Take a Listen

Not only is the song enjoyable, but the dancing is pretty neat too. Solid song and video.

Iron and Wine - Boy With a Coin

I Say Do, She Says Don't

While shopping at Express with my sister last week, I surprised her by taking a couple of jumpsuits into our fitting room--one for each of us to try on. It began as a joke; however, I actually enjoy the one-piece look. I would never attempt to wear the pantsuits, but I think the short ones are fun. A definite Do for Summer, even if Sister says they're a Don't.





1. Forever 21 $22.80
2. Young Fabulous and Broke $149
3. Shona Joy $209
4. Standardstyle.com $264 (my ultimate favorite because its based in KC)
5. Express $59.50-$79.50 (these I agree are a Don't, although the models are fabulous)

Spring is Springing

Inspired by Ruffles and Heels and the season of Spring, I have begun forming a wish list of my own. As follows:

A sunhat, such as Ms. Hepburn's


kate spade tote

This handmade ring found on Etsy

A bike of my own to cruise around town on

An anchor necklace, in Rhode Island's honor

The perfect pale pink lipstick, not gloss

Saint Patrick's Day

The day of Saint Patrick. A silly day really, but a fun holiday nonetheless. I generally associate the day with wild parades, green beer, drunken people before 10am, and of course, millions of people wearing green. This year, however, as I am visiting my home sweet home for a mere 4 days, I spent the morning shopping with my sister. Rather than beer, a nice warm coffee with some Bailey's Irish Cream ensued. Rather than a parade, we strolled along an outdoor shopping center. And rather than drunken people, we had the occasional overzealous sales associate, adamant to help us, the only customers of the day. A pleasant day indeed, and my desire to be anywhere near the hype of the day was nill. We did wear our green to show our support of the holiday, and I ended up meeting some friends for drinks later, but the typical hijinks of the day were better heard about from friends or seen on TV. Of course the holiday would not be the same without such shenanigans, but my personal take on the holiday: don't kiss me--I'm not Irish.

Fun fact for today: The original Guinness Brewery in Dublin has a 9,000 year lease!

Fall in love or fall in hate.
Get inspired or be depressed.
Ace a test or flunk a class.
Make babies or make art.
Speak the truth or lie and cheat.
Dance on tables or sit in the corner.
Life is divine chaos. Embrace it.
Forgive yourself. Breathe.
And enjoy the ride...
(Solbeam)

My Next Big Adventure

I have been skydiving, but have yet to go on a hot air balloon ride. This is the way I want to go about it; therefore, this has been added to my to-do list.

Oatmeal is My Friend

I usually stick to pretty basic foods. My lack of cooking skills, budget for only the basics, and interest in doing other things with my time are all part of the result of my general diet: cereal, veggies, veggies, soups, and eggs. Unless someone has cooked a meal for me or I am eating out, my poor taste buds don't get much action. However, winter has brought about a few changes in my regular routine. Specifically, with the addition of oatmeal.
Sounds boring, and I guess it could just be classified with cereal, but because cold cereal doesn't sound extremely appetizing with snow outside, I picked up some Organic Oats and couldn't be more thrilled. It is a good source of fiber, which contributes to a healthy digestive system and cardiovascular health. With water, it's a bit bland. However, these possible additions make it a scrumptious, easy, quick, and healthy way to start off the day!

• Oatmeal with brown sugar. It is slightly lower in calories than white sugar and has just enough sweetness to do the trick. Not much added nutrition from it, but a tiny pinch is okay for flavor. You could add cinnamon too, if you feel it is necessary.
  
• Some protein...as in, a spoonful of protein powder. Okay, don't laugh. I usually think of those giant jugs of protein powder that bodybuilders use to make protein shakes. However, the guy I am currently seeing drinks them and added his vanilla flavored mix to some oatmeal (mostly to prove a point that it doesn't taste bad) and it turned out quite delicious. This is probably my favorite* way to eat oatmeal, as the added protein helps make for a great day! Protein builds up, maintains, and replaces the tissues in the bod. Muscles, organs, and the immune system are made up mostly of protein. I usually associate protein with meatheads, since they tend to eat nothing but protein, but remember, it does build muscle, and the heart is a (quite significant!) muscle, so get your protein in!
• Bananas...why not add some potassium to that daily intake of fiber? Bananas also have some fiber in them, as well as protein. They have an abundance of vitamins and go perfectly well with the oats. Mush them up or leave them in slices. Either way, delish.
• Chocolate chips! I used to make chocolate chip pancakes as a kid, but the thought of such a heavy meal in the morning makes me want to yack. Because oatmeal is so bland already, the chocolate chips are a yummy treat, although again, not much health value there. Sometimes chocolate is just necessary though!
  
• Blueberries. One of the healthiest fruits out there, load them onto the oats! They are full of vitamins & anti-oxidants (according to the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center, they are among the highest anti-oxidant loaded fruits). Several studies have shown them to be preventative in many diseases, in slowing the aging process by fighting off free radicals, in contributing to healthy urinary tracts, and in helping fight off bacteria, just to name a few of the benefits.
  
• Rasins. Sure they are highly concentrated with sugar, but they also pack some antioxidants with them, along with small doses of other nutrients as well.
  

So when you prepare your oatmeal, pay no attention to the label's optional addition of salt. Forget the salt and add something a bit more substantial, nutritional, and exciting to the taste buds. These are only a few that I have tried, but really the possibilities are many!