fun times.

lots of fun memories have been made over these past few weeks and i figured it was time to share. there's this boy... and i kinda think he rocks. ive known him for what seems like forever, and yet i don't think i ever really knew him at all. his heart is so kind, and so, so special. he is loving, and knows just how to show it. he's a lotta fun, and we spend most of our time together giggling like a couple of teenagers. it was him who taught me how to laugh again. we've spent the past several weeks having lotsa fun, and i figured id share a few of my favorite pics.

at the braves vs. rockies game. braves won. he bought me that shirt and that was when i learned that someone named tool-uh-win-ski is my guy. lol. go #2!

riding in the car on the way to see his sweet mama.

leigh baby. 

 i could do that forever.

bbq betches. what.

makes me laugh every time.

i love this picture for two reasons really...

1) he is just so cute to me.

2) its been awhile since ive looked that happy. like a long while.

saying goodbye is bad business.

i miss him a lot. a lot, a lot. he is my delight.

6 things.

a few things...

1) okay so first of all? i just wrote this whole entire blog and then somehow managed to delete it. yup. i did that. grr.

2) i cannot, cannot, simply cannot get enough of this amazing jodi picoult book. another that i can't put down. i love it and wish i were laying in bed right this very second reading it.

get it. now.

3) i spent sunday of this past weekend with a few of my faves and it was FUN! get a load of this precious baby girl. this picture was taken while we were out shopping. she was so funny. she would walk up to a dress/shirt/pants/whatever, and exclaim "oooohhhhhhhh, this is SOOOOOOOOOOOO cute." it was amazing. and hysterical. and it made me want a duplicate- bad.

4) while driving to work last week, i saw one of the oddest things ever. it made me laugh... hard. and i found myself wishing i had someone there to laugh with me.

there they were... right in the middle of traffic, stopped at a red light beside me. and sure as shit, as soon as that light turned green, off they went.

5) i had talked about wanting to share some of those old family photos, and todays your lucky day.



aren't they just so cool? you can clearly see that my dad was undoubtedly the resident bad ass of his job. and i have a feeling if you mentioned that to him now, he'd respond by saying something sly like, "still am!" lol. i know the one of my mommy is a bit fuzzy, but i love it all the same. its one of the only pictures ive ever seen of her in the early days, and i just think she is breath takinginly beautiful.

6) a few things im looking forward to...

    a) my mom coming back out to colorado at the end of next month.

    b) a bun growing in someone special's oven. (cant say who because they are weirdos and dont want

        to tell just yet).

    c) going to my first rockies game the weekend after next. this will rock my world.

    d) the weekend. and yes, i realize it is monday, but dreaming about my days off is the ONLY thing

        that gets me through.

    e) getting a raise next month.

    f) getting to know the man of my dreams... one day. i just know he will be nice. and fun. and funny.

       and he'll think i am wonderful. and he'll never lie, because he'll never want to see me hurt. yup- im

       feeling excited about that! :)

a few faves.

last night i had started my blog pretty late, and i wasn't able to post a few recent faves.
so, here ya go!

ummmm, could she GET any cuter? lol. she loves being a colorado girl, that's for SURE! any possible chance she gets to be outside she takes it. the first one is out on our patio. i frequently leave the door open so that she can run in and out. at first i wasn't sure about this, since it's only got about a 3.5 foot/4 foot railing, and i just KNOW she could jump it at any possible second. but (knock on wood!) she's been a really good girl, and i will typically find her out there just lounging in my patio furniture. we got two of these west elm modern wicker patio chairs off craigslist, and i LOVE them! they are very square, but i think there's something about the look of the wicker that makes them charming. they have real cushions too so they are EXTRA comfy... bristol thinks so too! can ya tell? the second one is of her on easter sunday, all dressed up and at her uncle craig and auntie tara's house. luckily it was a gorgeous colorado day, so i was able to bring her along and let her play in their yard out back.

so obviously this isn't the very best quality photo but with my little camera phone ive just gotta make due. (maybe SOMEday ill get a rockstar camera! i would love that!) anyway- this little contraption was given to me by a friend of mine for my birthday, and i love it! as im sure you all know, (and if you didn't shame on you!) i love little birdies. they are just a delight. i think i love them because they always have a little song in their heart to share- like me. :) anyway! this little birdie/picture hanger is super cute. i decided to hang super old family photos... i wish you could see them better. the one on the far right here is my favorite- it's of me as a fat little baby, being held by my dad, and the thing that makes it special is the look on his face. he was just in love. so sweet. anyway, maybe i can figure out a way to get legit pictures of these or scan the originals or something, cause they kinda rock my world. i think it's really fun that there are five little, black birds, and 5 original willis's. ive decided my mom and dad are the birdies holding the metal wire on each side, and my brothers and i are the cute little birds around them. i of course am the one on the bottom right because the other two are matching- which in my mind makes them the boys. :) ANYway! so yeah- this little birdie picture hanger thinga ma jig makes my heart happy. i love it!

and THIS really makes my heart feel happy. there's something special to me about the fact that my bristol anne loves my daddy so much. she loves my mommy so much too.... but i didn't capture a picture. i think it's funny because she met them first when she was 4 months old, and my dad and her just kinda fell in love. and though they've only seen her maybe 4 other times since then (she is now 2 and a half), she knows them, and she loves them SO much. i think it's sweet. i also love this picture cause i feel like i rarely am able to capture a picture of my daddy with a little smile on his face. sure do love him! sure am lucky to call him my own.

in other news- i finished another one of jodi picoult's books and wow. wow. wow. wow. i loved it. ive tried reading a few more since then (mercy and change of heart) but neither compared to THIS!



get it! now! but make sure you've got at least a few days to sit and read because you will not be able to put it down. this is what kept me company the first few weeks after id moved into my own place. i had no tv and was all alone, but couldn't possibly have been happier! it was THAT good!

ANYway! i guess ill close for now. be blessed friends, and as always- be thankful.

HEllO

its been such a long time since ive blogged! part of the reason is that ive been so super busy, and also- i gave my laptop to my mommy because she liked it so much and really needed a new one. which means... i am left to blog from work! which means there just aren't the opportunities there used to be.

so! since last blogging in february- many things have happened. i moved into my own place in parker and i love it! it's a 2 bed/2 bath condo, and it's just perfect for bristol and i! i love that i can come in at 2 am from work, and be as loud as my little heart desires! i love that she can wipe her drool on the carpet and it doesn't really matter! lol. sounds gross, i know! but it's OUR home... and it's nice to be able to relax and not worry about the silly stuff.

the apartment was pretty empty there for a while... but it has certainly transformed over time. i had a vision of what id wanted to do, and i feel proud for sticking to it. it came out really cheerful and fun! which is exactly what id wanted! :)  it feels really, really good to be in my own place again. it had been since october since i had a "home" of my own, and i missed it... A LOT! my mom and dad were a huge help in getting me all re-furnished and set up! it was a TON of fun bouncing decorating projects/ideas off of my mom, and making them all come to life with her was even better!

 (bedroom- the walls are white, and my bedframe is white, so to break it up a bit, i painted old doors gray and propped them back there! a LOT easier than painting the walls and then having to paint them back when i move)

 (fireplace... and bristol anne. lol)

 (cheerful chick bird kitchen art. made from all kinds of scrapbooking paper!)

 (curtains... made from???? shower curtains! we attached burlap to the bottom and finished it off with a wide satin ribbon)

(a little dark, but about the only one ive got that shows the whole room almost)

 (look- i know my tv is ghetto, but i HAD to share this adorable antique chest i re-did!)

(antique mirror wall above sofa)

ive really been loving this colorado weather we've had, and bristol and i are getting out in it as much as we possibly can. we found a dog park for her to enjoy in parker and she loves it! (minus the giant dog statue in the middle of the field- she's scared too death of him! lol). we had a really fun easter, and she really loved her basket. it was stocked full with treaties, and toys, a new leash and collar, and even a new outfit. she was so cute cracking open the plastic eggs and munching the milk bones down. it was jsut us two, but we had fun!

ive also turned thirty! yup! it's true... im officially old. lol. i was dreading the day for sure, but then that morning i stepped on the scale and realized ive lost 30 lbs since moving here without even trying, and that made me feel a little better. it's still hard at times, because id always envisioned myself married with a family by 30, and at this point, im not even close. but to be honest, i really feel like im closer to that dream now than i was a year ago... because ive made the choices i needed to make to set myself up for real success and real happiness. so yeah- now im just waiting to meet him. i was laughing and telling my mom the other day that im in a hurry! ive got 5 years to meet a new man, make sure he's not a lying sack of shit, force him to marry me, and to pop at least a few babies out before my eggs start drying up! lol. guess i better get on it, huh?

(going out for my birthday)

something else that's new these days, is that ive started seeing a counselor to try and get some help with things. i feel like im doing a really good job, but some days ive found it still hard to accept my reality. and i need to. im really learning a lot. this week we talked about me needing to set up healthy boundaries in relationships... and how i need to know that it's okay to say "no." i have tendancy to get a bit pushed around... and kinad rail roaded over because im the "yes girl." and that needs to change. i think i can do better at this in all of my relationships, and i hope to start putting this into practice asap.

anyway! it's about time to head home so i better scoot! BUT! i hope you all are well and that you've enjoyed my blog tonight! be well, be blessed, and as always- be thankful.

Just for Jenny Melvin...

I love you because...

1) you have a laugh that is absolutely contagious.
2) you are one of the most supportive people I've ever met in my whole life!
3) you are so, so, so fun! Even just to sit and talk is fun with you!
4) you always look gorgeous! Always! So put together and fashionable and cute!
5) you know right from wrong, and you're passionate about what is right.
6) you are an amaaaaazing baker of delicious delicacies!
7) you are kind.
8) you are positive, and optimistic, and that's refreshing.
9) you hang holiday appropriate decor outside your front door- this is random I know, but it just makes me love you. :)
10) you are so, so, so generous- to a fault.
11) you are smart. Wise beyond your years- remarkably.
12) you always have cute nails, and you do mine- always down for some down and dirty girl time.
13) you are clean. And organized. I really love this.
14) you are the epitome of what it means to be a good, good friend.
15) and last? You read my blog religiously, and have waited anxiously for a new post.

So there ya have it. Can't wait to see you tomorrow!!! Love!