This is how I procrastinate.

Can you imagine living in a place like this? 

.

This makes me smile. So beautiful, sad and spot on true

GENIUS. Where can I get one?

I want short hair again when I see this. 

Solitude

I am not doing so fantastic with blogging. I don't know what it is that usually gives me the blogger kick, but today it was the snow. I woke up at my usual time of 4 a.m. and as I opened the door thirty minutes later, I was instantly taken aback at how lovely it was. I don't usually enjoy being up and about at this very early hour and therefore, I never enjoy the quiet solitude one finds at the 4 a.m. hour. This morning, I stood on my driveway and I listened to the falling snow and the quiet morning. It was almost miraculous how peaceful it was. I pitied everyone still in their warm beds who were missing this, they would wake up in a few hours when the snow stops falling and is on it's way to brown slush. The roads hadn't been plowed yet so I drove on the perfectly white road to work. I felt as if I were seeing a whole new world, a perfect untouched town.   And there is nothing like a gym to interrupt one's peace. Before I knew it anxiety was building from a certain salesman and I was being rushed from phone to computer to breakfast errands. I long to relive the early hours of this morning. 

Unfortunately, I lost the charger for my camera so I am without photo documentation of these beautiful moments. This is to exercise those imaginations of yours. 

Do you like classical music?

Ludovico Einaudi

Close your eyes and listen.

Don't look at the pictures. Listen.

King of the Eyesores

It all began when I got in my car this afternoon to head to Pier One to buy some very lovely white dishes. I love white dishes. There is something so romantic about classic, clean, white dishes. I was in an exceptionally good mood as I drove down 100 South when New Slang by The Shins came on the shuffle list on my iPod. I was instantly taken back to driving around in my Toyota Corolla with Melysa Christensen. We would be driving much too fast with an empty gas tank, the windows rolled down with a foot or two hanging out. A shoeless foot, naturally. My heart was so warmed by the fond memories.

I was rushed in and out of the store because my sisters and I went on a date to see Life As We Know It. Which, by the way, was pretty good. It is your typical, predictable chick flick, but we all know no one actually goes to a chick flick not knowing how it is going to end. That is almost half the joy in them. After we parted ways, I was back in my car with The Shins. Once again, I was taken back to my Toyota Corolla.

I decided to play with the memories a bit and do what I always used to do, forget my plans or responsibilities and just go for a drive. I rolled the windows down, turned up the heat and the music, and I drove. I forgot how wonderful it feels to just be alone in your car with some good music. It is a very freeing sensation. I highly encourage you to do this as soon as possible. But it must be good weather so you can roll down your windows. Rolling your windows down is the key to a good, liberating drive. You must also turn your music up loud enough so the cars next to you stare at you as you sing along.

If you are like me and are really terrible at singing, then singing in the car is the best way to get it out of your system. I love singing. I find it so relieving when I start to feel crammed inside. The trick is to turn the music just loud enough so you can barely hear your own voice. That way, you can still hear your volume, but it sounds like your voice is the artist's voice. It's a great confidence builder. Try it.

I began to think how I would go on drives like this at least every few days. I always felt stuck. I had the Holly Golightly syndrome.. as do most 16-18 year olds. But tonight, I didn't feel stuck, crammed or unhappy in the slightest bit. I was happy to begin with and the drive just enhanced my happiness by ten. I wanted to come home and grab a wooden spoon and dance all around my house singing to every great sing a long song there is. I wanted to yell and scream and just make noise.

Happiness is a great thing. If you don't feel it tonight, please, grab your favorite music and go for a drive. Sing really loud and roll your windows down. If you are feeling extra crammed. Take off your shoes and drive with one foot out the window. It is the cure.

FIN

Banananana muffins

I walked into the kitchen this afternoon and saw four perfectly ripe bananas just calling to me, asking to be made into delicious baked goods.

So what did I do you ask?

I made quite a fantastic batch of banana muffins and a loaf of banana bread.

I now have enough to feed a small village.

I would upload photo to insert here but unfortunately, I don't know how to use my camera. So use your imaginations. They are lovely.

Today is the first day to my myself in 12 days. Riley woke up for work at 5 am and won't be back till 3 am. Poor kid. And I was really sad to wake up this morning without him. And while it is sad to wake up alone and have a quiet house, I am pretty excited to spend some alone time. I love alone time.

The question is, should I get out of my jammies, brush my hair and be productive? I have so much to do.

OR, should I just bake some zucchini bread, maybe some banana bread and not brush my hair till 5:00 when I have to go to work.

hmmm...

On another note, my little house needs some serious decor TLC.. and like my photography, I am just not very talented when it comes to design. I am patiently waiting for some design talent to walk through my front door and do it all for me. I will be here waiting, no appointment necessary. Thanks.

Break

Not only have I not taken a few minutes of time to blog, but I haven't even written in my journal or bothered to put away a few straggling things left over from the move. There are just so many things that I know I should or maybe even want to do that are pushed so far back on my list of things to do because I am living in a blissful bubble of marriage.

We went to the Grand Canyon on Sunday for part of our honeymoon.

I had never been, and I highly recommend the drive to all.

I clearly am not a great photographer or very skilled at editing my photos, so I apologize for my bad photography.

Anne

"Isn't it good just to be alive on a day like this? I pity the people who aren't born yet for missing it. They may have good days, of course, but they can never have this one."