My Prozac Playlist

I was listening to the radio the other morning and the radio talk show I listen to was doing a segment called "Prozac Playlist". Now, their initial premise was for each member of the radio show to share a song that always puts them in a good mood-no matter what.

So, I'm taking this a step further and doing a whole list of songs that ALWAYS put me in a good mood when I listen to them. Then I'm gonna actually make a playlist out of these songs and put them on my phone whenever I need a little pick-me-up.

So, in random order, my Prozac Playlist*...

Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)
C & C Music Factory

Some Nights
Fun.

Everybody (Backstreet's Back)
Backstreet Boys

Shake Ya Tail Feather
Nelly, P Diddy, Murphy Lee

Lady Marmalade
Mya, Christina Aguilera, Pink, Missy Elliot, Li'l Kim

Pop
*NSYNC

Layla
Eric Clapton

Feelin Alright
Joe Cocker

Fireflies
Owl City

You Are Good 
Israel Houghton

Do you have a Prozac Playlist* of songs that instantly lift YOUR mood?




*No disrespect intended to those who take Prozac.

OOTD: New Faves

Cardigan | Pants: New York & Co (similar) | Top | Shoes: Target (similar) | Necklace: old

Well, y'all this is officially my new favorite outfit. I can't stop wearing it! It literally encompasses some of my absolute favorite things: stripes, navy blue, sequins and flats. Of course, I'll try experimenting with other colors I can wear this same top and pants with. I love the mustard, but can't wait to try it with coral, kelly green or even red!

Y'all, I loved the outfit so much I wore it to work. Yep, WORK! I thought the sequins might be a bit much for daytime...and maybe they were. But it certainly did make me feel sassy all day. So, I'll definitely be putting this tank into my daytime repertoire.

Would you ever wear sequins or glitter to work?

Linking up with Miriam and Lindsey.

The Chronicles of Online Dating: Episode 4

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Alright y'all...

Good news and bad news. So, let's do the good news first, okay? Good News: things with Mr. Three Dates are going very well...in my opinion at least. Which brings me to the bad news: I won't be sharing as much detail regarding my dates.

Mama's got to have a li'l bit of privacy, you know? 'Specially when thangs is going well...

Anywho, on to a more...general subject. Can I just talk for a minute about the stigma of meeting someone "online"?

Well, I guess I should ask the question...is there really a stigma associated with dating online anymore? Honestly, whenever I've told someone that I've met a sig-oth online, I rarely have any weird reactions. Perhaps the times are a-changing and this has become more widely accepted? Or maybe, this is just the case in my circle of influence. Generally, someone's reaction to you meeting someone via an online dating site can be classified in one of the following categories:

1. "Oh, that's awesome! I wish I had the guts to do that!" - These are the people who would probably support the idea of meeting someone online, but for whatever reason, haven't actually tried it.

2. "Really? You're not scared to do that?" - These people generally focus on the "dangerous" aspects of online dating. It's probably too hard to see past that to the benefits of online dating. Maybe this response is also given with some sort of side-eye. ;)

3. "Which one did you use? I've had great experience with _____ before!" - These are the ones who are online dating savvy. They know all about it, have tried it and may even compare notes with you.

4. "Oh, that's nice." - These are the small fraction of people who might "look down on you" for meeting someone via an online dating site. Maybe they are just more old-fashioned in their approaches to dating? Maybe they've been burned before with something similar? Maybe they are Mennonite? For whatever reason, there still seems to be a small margin of people who are fairly hostile towards this concept.

To them I say, phooey. If my GRANDMOTHER can support (and, dare I say be happy for) the fact that I met someone online then can't everyone else? That's what I thought.

To catch up on the other episodes click here, here and here.

Trend Spotting: Graphic Black & White

Graphic black and white prints are HUGE this spring. Already, major clothing retailers are unveiling bold black and white prints in their spring lines.

graphic b & w by aprilanne147 featuring slim leg pants

Bold black and white prints are accessible even to the "average" woman. Retailers like Loft, New York & Company, Target and H&M have great black and white pieces out in their spring lines.

Would you ever wear this trend?

Confessional Friday

Ladies and Germs,

It is time for another edition of Confessional Friday. Yes, it's that time of week where I confess some of deepest, darkest secrets from this past week. I'm linking up my confessions with Leslie at A Blonde Ambition Blog.

Shall we?

//1. I confess I wore one of my absolute favorite outfits TO DATE this week. I documented via Instagram, but think it's probably worthy enough for a full-fledged outfit post. Gah, I heart mustard and navy.

//2. I confess that all week I've teetered along the line of self-medicating with cupcakes. New software + new email platform + launching the same day + boss coming back from maternity leave = Quite a stressful week. Cupcakes just make me happy. Cupcakes solve all problems. Okay, maybe not ALL problems. But most.

//3. I confess that I literally have 7 pillows in my bed. For one person. To me, this isn't strange, but I feel like it is not normal. Thoughts?

//4. I confess I wore the same pants to work back-to-back. In my defense they were black pants and I did style them differently so hopefully no one noticed. ;)

//5. I confess that I am now the brand SPANKING new owner of a pair of TOMS shoes. Yep, yep. Mr. First Date (who subsequently has turned into Mr. Second Date and maybe Mr. Third Date) gifted me with a fabulous pair of TOMS for my b-day. Well, an e-giftcard for a pair of TOMS. I received them in the mail yesterday and I can't wait to wear them.

//6. I confess I toyed around with wearing my new shoes to work today but realized that with the local forecast calling for snow and a wintry mix, I should probably wait to break them in.

//7. I confess that so far, 28 has been a great year! Yes, I'm only a week into it, but this week has been a good 'un. Maybe everyone WAS right that life gets better with age...

Alrighty y'all. Time for me to sign off for now. Have a fabulous weekend!!

Home

They could be your neighbor. They could be in your family. Girls of all ethnic groups and socio-economic categories get victimized by the sex trafficking industry. Sadly, they go to work in massage parlors, strip clubs, escort services, and “health spas.” Experts estimate that 293,000 children in the U.S. are in danger of being sexually trafficked. Sadly, traffickers sell minor girls for $400 an hour on American streets, and those same minors are sold an average of 10-15 times a day, 6 days a week, totaling between 9,360 and 14,040 sex acts a year.

Domestic sex trafficking (sex trafficking done in the United States) is a huge problem. While many people know that this issues exists in many 2^nd and 3^rd world countries, most are not aware that the problem persists, literally, in their own backyard.

The city of Charlotte (where I live) is fairly high on the list of cities rampant with sex trafficking. A number of factors play into this but mostly: the size of the city, location of airports and other public transportations and the accessibility to the city by interstates and major thoroughfares. Learning that the city I call home is infested with this problem spawned a movement in my church called “Home.”

Home is a sermon series, which, on the surface, appears to focus directly on home life and family relationships, but actually carries a dual focus. As our local church families learn how to renovate and restore our own "homes", we also help participate in the purchase and renovation of a local group home which will eventually house girls (aged 14-17) who have been rescued from the sex trafficking industry.

My church is literally renovating A home for rescued girls while we restore our OWN homes in the process.  We are working with a group called On Eagles Wings Ministry to purchase and renovate the home. They will run the home and work on rehabilitating the girls that come to live there.

However, like all things, there is a cost. For this home, it’s about $125,000. That’s just the cost to purchase and most of the renovation and up-fitting. That doesn’t include any operating costs. So, we have an initial goal of $125,000.

And my church has a tendency to go big on projects. Two Christmases ago, we collected over $207,000 to give to the International Justice Mission, a company that rescues trafficked children and prosecutes traffickers overseas. So, knowing this, we set a goal of $125,000 and a miracle goal of $150,000. I believe the people of my church can do it. I believe that we can make a difference in the lives of these young girls rescued from unspeakable horrors.

The date we will be receiving the gifts is Sunday, January 27^th. As a matter-of-fact, all money that is given to the church that Sunday will be donated towards this project and to On Eagles Wings Ministry. I know that my pastor has no qualms about asking people for money when he knows we are going to give every cent of it away.

So, would you pray for us? Would you pray for this ministry as they expand to another location? Would you pray for the young girls that will eventually come to live at the home?

For more information:

Good Shepherd United Methodist Church | On Eagles Wings Ministry | Pastor Talbot Davis’ Blog | Human Trafficking Fact Sheet

To donate, click here.



Love This Look: Blazers & Trouser Jeans

This look is one of my all-time faves. It's classic lines and shapes transitioned into a more casual look. Trouser jeans are exactly what they sound like: jeans cut like dress pants or trousers. These tend to be fuller in the leg and do not taper in or out. Trouser jeans may also have pleating and cuffs like regular trousers.

Blazers, a long-time work staple, are now soaring in popularity. This has made them available in many colors, styles and patterns. What was once a choice between black, gray or brown is now offered in a wide variety at many stores.

blazers and trouser jeans by aprilanne147 featuring sequin shirts

Do you love this casual, yet classic look? Would you ever wear this?

The Chronicles of Online Dating: Episode 3

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I should probably confess that this series name "The Chronicles of Online Dating" might not be the most accurate title anymore.

Because mama's been on two REAL DATES!! :D

Missed the first two episodes? Click here to read episode 1. Click here to read episode 2.

So, in the last episode, I talked a bit extensively about how important it is for a man to be funny. And that when they say they are funny, that usually means they aren't.

But something I didn't really talk about in the last post is how important it is for a man to be sweet. I don't mean the kind of sweet that has ulterior motives the wrong motivations behind it. I don't mean sweet only when he's around his mama or his pastor. I'm talking about pure, unadulterated, precious sweetness. The  sweetness that comes from a kind soul.

If you can find a man that's sweet...keep him.

Speaking of sweet, Mr. First Date called me at midnight on my birthday (you know...right when it became my birthday) and SANG Happy Birthday to me. Precious. And he got me a gift....after only one date. For our second date, we went to one of my favorite restaurants, Olive Garden. [Don't hate. The OG is uh-maze-ing.] Oh, and the night ended in ice cream. Really, could it get better?

So, this brings me to the main question I have for your online dating experienced readers. Is it appropriate/inappropriate/rude/okay/weird to continue to keep your online profile active if you start dating someone repeatedly? [I'm not saying that's what is happening here, but more just wondering what's the proper protocol?]

Of course your thoughts, comments, advice is always appreciated. Have a fabulous Tuesday, friends!

Weekend Update: Birthday Edition

Hello friends!

Over the weekend (well, technically Friday) I turned the big 2-8. I can't believe I'm 28. Honestly, I think of myself as perpetually around the age of 22. Does anyone else always think of themselves as a certain age?

Well, I celebrated my big day by taking off work. That's a great way to start the weekend, in my opinion. It was also a great pre-cursor to the weekend I'll call Birthday Extravaganza.

It (officially) started with my BFF, sister and mom joining me for a girls night out at our local Japanese restaurant. Unbeknownst to me, this is one of those places where they squirt sake in your mouth (with a squeeze bottle). So, because it was my birthday, I was the (somewhat hesitant) recipient of said sake.

It actually wasn't that bad tasting. But it BURNED! Eh, I think next time I go, I'll just forego the sake. However, the food was DELICIOUS.

And what better way to end the evening than with a delicious fried cheesecake? Well, I can't really think of a better way. Yum!

The rest of weekend was quite eventful. Unfortunately, I was a bad blogger and didn't document it photographically. Suffice it to say that there was a ton of delicious food consumed: dinner at Olive Garden (one of my fave restaurants), yummy ice cream, family birthday lunch (pepper steak, mashed potatoes, rolls and green beans) and, of course, cupcakes. Because my birthday extravaganza would not have been complete without cupcakes.

Actually, I think the cupcakes helped make the transition to work on Monday a bit easier. Perhaps I should consume cupcakes every Sunday...you know...to make the adjust back to work life a little smoother. ;)

Linking up with Sami & Leeann for this update.

Oh, and happy MLK Day!

I'm Gonna Party Like...

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Yep. Today's the big day. The big 2-8. 

Shudder. Another year closer to 30. Which, I've actually heard, isn't that bad. But, perhaps I should worry about that bridge when I get closer to the vicinity, right? 

Anywho, today is a day for snow (hopefully!!), reading, shopping, hibachi and copious amounts of chocolate. Oh, and probably some wine too. And hey, I wouldn't mind celebrating my day a little like the photo above, either. Cupcakes, pink champagne and pink flowers. :) Aren't birthdays THE BEST! 

I'll be playing this song on repeat for most of the day. Because I am that girl. Sort of.  

"Go! Go Shorty! It's Your Birthday! We're Gonna Party Like It's Your Birthday!"

Stylish Steals!

stylish steals by aprilanne147 

Aqua Peplum Top

Peach Blouse

Bicycle Purse

Rose Gold Ballet Flats

Criss Cross Pumps

Nautical Blazer

Man, sometimes finding cute stuff for really good prices almost feels like stealing. Not that I've ever know what stealing feels like..I just...um...yeah. :)

Have a stylish Thursday!

OOTD: Gred

Sweater: Target | Jeans: Levi's | Flats: Target | Tank: Rue 21 | Necklace: Amazon

Bennifer. Brangelina. Kimye. 

We are so obsessed with combining existing words to create new words.  It is a part of our culture. So, it should come as no surprise that I called this outfit Gred. It features the color combination of gray and red. 

Also, for one second, can we talk about how people spell "gray"? Grey is a name. Gray is a color...unless you're European. Which you're probably not. So, it's gray. 

And this outfit is Gred. 

Linking up with Miriam and Lindsey.

The Chronicles of Online Dating: Episode 2

If you tuned in to the last episode of The Chronicles of Online Dating, you'll know that we left off right before a weekend that might have contained a date...with a boy.

Missed it? Catch up here.

I will probably keep the details brief since said boy may or may not read this.

Suffice it to say that I DID have a date on Saturday and I had a really good time. Part of the evening was seeing the movie Parental Guidance. BTW, I definitely suggest seeing this. It was a great movie with an awesome message. It was also ridiculously funny.

Let me clue you in on a little something about online dating. Lots of men think they are hilarious. They say in their profiles that they are funny. They mention that humor is a huge part of their life and they love keeping the people around them in stitches.

Rarely, are these men actually funny. More often than not, "funny" seems to be a catch-all term for weird, awkward and slightly social stunted. Or, at least in my opinion. I find that men who describes themselves as "funny" tend to usually be the opposite of that.

Men that don't provide a lot of commentary on how funny they are, usually end up being the funniest ones. Why? Because they don't try too hard. They just speak and are naturally humorous. Dang, I love a witty man. Make me laugh and you've got me. Well, of course, laughter combined with copious amounts of chocolate and flowers. But laughter is the key.

I believe my sister said it best when she said that looks will fade but laughter will remain. Amen to that, y'all.

My date on Saturday night made me laugh out loud (for real) more than once. I'd say he falls into the latter category of the naturally witty men. He's so witty, as a matter of fact, that we have plans for another date this weekend. :)

Golden Globes Best & Worst Dressed

My, how I love a good awards show. The Golden Globes yesterday certainly didn't disappoint. Below are some of my favorite looks followed by some of my least favorite.

BEST

Sources 1/2/3/4/5

Jennifer Lawrence is stunning. Well, she's pretty much a stunning woman anyway (when she's not smiling), but this dress is amazing. The only thing I didn't LOVE was the weird ruffle thing at the top. But, hey, it was a couture gown so, it's okay right? [Dior Couture]

Gah, Michelle Dockery was gorg. I loved this gold brocade and white number. It was a bit reminiscent of something her character Mary Crawley might wear. And I loved the vintage hairstyle. Like a modern version of the 20s hairstyle she wears on Downton Abbey. [Alexandre Vaulthier]

Zooey. Man, I love her. This is a beautiful dress. It's a bit quirky and interesting and not the normal silhouette you see at these shows. Plus the color is gorgeous on her with her hair and skin tone. [Oscar De La Renta]

Julianne Hough's dress was a nice breath of fresh air. I love the white and gold and the silhouette was interesting and unique. I did not like that pompadour hair though. It was too severe...too rockabilly for the dress. Something a bit softer would have been better, no? [Unknown]

Isla Fisher's dress was classy and elegant. Her hair and makeup looked beautiful and the dress was on point. A+ Isla! [Reem Acra]

Honorable Mentions: Sofia Vergara, Juliana Margulies, Jessica Alba, Claire Danes and Hayden Panettiere.

WORST

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Kaley Cuoco isn't on my worst list because of her dress. (Neither is Sarah Hyland for that matter.) Kaley is on my worst list because of her horrid hair and makeup. The hair looks dirty and unkempt and her makeup is way too dark. The goth makeup look has yet to come back around. And even if it were in style again, I'm not so sure it would go with the dress. Sigh. Kaley, better luck next time.

Giuliana Rancic already has sort of a grasshopper/praying mantis look to her silhouette. This dress was just really bad because it EMPHASIZED that bug look. The neckline and shoulder cutaways made her head look large and her body look very small. Plus, the overall look was a bit old for her, right?

Sarah Hyland's outfit isn't really all that bad. The pushed up ta-tas and voluminous hair look a little too sexy for her...even though she's 22. She's a beautiful girl, so she doesn't really need to emphasize "the girls" and wear big hair to look pretty. She's gorgeous without those things!

Sienna Miller. Wow. I don't really know what to say. She is a gorgeous lady. This ensemble is way too dated and juvenile looking for an event like this. MAYBE (emphasis on the maybe) it would be appropriate for a garden party (if it were a short dress) but this weird crochet/floral applique mess just reminds me of something I wore in 5th grade. For reals.

Dishonorable Mentions: Eva Longoria (that slit is RIDIC!), Amy Poehler (pants?) and T Swifty.

Thoughts? Comments? I'd love to hear your opinions. Linking up with Molly for YOLOMondays!

PS: Tuning in to see how my date went? Well, you'll just have to come back tomorrow. :)

Confessional Friday

Happy Friday!

And what better way to celebrate my favorite day of the week than with another Confessional Friday post?!

//1. I confess that I've had a craving for cupcakes for about a week. It all started when I saw this blog post. I have no idea how I came across it, but glory-BE I've been craving a chocolate cupcake since then.

//2. I confess that I might be slightly addicted to the Candy Crush Saga game on my phone. I don't know how I stumbled across it...but now I CAN'T STOP PLAYING IT! When did I become a "gamer"?

//3. I confess I've been taking the magic NyQuil ride almost every night this week. To be fair, I am getting over a nasty virus/upper respiratory issues...so, it's okay, right?

//4. I confess that it's a bit weird that the girl at my local Jersey Mike's knows my name and how I like my sandwich. I mean, I'm glad she does, of course. But I honestly probably go in there MAYBE once every 2 months? Is that weird or am I just paranoid?

-Granted my sandwiches are really easy: ham, provolone, mayo. No vegetables. No nastiness. Thanks.-

//5. I confess that I'm considering purchasing a pair of TOMS shoes to wear with my more casual winter outfits. There are a few things holding me back... 1. I'm 27 and not 19. 2. I'm 27 and not 19. 3. They are kind of ugly...but not OOGLY. So, they aren't ugly enough not to wear, but not especially attractive.

Do you see my predicament?

But, I am considering these...because they are wool/fleece and will keep my tootsies toasty.

Care to weigh in? Are TOMS too young for me? Be honest, people. My fashion reputation is on the line!

But aside from that, I hope you have a wonderful weekend! Linking up these confessions with Leslie. Read the other confessions here.

How Pinteresting!

-Note, I thought I was being a creative pun genius when I thought of the name of this blog post. And then I realized that there is already a blog link up with that name. Sigh. It was good while it lasted, right? -

I've been pinning all over the place lately. And my pins don't really have anything to do with one another...except that I like them. :)

                                                                                 Source: 41orchard.com via April on Pinterest

Forget color palettes for boys and girls. I love so many of these!! This is perfect not only for nurseries, but for outfits, flower bouquets, home design, and a lot more!

                                                               Source: backwoodsinherbones.tumblr.com via April on Pinterest

If a man said this to me...swoon.

                                                                                 Source: ow.ly via April on Pinterest

I mean, it IS really good advice. And you will always have the upper edge instead of dreading that someone might catch you in yoga pants and 3 day dirty hair. Or is that just me?

                                                                         Source: mykitchenmylife.com via April on Pinterest

These photos make me want to get the Christmas lights back out (that I just put up) and get creative!!

What sorts of Pinteresting things have you seen lately?

Chronicles of Online Dating: Episode 1

I recently posted about venturing back into the world of online dating sites again. I asked your input and whether or not you'd care to hear about my adventures. All of the responses I got were interested in hearing about my experiences.

So, let the chronicles begin!

After stints on both eHarmony and Match.com, I decided to switch it up and go for Christian Mingle this time. I do know someone who met their spouse on this website, so I decided it would be worth it to at least try.

Besides, it's only like $30 for one month. I know eHarmony is some exorbitant amount for one month...like $60 or $80 or something crazy. I can deal with $30.

After the labor and toil that is actually creating my profile, I was ready to "mingle".

Oh, I should mention that at the point I was creating my profile my creativity level had sunk to a new low. So, I decided to reactivate my Match profile and copy most of the free-write bio section info into my new profile on Christian Mingle. Is that bad? I figured I got some pretty good hits using that at Match, so maybe it would work for me on the new site.

Downside- After briefly reactivating my Match profile long enough to get the information,  I came face-to-face with my ex's profile. Yep. It was right there on my home page as a "new match". Sigh. Is this how my new adventure was going to start?

Downside 2- Of course when I saw his profile, I had to snoop.

Downside 3- That butthead has photos on his profile that he CROPPED ME OUT OF!!!!! Hello? Isn't that one of the cardinal rules of online dating? Don't ever put an obviously cropped photo on your profile because it's always assumed that the person cropped out was a previous significant other.

Commence Match profile DEactivation.

End rabbit trail.

A few days after everything was up and approved in my profile I started getting "hits". Now, for every normal and decent communication you get a few creepers. Honestly, within the first few days I wasn't impressed with what I saw. Lots of older, creepy men "smiling" at my profile. Yuck. But, whatevs. These are probably the guys that smile or communicate with every woman on there. You know, the "super users". :) The guys who explain how well they will treat a woman in broken English and/or using text lingo.

"I luv 2 watch NASCAR and go 2 chruch. If u want 2 kno more, msg me."

Yeah, hooookay.

After a few more days, I started getting communications from [seemingly] normal, interesting guys.

Fast forward through the whole Christian Mingle message system to the exchanging email addresses dance and we arrive at where I am now. I may or may not have a date this weekend with someone I've been communicating with. Of course, I will be completely safe with this...because this ain't this girl's first rodeo, when it comes to online dating. But still, it gives me a sense of hope. And excitement.

Am I really going on my first date in well over a year? Quite possibly. You'll just have to tune in to the next episode of the Chronicles of Online Dating to find out what happened. :)

Sickday

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So, this is basically where I will be all day, y'all. Switch out that mug of coffee for bottles of liquid Benadryl and DayQuil and the sandwich for a box of tissues and that would be more appropriate.

 

I'm sick. Like, really sick. I haven't been sick like this in a long time. I'm even too sick to go in to work (which NEVER happens).

 

Today will be a day for rest, a visit to the doctor and working from home. It's a bonafied sickday.

 

OOTD: On Second Thought

Cardigan: TJ MAXX (similar) | Tank: Rue 21 | Jeans | Flats: Payless (similar) | Necklace: J Crew via Ebay

Navy and green are two of my favorite colors together. When I got this adorable cardi for Christmas, I figured I could pair it with any of my silver necklaces. Then, right before I walked out one day with this on, I added my hot pink bubble necklace and I was hooked.

These three colors together are just amazing.

Linking up with Lindsey & Miriam.

Hey, It's Okay!

Happy Friday, friends! It's time for another rendition of "Hey, it's okay!"

Hey, it's okay that I'll be going to see Breaking Dawn Pt. 2 FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER tonight.

Hey, it's okay to be a little underwhelmed at the thought of a normal 2-day weekend that precedes a normal 5-day work week after 2 weeks of holidays!

Hey, it's okay to have the deliciously lovely Matthew Crawley's photo as the lock screen on your iPhone.

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Right?

Hey, it's okay to plan your Sunday evening completely around the premiere of Downton Abbey, season 3.

Hey, it's okay to not feel bad that you're taking the elevator to go up one floor when you're carrying a laptop, notebook and a water bottle. Laptops + stairs + heels = disaster

Hey, it's okay to not give a flying doughnut that Kim Kardashian is pregnant. Because I don't. Though, if you have any disdain for this particular bit of media frenzy, please, please, read this. (warning, it does contain slightly colorful language) I was literally silent laughing while reading this.

Hey, it's okay to have a Saturday night that consists of soup, House Hunters, a glass of wine and blog/Pinterest surfing. Wait...or is that just me? Meh.

Have a wonderful weekend!!

~April