Planning = Success Vol. 2!

In lieu of my absence I have opted to post about some recent purchases that I am L0ViNG!
As many of you may know already from reading previous posts from me {in particular, this post} I am a little bit of a planning freak. I take planning very seriously, thus I am insanely picky about choosing planners each year. I have been searching for 'the one' since last December. {& yes, I am fully aware that it is nearly June, hence my eternally-panicky state.} If you've read the post I mentioned above you will see that around that time, I was pretty confident about a selection. Well, it has failed me. I love all things Lilly P. & am ashamed my planner & I couldn't work things out. I take full blame for the falling out... I waited too long & the Lilly Pullitzer site was sold out of the one I wanted come January 2011. I checked Amazon & a million other Lilly carriers & they were all sold out as well. I finally found it on Ebay & ordered it with such haste, I didn't even notice it was the teeny tiny version of the one I had been lusting over. & whaddya know, the seller didn't take returns. Plain & simple, it was just too small. I keep my life between the pages of my planner & the itty bitty size was hindering organization. We can't have that now can we?


Which brings me to the present tense... I am pleased to announce I have found THE planner to end all planners!

This planner has saved ma life! Let's take a peak inside shall we?



Please note the handy pocket on the left! Perfect for those items you need to reach quickly!

A monthly view, for quick at-a-glance planning needs.


& an incredibly useful zipper-pocket in the back for miscellaneous items!

It may not seem like a big deal, but lemme tell ya... This planner has been keeping me straight for about two weeks now! & for those of you wondering, I got it at Target! It was just plain black when I bought it, but that was too boring so I had to flair it up just a little with a vinyl letter!

& speaking of Target... Last Friday, because it was Friday {& payday,} I spent my lunch hour there! I just went to browse & promised myself I would use restraint... I'm sure you can all guess how that went.Oops.
But I needed them! ;)

Hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend!
XOXO

Pink Stairs, Pippa, & Little Things

So I'm working a job fair today & I was told I could bring things to do because there can be quite a bit of down time... & I thought I would use my free time for blog posting! {Did I mention I'm getting paid for it?! #winning.}

First of all, I was perusing one of the blogs I follow, & thought I would share. It's basically just like a Tumblr, because it's mostly pictures, but with a few paragraphs here & there. She seems to take an interest in a lot of the things I like looking at... i.e. flowers, pink things, decor, feathers, quotes, fashion, tiaras, cupcakes, pearls... Ya know, the usual. Anyway, I found this today & felt the need to post because I loved it!


Yoouuu guessed it, pink stairs!
I think in the right house & done the right way, they are so fun! Maybe that's just because I love absolutely anything pink though... Hmm.

In other news, I've begun stalking Pippa Middleton.
I didn't get ridiculously into the Royal Wedding mania {I only actively participated in two conversations about it,} simply because I am in denial about Wedding Season officially being here. The Royal Wedding only made it more official. HOWEVER, I will say that I wish my mother had the presence of mind when I was born to name me Pippa. &, as I'm sure you've noticed, she is goooorgeous!

I am on a journey to be Pippa, the American version.
We'll see how that one goes.

& I have a question... I've had confirmation from a very reliable source {ahem, the Real Housewives of New York} that it is a huge faux pas to wear white to a wedding, unless you're the bride of course.
I can only assume, & sincerely hope, the royal family is an exception to that rule?

Pippa!! How could you?!
I'll let her slide, simply because when she realizes I'm doing her proud here in America, she'll immediately want to be my BFF & let me borrow that dress for my own wedding.

Also among my discoveries is a Tumblr page called Little Things!
It's a page dedicated to those little things in life we can all relate to & appreciate!
Here are a few of my faves:)

{It may just be me, but since I am such a baller-wannabe this definitely rings true!}

Hope you enjoy reading these if you visit the page... I should definitely pay more attention to, & find joy in, the little things in life!

XOXO

A little of this, a little of that!

Don't even say it... I already know I'm a horrible blogger. Believe it or not, I have bloggy-neglect-guilt popping up every day! I'll be working or something & just randomly, out of nowhere, I think of my blog & how I need to post! Is that sad? Does that mean I need to get a life?

Anyway, I've been a mixture of busy & in somewhat of a funk. Which is weird for me during spring. It's kind of odd, because usually spring is when I'm at my best! The weather puts a spring in my step & I feel the best during the spring... The sun is finally out & I feel refreshed after a long & dreary winter. Maybe it's the mass amounts of rain? Who knows!

Anyway, I'm going to do what I do best & make a list of things on my mind. This is probably going to be incredibly random, but oh well, at least I'm posting! So here we go...

1. I've been talking to my dad on a semi-regular basis. Please see this post for background info... {The following thoughts are assuming you visited that link above & are now caught up!} It's kind of strange & I don't really know how I feel about it. Last summer my step mother called me out of the blue & suggested we 'open the doors' to begin a better relationship. Excuse my french, but WTF? After all this time, why now? & more importantly, how do I feel about a possible 'relationship'? I hung up on her (twice) & she followed up with a letter. I can't help but feel happy in the fact that she reached out to me, because our relationship was never great, but I can't help but feel sad because I wish it was my father who had called me, persisted, & sent that letter. Talking to him has been tough, but who am I to dismiss it? Normally when I hear from him it knocks me down for a few days.. It just takes a toll on me. But I'm an adult & don't want to live my life carrying this (whatever 'this' is) around all the time. Open mind, guarded heart I guess.

2. I'm going back to school this coming fall!!!!!! I completed my FAFSA form & my UK transfer application! I feel so good about it... I don't think I'll ever be able to express how much I've hated being out of school for the past year. I feel like I've wasted time, made zero progress, & have, in general, been a complete slacker. I don't feel like I'm working towards my future, my dreams, or anything for that matter. I think that's why this spring has been tough for me... I've always been such a worker. In every sense of the word. I don't feel like I've lived up to my true potential lately... & I hate feeling that way. I'm sure I've mentioned before that subbing has been so wonderful for me, in so many ways, but it also increases that drive to finish school & become a 'real' teacher. I'm really not trying to complain, the time off from school has been a blessing in disguise. It truly has. I've found firm footing in a way. My whole life might be up in the air, I might question every single thing I'm doing, I might feel lost at times, sad, angry, whatever. But I feel so happy knowing that I made the right choice as far as teaching goes. I know it's right for me. I find so much strength in that knowledge. At times I feel like I have no clue what I'm doing, whether I'm up, down, left, right, backwards, whatever... But I feel strength knowing I'm meant to teach. It brings me so much happiness, knowing just that one thing for sure!

3. I had been planning a post a couple weeks ago, believe it or not, & had taken some pictures that I had planned for said post! So here they are!

The family & I ventured to Berea to visit my sister & eat, recently! My sister took us to this adorable little place called the Black Feather. It was such a cool little place! I love places like that... Lots of character, different, & they always have great food! I was loving it so much I took some pictures!



Suuuuch yummy chicken salad. I am incredibly picky about chicken salad & unfortunately for everyone who makes chicken salad, I compare all the ones I try to my grandma's! It's a tough act to follow, trust me! But this was delish! Instead of any mayo it had lemon juice & dill, so very healthy!



Ham & swiss croissant with Guinness mustard... So basically a glorified piggy in a blanket! But it was so yummy!

The Black Feather was super cool, it was set up in a house that they turned into a restaurant! Each room was decorated in a hip, cool way that was different from the one before it. Of course I took pictures of some of my favorites!



It was just an eclectic, fun little cafe!

& finally, check out this sweet little Easter girl!



How sweet?! Love that little girl!

So that's all I have for y'all today... I'm not even going to promise about being better bloggy-wise because I think I've already made that promise a time or two! I'm trying to think of something to do for a particular day of the week... Ya know, Wordless Wednesday, Thoughtful Thursday, something like that! Any of you girlies have some ideas?!

XOXO