Favorites

MOVIE: Father of the Bride 

                I’ve seen this movie too many times to count, but I never ever tire of it. I’m a daddy’s girl, and it gets me every time. I can only imagine how many more happy tears I will shed when I’m actually getting married! It’s funny, sweet, and charming.

STORE: HomeGoods

 I quite literally give myself an allowance of trips to HomeGoods because I know I will find the perfect dish towels or throw pillow or knick knack for a gift and spend all my monies. Oh, and it’s on sale? I’ll take three.

DESSERT: Chocolate Milkshake or Mom’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

                I don’t need four mix-ins. Just gimme a chocolate shake. I’m a chocoholic like my momma. Her cookies beat out any dessert ever, though. Seriously, ask anybody who’s ever lived near us—she’s famous for those babies.

SPORT: Basketball (is it March yet?)

^A senior picture.^

                March Madness Day is held annually with some of my very favorite people. We forget our lives for a day, all responsibilities are set aside, and we sit in the same spot for hours watching day one of the tournament. The night before, there’s dinner at a mediocre, 24-hr diner with credit card roulette (thanks Daniel!). I’m telling you, it’s as happy as a holiday. I love this game.

TV SHOW: Barefoot Contessa

This show on the food network is done by the wonderful Ina Garten. If I could meet one celebrity of my choice, I would meet her. Even before meeting Henry Cavill (AKA man of steel), so yeah, I really do love her. Her blissful life in the Hamptons makes me giddy. The linen button-downs with the collar popped…the same haircut all these years…”how bad can that be?”…the fresh floral arrangements from one of her many connected friends…Jeffrey…her tablescapes…swoon. I love it all so much.

RESTAURANT: Chipotle

                Ask anybody that’s been out to eat with me…Chipotle is always an option. It’s consistently delicious. Hats off to you, my friends.

MUSIC: Country

                George Strait, Alan Jackson, Martina McBride, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney (his old stuff), and so many more. These songs have real meaning, the artist is an actual musician who doesn’t need autotune, and an acoustic guitar just melts me. Gah. I mean, just listen to I Lost It by Kenny Chesney. If you don’t at least grin or "aww" or something you have no heart. Go see a doctor.

What are your some of your favorite things? (Raindrops on roses is obviously an acceptable answer around here.)

That One Old Song

What kind of a blog name is that? Does she even wear glasses? Give it a chance, won’t ya? It stems from my very favorite song, “La Vie En Rose” by Louis Armstrong. Now, I don’t know any French besides this phrase, but it happens to define me. Translated to English, it means seeing life through rose colored glasses. I know what some of you are thinking…“so, you want me to go all Elton John?”  Quit it with the literal view! It means seeing the good in people, the happy in every day, and the sweet moments that too often get pushed aside. Through these new lenses, we can see the good that has been around us all this time.  It seems so simple and cliché, but so am I! I’m stubbornly, sometimes naively optimistic, but I can tell you that I wouldn't have it any other way. Nobody wants to be around a negative person. Even if you’re faking a more positive outlook for a while, you will radiate—as the hipsters would say—“good vibes.”  Wanna know why kids have it made? Why they’re so happy? They get all excited about the smallest things; things you and I don’t notice anymore. For example, little boys squeal with delight in a bubble bath, and little girls notice how pretty the sky is today. Meanwhile, we’re holding their hands and complaining about work, school, and the hassle of scheduling all our activities over the weekend. When’s the last time we thought about how great it is to be able to pay our bills, how amazing it is to receive an education, or how wonderful it is to have people in our lives who want to fill up our weekends? Don’t just stop and smell the roses. Look at your freedoms, your health, your family. (But definitely smell the roses too, because they’re lovely.) Don’t take this life for granted, we only get one. Give it a try and you’ll see what I mean. Today, try putting on those rose colored glasses and look for the good in everyone and everything around you. I promise you will feel better, brighter, and more excited about your life. After all, “life doesn't have to be perfect to be wonderful.”

Give it a listen:

La Vie En Rose by Louis Armstrong

 Doesn't it just make you grin?