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snapshots // spring to summer

June 12, 2013

I have been driving to work lately in a strawberry wine daze. Sweet summer, is that you again? I’ve been thinking to myself, Welcome back, lover. Oh, welcome back to me. I don’t think it comes as any surprise that summer is my favorite. It’s not so much about the vacation, but more about the weather. I like sitting on my couch popping back frozen York’s in my bathing suit top with the fan on high. It suits me. Summer is just better. And that is that.

Spring, though. Was it ever good. We loved on Boston, soaked up the blooms, and ate the donuts, and the burgers, and the pies. We spent a day in Newburyport and I celebrated my friend EE’s bridal shower the right way: with hugs and shrimp and cupcakes.

Other than that I am just twiddling my thumbs and counting the days. {REAL TALK: running around like a crazy person and getting UBER EMO about my first graders leaving me. They’re honestly THE BEST.}

BUT SUMMER, I just love you.

BUT LITTLES, I’LL MISS YOU.

I am overwhelmed with feelings, let’s just keep it at that.

INSTA-details {because let’s try something new!}:

Places to eat:

Bloc 11 Cafe
Union Square Donuts
Otto Pizza
Five Guys

Things to purchase:

Baggu Tote in Navy Stripe
Hello Sweatshirt
Saltwater Sandals
2013 Paper Source Calendar | and 2014!

Words to read:

Frog and Toad {will make you laugh}
Charlotte’s Web {will make you cry}
Divergent + Insurgent {WOW.}

10 Comments · Filed Under: instagram, life ·

snapshots // {mostly} denver edition.

May 1, 2013

Friends! Hi!

I’m trying to find my place. Coming back from a jam-packed-crazy-amazing weekend away is always hard, and this time, especially, I’m finding the transition to be full of all sorts of feelings– most all of them good {excitment! inspiration! friendship!}, but also some less so {take me baack! O V E R W H E L M E D!}.

Basically, I had the best time. THE BEST. And now I’m just trying to soak it in and wrap my head around it all.

{Also, I’m trying to figure out how to share all my photos in less than five blog posts. {just kidding.} {sort of!} }

P.S. Tomorrow! A playlist!

15 Comments · Filed Under: friends, instagram, life, travel ·

snapshots {from winter to spring}

April 17, 2013

SNAP·SHOT [snap-shot]
noun
1. an informal photograph, especially one taken quickly by a hand-held camera.
2. an impression or view of something brief or transitory <a snapshot of life back then>

ONE: A few weeks ago I met up with my lovely friend Tania for brunch in Harvard Square. Tania is a friend I actually met THROUGH instagram, which is pretty wild, but also pretty awesome. I felt like I could have talked with her forever and I’m so glad I got the nerve up to email her when I saw a photo she posted showing she was in Boston. This whole internet-friend thing hardly phases me anymore, and I’m happy to have found some wonderful people because of it.

TWO: Shake Shack. Now in Chestnut Hill. Get after it.

THREE: A favorite bookstore of mine, The New England Mobile Book Fair. Get some Shake Shack and then head over to check out the crazy book collection there. Or better yet, go buy some books, and then read them while you wait in the LONGEST LINE EVER to get a burger and fries (we waited over and hour… BUT, it was worth it).

FOUR:

HUG O’ WAR

I will not play at tug o’ war.
I’d rather play at hug o’ war,
Where everyone hugs
Instead of tugs,
Where everyone giggles
And rolls on the rug,
Where everyone kisses,
And everyone grins,
And everyone cuddles,
And everyone wins.

by Shel Silverstein

FIVE: Speaking of internet friendships, this is Natalie. We met through the Boston Blogging network and I feel so lucky to have found her (almost 2 years ago!). She’s sweet and thoughtful, and as soon as I saw Nat the Fat Rat’s #mightylove project, she popped into my mind as someone who I truly appreciate and admire.

SIX: In a little over one week I will be flying to Denver to visit Beth (a best friend from high school). My friend Bailey and I are spending 4 days with her in Colorado and I am so excited I could squeal. I imagine she’ll have a plan for things to see and do, but if you’ve ever been to Denver and have any recs, we’ll take ’em!

SEVEN: I found High Rise Bread Company while riding my bike one weekend and I’m ever so glad I did. It’s bakery food is delicious and they make the bread right there in front of you, which is local business at it’s best.

EIGHT: I also found a great antique shop while biking around Cambridge that very same afternoon, and I’m going to take my mom there when she comes to visit in May. Although definitely on the expensive side, it’s a fun place to look around and reminds me a little of this place we used to visit on rides to my Grandmother’s house years and years ago. Give me something that makes me feel nostalgic and I’m all over it, no question.

NINE: The Cambridge Public Library is the best (and fairly close to where I live, too). Have you been? I love love love it– especially the children’s floor. Books for DAYS and there’s a bright, fresh, modern feel to the place. Definitely worth a visit if you have work to get done, or even if you just want a quiet, happy place to read.

TEN: Thank you all so much for your kind comments yesterday. My friend Alex was a runner in the marathon and her heartfelt post was an inspiration for writing out my own thoughts about what happened here in Boston. Other favorite posts are here and here and here and here. There has been so much beautiful, honest writing all around the internet these past few days— so much kindness and hope and bravery and strength. We’ve all been touched in some way or another by this tragedy, and have all felt a great amount of sadness and defeat. There’s worry, and helplessness, and confusion, and fear, but there’s also one thing that is very clear: LOVE. Love comforts. Love heals. Love is shining through the darkness. And I truly believe that in the end, love always wins.

9 Comments · Filed Under: blogging, instagram, life ·

snapshots // currently…

March 19, 2013

Just a few things about life lately:

T H I N K I N G A B O U T : my seventh snow day today. SEVENTH! The part of me that grew up in Syracuse, NY thinks Boston is being a big ginormous wimp. The part of me that loves summer vacation is getting stressed and disappointed. The part of me that enjoys sleeping in thinks these days off are not so bad. Mostly, I’m just going with it. Telling myself that time off in the summer is a luxury that not everyone gets. And that school in June is hardly school at all at that point. More like one fun, sunshine-y party with a bunch of seven year olds that love you to the moon. I can handle that for sure. I always get weary of letting the littles go at the end anyways. They make their way into my heart and I always feel like I want to keep them.

R E A D I N G : The Count of Monte Cristo. It’s only my 3rd book this year, so I’m slacking for sure. My goal is 25, which means I’ve got to get moving on the reading front, but this book is crazy long and was a little hard to get into. It’s picking up, so I’m confident I’ll finish it– and I’m motivated to keep going with all the great recommendations I got from friends + bloggers. Have you ever read it? What did you think?

L I S T E N I N G T O : A lot of The Shins radio on Pandora. Also, Ingrid Michaelson radio never lets me down. Are you a Pandora listener? It’s my favorite because it introduces me to so much new music that I would never have found on my own. I’m hoping to make a spring playlist soon to share on the blog. Something upbeat + happy to put a little skip in your step.

W A T C H I N G : Girls. I just love it with all my heart.

W O R K I N G O N : Knitting. I was able to get some good practice at casting on and learned how to knit and purl with the help of my cousin last weekend. Haley is a serious knitter and she came to Boston {with her little baby Hope!} for the North Shore Yarn Crawl last Saturday. I tagged along and picked out some yarn for when I get really good and am ready for my first project. But for now, I’m just practicing little squares. It’s getting easier so that counts for something!

D O I N G : The couch-to-5k running program. I started it last week when the weather was nice {using this app} and am really confident that I can for real make this happen this time around. I am not a runner, but I want to be. And I hope to become a healthier version of myself in the process. So, here’s to trying. And to feeling pretty motivated about being successful, too.

L O O K I N G F O R W A R D T O : Easter at home. I just can’t wait to be with my family in the little town I grew up in. I’m also excited for the chocolate and the cupcakes. Always a good time. Always delicious.

M A K I N G M E H A P P Y : The fact that the end of ski season is in sight! Zan has been gone most weekends being the ski bunny that he is. We’ve been pretty good at making more time for each other during the week {going out to dinner or spending time in the kitchen together}, but I’m excited to spend spring and summer weekends with him again very very soon.

P.S. I have a really sweet giveaway in the works for tomorrow. It involves instagram {YOU LOVE IT} and will be my first official giveaway ever, so be sure to come back and check it out! I think you’ll be excited about it too!

OH! and I got the idea for this post from my sweet friend Mary.