boy, was it grand

(1) Grand Canyon, AZ
(2) Montezuma Castle, Flagstaff, AZ, with my bro

I'm baaaack! Whew, that was a crazy few weeks I just had there. It's nice to be back at school, getting back into the groove of things. Funny thing is, I'm only back for 2 weeks until xmas break starts! Geez.

The Grand Canyon was an incredible sight. We hopped on a shuttle bus that took us all along the South Rim, stopping at various viewpoints along the way. It wasn't too crowded, since we went on Thanksgiving Day, which made it even that much more scenic. I found out that my aunt and uncle actually rafted the Colorado River, and now the wait list for that trip is 10 years long! Boy would it be worth it, though.

My favorite part of the trip was actually just driving through Arizona, admiring all the red rocks of Flagstaff and Sedona (picture 1). So vibrant, soooo INCREDIBLE.

Mom cooked us a Thanksgiving feast, too. On the menu: turkey, mashed potato/cauliflower, butternut squash, green beans, and asparagus. We're into the veggies. :) Thanks, Mom!

I hope you all had a safe and fun Thanksgiving. Happy Holidays! I bet you're all gearing up for Christmas already...I sure am!

Peace and Love,







P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY to ALEX!!! He's the big 2-1 now! I hope all your birthday wishes come true. ;)

bon voyage, again

Only 5 days later, I'll be hopping back onto a plane for my second jaunt of the month. This time: California. Home sweet home! This Thanksgiving will be a little different because we'll be spending it in Flagstaff/Sedona, AZ. A nice little change that includes seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time! Though we'll be missing out on the big family dinner at my uncle's that happens every year, I think we're all down for this little getaway.

Any sightseeing/restaurant/shopping suggestions for Flagstaff or Sedona?


Happy holidays!







P.S. I love ALL of you for leaving the sweetest comments EVER. Seriously, thank you!!! :)

@ the arts district

A and I had a fun little photoshoot at the newly revamped Dallas Arts District. Super cool setting, amazing company. This was only after we got completely lost (like 10-blocks-the-opposite-direction lost - my fault, hehe) searching for a semi-famous burger joint called The Twisted Root. All that walking was WAY worth it - my first buffalo burger, and I'm never turning back. :) SO YUMM. To think I used to be vegetarian...

I can't wait for more days like this.







Also, thank you Melissa for giving me the "Your Blog Is Super Cute!" award. So sweet of you!!

my trip was...

amazing. exactly what i needed. alex, thank you for:

♥ the beautiful flowers and kombucha upon arrival

♥ making apartment hunting so much fun

♥ driving us in your sweet new car

♥ smiling as i dance to cheesy music (ahem...miley) on the radio

♥ suggesting gelato not because you really wanted it but because you knew i would

♥ introducing me to our new favorite show, bored to death

♥ us prepping dinner together every night

♥ sharing your warm apple cider with me

♥ the tickle fights and laughing until we cried

♥ the fun adventure and getting lost in the name of a burger joint

♥ so, so, so much more

tx trippin'

last year, a trip to Austin

WOW, you guys. THANK YOU so much for all the love that came with my job announcement. Every single note made me smile.

I am radiating excitement right now - it's been 3 whole months since I've seen my man, and tomorrow is the big day. I'm off to TX! I can't wait to be reunited with my best friend!!! We have a lot of down-time planned, which is exactly what I want. Isn't just hanging out the best?

I'll have a full recap when I get back, detailing all the fun. See you on the other side!

workin' girl!

I've dangled my "important news" out there quite a bit, and i'm officially ready for the big reveal. Remember my arduous job search? Well...

I accepted a position!

You're looking at the newest member of a top event design firm in Dallas, TX. I have never been this excited for a job before, and I'll tell you why. As a part of the trainee program, I will rotate between four departments within the company: Production, Floral, Weddings, and Corporate/Social Events. Ahhh, I am so pumped! It'll be a lot to take in, but I'm ready to work my butt off and learn as much as I can while I'm there.

Can I mention again that I'll be moving to Dallas? That means Alex and I will be apartment hunting when I'm in town next week. Woohoo! How can I not be happy about that? :) I'm so excited to start exploring this new city (to me, at least) with him.

I did have to turn down some amazing opportunities along the way, but I know that this was the right decision for this point in my life. I couldn't be more sure of that now! And I can't wait to share my co-op journey with all of you as it unfolds.

darn good mood

Thanks to all the lovely ladies who shared their top five with me! It looks like COFFEE, me time (including blogging), chapstick, water, and time with loved ones reigned supreme.

Despite the fact that I have an overload of assignments queued up for this weekend, I'm in a darn good mood. Why, you ask? I already mentioned that November was going to be a great month becauseeee:

♥ next week I'm flying to TX to be with my man
♥ a week after that, I fly home to CA for an extra-long Thanksgiving break
♥ instead of staying home as usual, my fam is road-tripping to Flagstaff/Sedona for a little vacay

I just have to keep it together for 5 more days, and I'm golden. While I'm in TX, A and I get to do something extra special, but you'll just have to wait for that announcement. :) I promise, it's coming soon!

xoxo,





P.S. the necklace above is one of my faves, a gift from A
P.P.S. check out my new favicon - on the page tab - yay!

five for function

drool. this combo never gets old.

School can take a lot out of a girl, can't it? I, maybe more than most people, need "comfort zone" items in order to function properly. My top five are:

1. 8 Hours of Sleep
2. Breakfast = 2 Pieces of Toast + Almond Butter + Jam
3. "Me" Time (including workouts)
4. Chapstick
5. Waterrr!

What's on your "Five for Function" list?

dainty duffle bag

Dream bag, right there...as long as I can keep it white. AND IT'S ON SALE! Ohhh, no. This is dangerous. This is taking a lot for me to even post it... :)

lost & found

This is what happens when you have a designer as a boyfriend. He finds the cutest way of returning my long-lost earrings to me. He's the best.

my weekend // in short

All gorgeous photos by hokipoki

1. Hangin' with Pebbles and crew

2. Design work (flier coming soon!)

3. Chaider (cinnamon tea steeped in apple cider) from TeaLuxe

4. Crate & Barrel (they have all their xmas ornaments already!)

5. Scallops (made by me!)

6. Painting (with a kiddy watercolor set my awesome boyfriend sent me)

boston in winter

via behance

No matter how much I hate the cold, I do love Boston in the Winter. Well, the beginning of Winter. You wouldn't believe how excited I was when I experienced my first Boston snow fall. Beauty, beauty, beautiful! I also love these cute graphics...I'm getting really pumped for the holidays.

don't be afraid...

Don't be afraid to take a big step, if one is indicated. You can't cross a chasm in two small jumps. - David Lloyd George







happy november. i already know i'm going to love this month.