I'm sick of  it. Us Ohioans are clearly never content. One thing I am less wishy-washy about is tribal print. I fell in love with this Summer trend during a shopping trip with Ashley, and have ever since been finding new pieces to incorporate with my existing wardrobe. I dove in with these tribal shorts, but I also love the idea of neutral-toned tribal flats/sandals for a more subtle approach. You can see another way I styled the tribal trend here!

Outfit Details:

Hat- H&M

Blouse- T.J. Maxx

Shorts- Forever 21

Boots- Forever 21

Sunnies- Jones New York (T.J. Maxx)

Bag- Vintage

My Wandering Days Are Over

     Andy and I had a wonderful time enjoying the warmest day of Spring we've had so far. I even wore shorts, people! We spent the afternoon at Kingwood Center; feeding the ducks, feeding ourselves, and snapping lots of photos of all the blooms. I'm sure I annoyed many visitors with my constant need to describe the garden setting:  "OMYGOD, IT'S SO PRETTY." It really was, though. Our trip also inspired me to acquire ALL of the succulents. I think they are just about the coolest looking things ever. I plan to get acquainted with how to care for them, so I can raise and enjoy my own cactus/succulent garden. After we covered the ground at Kingwood, Andy and I headed into town to pick up some tea. We just happened to end up at Menchies for frozen yogurt along the way. I clearly have not caught on to the health and fitness trend. Woopsies.

     It was so nice to have a relaxing day out with Andy before this hectic weekend begins. My sister is graduating today, and we will be celebrating her success over the next few days with family and friends. I could not be more proud of Shandi. I have watched her work so hard these past few years to finish school, even when conditions were not in her favor. She has faced trials and road-blocks that would make most people walk away, and instead came out a better, more appreciate person. This event is the first time that I've really felt as though we were growing up, and it is scary. But, I know that Shandi is going to be great at whatever she decides to pursue. I love you, sis. Congratulations! 

Alone, Not Lonely

     Although I usually work during the daytime, my retail position occasionally throws a closing shift in my direction. On the days that I don't work until the evening, I take full advantage of having a rush-free morning. I stay in my pajama's, have something other than a quick bowl of cereal for breakfast, and catch a couple hours worth of Sex and the City re-runs. On this particular day, I decided to venture out around town to enjoy the sunshine before being behind a register all night. I made a trip to Goodwill, to hunt for some shorts and sundresses. Regretfully, I did not take home that "I'm Booked" t-shirt. However, it was too perfect not to document. I later returned home for lunch and iced coffee, which was followed by reading on the porch. I became so engrossed in my latest read that I nearly forgot about having to be to work all together. Luckily I made it to T.J. Maxx with about three and a half minutes to spare. *Sigh*

     Days such as these, where I have the house to myself and no definitive plans, are my favorites. I've always been given a hard time by one person or another for my lack of a social interaction, but I genuinely love the solitude of being alone. Don't get me wrong, readers. I'm obvz not a total shut-in. I just very much appreciate the idea that being alone does not have to mean being lonely. One that note, I have tea cooling down and the Atonement DVD waiting for me. Later, Y'all!

Until next time,

Heather