resolutions

it's that time of year again. time to evaluate the year and decide to set some resolutions. probably the same ones you set last year since, let's just be honest here, you probably "broke" your resolutions within a week or so. am i right? maybe that's just me... apparently i suck at this new year's resolution thing, because i fail EVERY TIME!!! so this year i'm doing things a little differently and it's about time, you know what they say about repeating the same behaviors expecting different results (yikes!).  no resolutions, just goals. fact: goals are about 6000x better than resolutions for the following reasons:

1. goal is a shorter word, making it much easier to say
2. the definition for goal is half as long as that for resolution, making it easier to understand
3. goal is easier to spell
4. resolutions are so rigid, goals are much more flexible
5. i have no more reasons, i just thought five would make a more impressive list

here's the plan, two big goals for the year and a bunch of little ones. why? because it's a lot easier to a) stick with, and b) achieve a big fat complicated goal when it has been broken down into smaller parts. also, i am allowing myself one month to work on the goal before i reevaluate and make any changes to my approach. at least that's the plan.

Christmas is awesome

and i'm still the favorite aunt. more exciting details to follow (i don't know when, but i'll get around to it eventually)

will someone please explain to me?

why doesn't tarzan have a beard? how many apes do you know that own a razor?
why are grape nuts called grape nuts when they are neither grapes nor nuts?
why do we park in the driveway and drive on a parkway?
why did utah get all the snow, leaving me with a green/brown Christmas?!

sometimes...

...i feel like i should post something, i want to post something, but i just have nothing to say. i know it's hard to believe, but sometimes i just have no words to put out there in the universe. who knew?

the manslator

for those of you who still have a little Christmas shopping to do, consider the perfect gift for him or her (but mostly for him)

joy to the world

guess what i found and have been enjoying for about 2 weeks. no, seriously guess. 

nothin'? fine i'll tell you. 

i found

CHRISTMAS

wait for it

GUMMIES!!!

i know, right?! totally brill and completely delish. i could not ask for more. well, i could, but i won't. maybe one little thing, but that's all. who am i kidding? i've got a long list of things i could ask for and a somewhat shorter list of things i did ask for, but these little guys are pretty satisfying just the same.

ooh, look, it's like a little gummy wreath : )

a little more than you needed to see? sure, but my mouth looks so festive!

sarcasm is my native language

i just learned how to speak english along the way ;)

size matters

 "the most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world." -frank church

coolest thing i've seen all week.  seriously.

 

sad day at single dad laughing

so i read this blog called single dad laughing. it's usually pretty great. entertaining, thought provoking and all that. well, today he wrote a post titled lazy mans Christmas that really got me thinking. go read it before you finish this or my post probably won't make a lot of sense.

okay, did you read it? good. because i think he's wrong.  it's not about having a special someone to share everything with. if that were true i would never have any fun. i mean, i'm sure it's great to be in love and share the holiday with that one person who makes your heart go pitter-pat, but there is so much more to the holiday than that. it's about love, yes, but not strictly the romantic kind. it's about the love of God for mankind. the love of mankind for mankind. i worry that many of us (myself included) get so caught up in the hoopla of the holiday that we forget how special it really is. how wonderful it can be, what an amazing thing we are really celebrating. the birth pf a Savior. a miracle. maybe, instead of spending so much time planning and purchasing a perfect gift for the sweetheart we may, or may not have, we should spend a little more time devoted to truly celebrating the reason for the season. focus on what Christmas is really about.

 

"and on earth, peace, good will toward men." you know, despite his attachment to that (likely disgusting)  blanket, that linus kid is a pretty smart cookie. Christmas isn't about being "in love" or about gifts or any of that commercial junk. it's about Christ. it's celebrating the little miracles in your life, being grateful for all the wonderful things that you DO have (as opposed to lamenting the things that you don't), and showing your appreciation for the blessings in your life. 

oh, and that line about understanding how people feel lonely around the holidays? i don't buy it. it's like my friend darwin (not his real name) says "happiness is always a choice, never a creation of circumstance." we choose to be happy by choosing to focus on the positive and not dwell on the negative or the unpleasant. i think it's the same with loneliness. the times i feel alone are the times i choose to give in to the ofttimes fleeting tinges of loneliness. the times i feel unloved are the times i choose to focus on the fact that i am single as opposed to the fact that i am surrounded by loving family and friends.

gosh, this really wasn't the post i had intended to write. oh well. that's the way it goes sometimes.

sidenote: i really do like single dad laughing. i didn't mean to tear it apart like that. besides, his new post is far more optimistic :)

winter to-do

i realize it may be pushing it to check all of these items off the list at this point, but i kept the list short and there's always next year...

1. build a snowman
2. have a snowball fight
3. take a midnight snow walk
4. wear mittens
5. make a snow angel
6. play fox and geese
7. decorate for Christmas (or Hanukkah or Kwanzaa or whatever holiday you happen to celebrate)
8. make a holiday countdown chain
9. attend and/or throw a new years party
10. make a resolution or two
11. make snowman soup
12. watch holiday movies
13. wear big wool socks
14. give some money to the bell ringing santas around town
15. contact someone with whom you've lost touch
16. read A Christmas Carol (watching the movie doesn't count)
17. shovel a neighbor's walk
18. go sledding
19. play fox and geese
20. have a white elephant gift exchange
21. throw/attend an ugly sweater party

cats

perhaps i should clarify. when i say i hate cats, what i really mean is that  i'm kind of scared of them. weird? yes, but its the truth. i can't help it. they totally freak me out. i could go on and on about why, but i don't suppose any of you are all that interested in the subject. let's just say that i don't want to meet one of these fellas in a dark alley...

you know what i hate? cats. also, i hate when you buy something online, find that it doesn't fit properly and then forget to return it. just realized i have an item here that was shipped in october and i still haven't sent it back. is it too late?

White Christmas

i've officially kicked off the Christmas season by watching White Christmas with my parents. this movie is great and it is extremely difficult for me to pick a favorite scene, but if i was forced i might pick this one:

back in black

well, shades of gray anyhow. my favorite background is back! it's a little different, but i'll take what i can get.

it snowed last night...

okay, technically it was this morning, but i was still in bed. that counts, right?

Truth for Mature Humans

i would like to take credit for this, but i can't. it was sent to me by a friend. that said, you should know that i agree with everything on this list.

1.  I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

2.  Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.

4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.

5. How the devil are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

6. Was learning cursive really necessary?

7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on # 5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

10. Bad decisions make good stories.

11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.

12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray?  I don't want to have to restart my collection...again.

13. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page technical report that I swear I did not make any changes to.

14. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

15. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

16. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lite than Kay.

17. I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.

18. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.

19. How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear or understand a word they said?

20. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars team up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers and sisters!

21. Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.

22. Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.

23. Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey - but I'd bet everyone can find and push the snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time, every time!

24. The first testicular guard, the "Cup," was used in Hockey in 1874 and the first helmet was used in 1974.  That means it only took 100 years for men to realize that their brain is also important.
Ladies.....Quit Laughing.

setting the stage

are you looking forward to an epic thanksgiving celebration? i know i am. as i mentioned earlier, it makes me sad that thanksgiving is the middle child of the holiday season, overshadowed by it's siblings halloween and Christmas. poor thanksgiving. in an effort to boost thanksgiving's self esteem, i am attempting to help you all set the stage for your own celebrations. how? by making a list of course.

awesome list of things that you can do to make thanksgiving feel better about itself:

1. plan your menu
2. make handprint turkeys
3. tell the true story of the first thanksgiving
4. dress up like a pilgrim
5. dress up your home too. thankgivingy colors ought to do the trick
6. break out the fine china for the big day
7. schedule a "turkey bowl"
8. exaggerate like crazy when you tell the story of your "turkey bowl" win (even if you lost)
9. make leaf prints. hurry before all the leaves get raked up!
10. make a list of your own. a gratitude list to be specific. this may take many forms. mine is on post its.

i will award 12 awesome points to anyone who sends me a picture of their participation in any one of these items.

whoa, nelly!

ran to the store last night on a quick errand and, to my horror and dismay, they were playing Christmas music. Christmas music! already? NOT OKAY! it's not even thanksgiving yet. don't get me wrong, i love Christmas, and i love Christmas music, but not until thanksgiving has had its due. poor thanksgiving, always getting overlooked. sad face. i love thanksgiving. a lot. partly because autumn is my favorite season and partly because it's awesome! seriously, it's the one day a year you get to stuff your face and nobody can judge you. you are supposed to eat a little bit of everything and you are supposed to go back for seconds (or thirds, or twentieths...), plus the leftovers are amazing. what's not to love? i guess i shouldn't be all that surprised. thanksgiving has been fighting an uphill battle since the beginning.

what we think of as the first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621 when the plymouth colonists and wampanoag indians shared an autumn harvest feast. they probably did not eat turkey. from that point forward days of thanksgiving and harvest celebrations were held by individual colonies and later, states. nothing national. in fact, many parts of the country remained oblivious to the tradition for quite some time. centuries. in 1827 (206 years after the celebration in plymouth) sarah josepha hale decided it was time to spread the love and launched a campaign to create a national holiday. for 36 years. that's longer than i've been alive. in 1863 (now 242 years after plymouth) president abraham lincoln finally headed her request and, in the midst of the civil war, declared a national holiday. sort of. he entreated all Americans to all Americans to ask God to “commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife” and to “heal the wounds of the nation.” he assigned the last thursday in november to the task. it worked. thanksgiving had made it onto the calendar. fdr tried to move it once, but that didn't go over very well.

see what i mean, an uphill battle. and we've gone and made it worse. we've taken the one major holiday that has managed to avoid becoming an over-commercialized version of itself, and basically tell it it's not good enough. shame on us. i realize there is little to nothing that i we can do about the retailers and their attitudes towards the holiday i love so much. in fact, i kind of like that they haven't thrown thanksgiving on the lost-its-original-meaning bandwagon. the thing is, we shouldn't be so quick to join them in their disregard for this celebration. if you love me at all, or even like me a little bit, do me a solid and wait a couple weeks to start celebrating Christmas. do yourselves a favor and give thanksgiving the celebration it deserves. you can thank me later.

side note: if i had a horse, i would totally name it nelly.

ode to autumn

i don't know about you, but for me autumn isn't just a transition from summer to winter. it is it's own wonderful, magical entity, the days grow shorter, the nights grow colder and the clothes get cozier and the world just seems to chill out a bit. it's perfect. have i mentioned that i LOVE this season? i totally do. so, as with seasons past, i have graciously compiled a glorious playlist for your autumn listening pleasure. consider it my love song loaded mix tape for the wonderful season.

awesomely autumn

1. quelqu'un m'a dit--carla bruni
2. flightless bird--iron & wine
3. windmills--mutual admiration society
4. somebody loved--the weepies
5. today--joshua radin
6. the house you're building--audrey assad
7. daydreams--adele
8. a little love--meaghan smith
9. you send me--sam cooke
10. dancing shoes--gavin degraw
    

spooktacular!!!

i kind of love halloween. i honestly enjoy getting all dressed up and making a fool of myself. does that make me weird? no, it makes me AWESOME! this year i let the kids i work with vote on my costume. some might call that a mistake, but i call it genius. especially since they unanimously chose this:

that's right. i went as flo the progressive girl and i totally rocked it! seriously, if something tragic should befall the real flo, i'm ready to step up to the plate and fill in. for realsies. just say the word and i'm there.
so here are these children that chose the perfect costume for me? feast your eyes on this little jewel filmed at the halloween party we had for the kids on friday:

have i ever mentioned that i really love my job?

the meaning of life

be happy. show up. follow your heart. find a new perspective. have a sense of wonder. find people you love. set goals. help others. dance. pamper yourself. face your fears. go to a museum. exercise. limit television. get in touch with nature. lighten up. get a good night sleep. read books. buy yourself flowers. don't compare yourself with others. don't beat yourself up. be open to new ideas. don't focus on negative thoughts. focus on creating what you desire. make time just to have fun. keep the romance in your life. make a gratitude list. love your mother earth. want what you have. be true to yourself.

the power of one

i spent the past week in lewiston, idaho at an americorps conference. why? because i had to. i am an americorps member working as a youth development professional at the boys and girls club. some of you already knew some (if not all) of that, but did you know that this is my second year doing so? my position with americorps (not sure what americorps is? find out here) means that every so often i have to take a break from my time with the kids and spend a week receiving additional training and the like. i kind of hate these things. 7 hours on a bus (each way) with 60+ strangers, 12 hour days filled with less than stimulating information, and sleeping (ish) in a not-so-classy motel while fellow members party in the parking lot leave me tired, cranky and uninspired. usually. this conference really wasn't all that different from any other, with a few exceptions. first, we had the privilege of spending a few hours learning really useful and applicable information about service-learning from the one and only cathryn berger-kaye. amazing. secondly we started each day with a short video. i was pleasantly surprised by them. surprised enough to share them with you. you know how i love youtube :) the video i am sharing today is only a minute and a half long and i hope you will take the time to watch it.

"i am only one, but still i am one. i cannot do everything, but still i can do something; and because i cannot do everything, i will not refuse to do the something i can do" -helen keller

feeling cozy

can i just say how much i love sitting around in my sweats on a lazy fall afternoon enjoying the chill in the air and a big owl of soup? 'cuz i seriously love it. a lot.

happy birthday to me

i am 27 years old today. 27 and single. very single. sometimes, it's easy to get a little depressed about that (especially when i receive wedding announcements from children i babysat). the thing is, being single really isn't that bad. in fact, there are things about being single that are pretty wonderful. so, my friends, in honor of this momentous occasion i have compiled a list (i like lists, remember?) of all the reasons being single kinda rocks.

1. i don't share my bed with anyone. which means i can sleep in any position i want, right in the middle, and there is no one to complain about me being a "bed hog"
2. i get the whole closet to myself too. another pair of shoes? yeah, i can make room for those.
3. speaking of shoes, i get to buy as many pairs as i like (which is a lot) since i'm spending my money and taking up my space.
4. as for my space, it's just that. mine. i decorate, redecorate and rearrange however and as often as i please.
5. i have plenty of opportunity to cultivate and develop my talents and interests.
6. or just sit around and do nothing.
7. i facebook stalk without wondering how someone else is going to feel about it. (don't judge me, you do it too)
8. i sometimes eat dinner at 10:30, and i'm okay with that
9. nobody feels neglected when i do things just for me
10. no husband means no children and no children means i never smell like baby puke or look like i've been standing under a tree which is heavily populated by birds with tummy trouble.

while i'm on the subject, let me just say on behalf of all singles, that we HATE it when you ask us why we're not married or why we aren't dating someone. seriously?! there are really only 2 scenarios here, either we're single by choice or we're single due to circumstances out of our control. either way, we probably don't want to talk about it and you question is offensive. okay, getting off my soapbox now.

fabulous fall

mmmm...do you smell that? take a deep breath... ahhhh...autumn. happy face. i think it's time for another to-do list. don't act like you haven't been waiting for it. so here it is, just in time for the first official day of of the season. okay, okay, so i'm a few days late (and a few dollars short, but that's another issue entirely). give me a break, i have a life you know! i know this list is a bit longer than the others, but it is my very favorite season. so here it is. ready...set...GO!

1.       attend a football game

2.       put away your summer clothes

3.       buy school supplies

4.       rake leaves into a pile, jump into it

5.       carry a lunchbox

6.       drink milk from a tiny carton

7.       enjoy a hay ride

8.       consume copious amounts of apple cider

9.       go trick or treating and/or hand out candy to trick or treaters

10.   eat halloween candy like it’s going out of style

11.   carve a pumpkin. roast the seeds

12.   go to a corn maze

13.   make your own halloween costume

14.   wear a backpack

15.   have a bowl of oatmeal

16.   wear a college sweatshirt

17.   buy a new jacket/coat

18.   eat lots of soup (start with this one)

19.   make a scarecrow

20.   make and eat pumpkin pie

21.   play some schoolyard games. tetherball, four square, kickball…

22.   do some finger painting. hang your creation on the refrigerator

23.   make your house smell like cinnamon

24.   visit an aspen grove, marvel at the beauty

25.   make leaf prints

26.   go to an orchard. pick apples.

27.   tailgate

28.   do something new with your thanksgiving leftovers

29.   wear boots

30.   have some hot chocolate. top it with whipped cream.

31.   buy (or make) a new scarf and break it in

32.   take a walk and listen to the leaves crunch under your feet

33.   take at least one picture of the foliage

34.   wear sweaters, the cozier the better

35.   read a book snuggled under a cozy blanket

36.   enjoy the bounty of your garden

37.   decorate the house (for halloween, thanksgiving, general fall awesomeness…)

38.   pig out on thanksgiving and don’t you dare count the calories

39.   eat candy corn

40.   make a pumpkin pie

41.   light a fire in the fireplace

42.   make pancakes and cover them with REAL maple syrup

43.   bake cookies

44.   host a harvest potluck

45.   put flannel sheets on the bed

46.   sleep with the window open and an extra blanket on the bed

47.   make caramel apples

48.   watch the world series

49.   go to a haunted house (or something of the sort)

50.   watch a halloween movie, be it scary or otherwise

1

more lessons in awesome

if you are really serious about being awesome, you must embrace your individuality. no two forms of awesome look (or think, or act) exactly alike. so, be who you are! just be the best, most awesome version of you.

lessons in awesome, part 2

before reading, reacquaint yourself with part 1. okay, got it? have you mastered this step? yes? oh, good because you can't skip ahead here or it won't work.

surround yourself with awesome. since you have stopped acknowledging the non-awesome entities (and most of the less awesome ones), you have inevitably become quite good at recognizing the more awesome ones. now you must embrace the awesome like never before. eat awesome food, read awesome books, have awesome friends, do awesome things etc. the more you're around it, the more it will rub off on you. when you've properly adopted this practice you will be ready for the next step.

rise and shine

didn't hit the snooze button for maybe the first time ever. worth it? remains to be seen.

deedle deedle dumpling...

put my left shoe on first.

wardrobe malfunction

i wore a skirt just because. turns out, skirts really aren't that bad. i'm not about to start wearing one every day, but...

beddy-by

i didn't make my bed yesterday. not even right before i got into it last night (i do that a lot, make my bed right before crawling into it). i didn't think about it all day long, and it didn't affect my quality of sleep at all.
i made my bed today anyway. it just looks better that way.

sleeptacular

i slept on the other side of the bed last night. not exactly life changing, but i can now officially declare that i am, in fact, an ambi-sleeper.

experiential experiments

maybe i just have too much time on my hands, but i spent a good portion of the day today thinking about human behavior. okay, to be honest, i was really just thinking about my behavior. i'm selfish that way. i was thinking about all the things i do everyday, you know, the routine. it's not so much about what i do, as it is about why i do it. why, for example, do i get into and out of bed on the same side of the bed? why do i always put my right shoe on first? why? does it matter? i don't know. maybe the best way to get out of a rut is to find out. after all, what is a routine if not a rut? and what is life if not an experiment? so here's the deal, i have decided that i will make one small change in my behavior every day for the next month. 30 days of experimental behavior and it all begins tonight...

i'm a winner and you're fat

if i wrote a book, this is what i would call it. too bad sue sylvester beat me to it.

games for the super intelligent

i may or may not have developed an inappropriate relationship with youtube. when i say inappropriate, what i mean is that i spend incredible amounts of time watching ridiculous videos and laughing to myself loudly, and unabashedly.  i usually begin by watching videos of people getting injured in the unlikeliest of ways and typically end with a series of music videos (you can check out some of my favorites here and here). recently, during a particularly long session of mindless video watching, a had a whim. since i also follow through with my whims (change my major, my hair, my place of residence...) i went with it. enter a 4 hour comedian chase. yes, 4 hours, i have a lot of time on my hands. okay, so it wasn't really a chase since the word "chase" implies some sort of physical action and i'm pretty sure that typing names and clicking links from the comfort of my air conditioned living room don't actually count as physical. whatever. the point is, what started out as merely entertaining turned out to be surprisingly informative. to understand what i really mean here you must watch these videos. if you know me as well as you think you do you'll see what i'm getting at...
WARNING: i have no control over demetri martin's language, and it is, shall we say, "strong" at points. sorry.













did you figure it out?

adendum

i can't believe i got so distracted in my last post that i forgot to tell you about this video. slap me in the face.
my favorite band+my favorite puppets=sheer awesomeness!

masters of the music video

someone asked me what my favorite music video is. trick question. music videos are either brilliantly wonderful or terribly sucktastic. there is no middle ground here. so when asked about my favorite, i was stumped. but only for like a second. then i remembered how ok go has cemented their status as masters of the music video. for realsies. every video they make is genius. i'll prove it. enter exhibit a:



awesome.
not convinced? check out this little somethin'-somethin':



who comes up with this stuff? don't know, don't care so long as they continue to do so. like they did here:



why yes, that is the notre dame marching band. that, my friends, is clout. as if that wasn't enough, they went and made another video for the same song. overkill? maybe, but i prefer to think of it as strategic. i've saved the best for last here:



masterful.

this is me

itching for some new music. suggestions?

chchchchchanges

you may have noticed that my blog background has changed. :( sad face. i liked my old background. i really liked my old background. you might even say that i loved it. it was practically perfect in every way. at least, until they took it down. stupid blog designers, don't they know they're ruining my life? i suppose that's what i get for not being smart enough to design my own...

p.s. expect it to change again since i am not convinced that i like it...

this part isn't fun either...

 a full week of unpacking. gross. someone make it stop!!!

happy thoughts 7/11-7/17

sunday: "you know that silver stuff that's magnetic?"
monday: dumpster diving for boxes
tuesday: 2 for one and none for me
wednesday: giant slip 'n' slide
thursday: deep fried good-bye
friday: movie remake with heather
saturday: still the favorite aunt

moving sucks

i hate moving.  that's not entirely true, i like a change of pace and being in a new place and stuff, but i really, REALLY hate to pack. no matter how many trips i take to d.i. (first trip=5 trash bags, second trip=2...) i still look at my piles of boxes and realize that i have A LOT OF STUFF!!!! for those of you who find yourself in a similar predicament (or who someday might) i have put together a handy-dandy little step-by-step guide for your viewing pleasure

the first thing you need is boxes. dumpster diving is the best (read:cheapest) way to get them

the next step sounds really easy, but in actuality not so much. just put everything you own-EVERYTHING YOU OWN-into a box. boxing up your life is not as easy and it sounds.

if you still need boxes, go to the liquor store. you'll look like a drunk, but they let you take as many as you want for free and they are just the right size for heavy stuff like books.

the boxes will take over. they will run you out of town. well, you're leaving anyway so that's not so bad. stepping on boxes every time you move, however, is no bueno. think collapsing the empties will help? wrong.

the ones with stuff in them are even worse, especially when you are moving weeks before your roommates

(i took these pictures 2 days ago. the stacks are even taller now. no fun.)

4+ boxes of shoes? check. (i couldn't find the fourth one when i took these...)

4 boxes of art supplies? check. don't forget the 5 boxes of books or the 3 suitcases and 2 boxes of clothes. oh, and make sure you pack 3 boxes of kitchen stuff and 4 boxes of pictures and such from your now naked walls. i almost forgot to mention the furniture. ohhhh, the furniture. the bulky, bulky, impossible to pack efficiently furniture.

maybe i should just sell it all and buy new stuff. expensive? sure, but at least i wouldn't have to pack...

all you need is...

the beatles famously sang that all you need is love. i used to think they were right. love=awesome, and awesome is what we're shooting for here. so, yes, all you need is love. i love chocolate. not too long ago i read an article about chocolate. yes, chocolate. i told you i love it. anyway, this article provided me with two pieces of knowledge i did not have before. first, chocolate tastes different to men than it does women. weird. second, the eating of chocolate creates the same chemical response in your brain as love. whaaaaat?! seriously?! my whole life i've been under the impression that all you need is love, but as it turns out, all you really need is chocolate.

7/4-7/10

sunday: scones and breadsticks
monday: fireworks, again.
tuesday: pillow fight
wednesday: chicken cordon bleu
thursday: my flowers are finally blooming
friday: serendipity
saturday: naptime...

this is the least tight thing that's ever happened to me

today, i popped a bag of microwave popcorn and sat down to enjoy a healthy dose of crime solving and butter delicious movie theater butter flavored popcorn. disappointment. i had mistakenly popped kettle corn. "awww man." i actually these words regardless of the fact that i am totally alone in my apartment. great. now i'm disappointed and talking to myself. this is worse than i thought. then i thought, "wait a minute, i like kettle corn." good point lindsay. you do like kettle corn. why else would you have purchased kettle corn? i came to this conclusion, expectations have a profound influence on experience.  also, kettle corn is even better when you toss some gummy bears into it. i guess that's two conclusions, so... productive day.

6/27-7/3

sunday: invictus
monday: out to dinner so as not to heat the house by cooking
tuesday: a/c worked for the entire drive back to provo
wednesday: what's that? a cooking blog? yes, please!
thursday: compiling playlists
friday: siesta, then fiesta
saturday: bracelet buddies

red, white and cool

just in time for the holiday weekend, i have compiled a playlist to accompany your summer of awesomeness. once again, i have tediously arranged these songs for your ultimate listening pleasure, so DON'T MESS WITH IT!!!! or do. whatever, i won't even know...
1.    in the summertime-mungo jerry
2.    summertime-will smith and dj jazzy jeff
3.    doin’ time-sublime
4.    summer love-justin timberlake
5.    sittin’ on the dock of the bay-otis redding
6.    island in the sun-weezer
7.    summer nights-rascal flats
8.    teenage dirtbag-wheatus
9.    summer girls-lfo
10.    say hey (i love you)-michael franti & spearhead
11.    walking on sunshine-katrina and the waves
12.    under the boardwalk-the drifters
13.    soak up the sun-sheryl crow
14.    groovin’-the rascals*
15.    california girls-the beach boys
16.    summertime-new kids on the block
17.    summertime-kenny chesney
18.    california love-2pac feat. dr. dre
19.    cruel summer-bananarama
20.    summertime blues-eddie Cochran
21.    summer breeze-jason mraz*
22.    california-phantom planet
23.    stolen-dashboard confessional
*don't appear in the playlist you are hearing because, sadly, they were unavailable. tres tragique. put them in your playlist anyway. totally worth it.

foodies are like trekkies, only fatter...

foodie [foo-dee]
-noun Slang.
a person keenly interested in food, esp. in eating or cooking.

Origin:
food + -ie, perh. in part extracted from junkie

i have this friend, let's call her chessie (i think she'll be okay with that since it's her name), who writes a pretty fantastic blog which i adore. yesterday she posted this little dilly-o about foodies and their blogs. well, i am now publicly admitting that i have the same obsession, except i have taken mine one step farther. i don't just read the blogs, i actually make the food. i am a foodie, and then some. i even read cookbooks. well, that's not entirely true. i don't actually read them, i mostly just look at the pictures. the only reading i really do is that of the recipe titles, then i go make up my own recipes inspired by said titles. why not read the recipe? 2 reasons.   
1) i'm too lazy and i get distracted easily. 

2) i'm not good at following instructions. especially really specific ones.

besides, i'm convinced that my version is just as good as, if not better than, any recipe i've ever "read". betty crocker needn't worry though, i'm not about to get rid of my beloved books. there is something comforting about stepping into a kitchen and looking at a shelf of tried-and-true-recipe filled cookbooks, even if i don't read them. i get the same excitement "reading" recipes in the blogosphere. okay, not exactly the same, but close. in fact i get excited enough that i think about writing my own food/cooking blog, and i have actually followed through on it (not really a strength of mine). so now i am sharing it with you. if you love me, or just loving yummy goodness, check out my new blog here and, if you feel so inclined, share it with fellow foodies

summertime and the livin' is easy...

once upon a time i posted this to-do list for your springtime. did you check those items off? i hope so. whether you did or didn't i have done you a HUGE favor and compiled the following list for your summer. you're welcome. now, do yourself a favor and follow through with this one. i promise it will be worth it.

1.    have a slumber party
2.    run through the sprinklers
3.    go berry picking, eat some while you’re at it
4.    go to a rodeo
5.    have a water fight
6.    go to a state fair, a street fair, a small town festival…
7.    eat carnival food.  funnel cakes, corn dogs, cotton candy…
8.    ride a roller coaster
9.    climb a tree
10.    eat corn on the cob
11.    drink fresh squeezed lemonade-not that powdered stuff
12.    drive with the windows rolled down, and the music turned up
13.    watch a fourth of july fireworks show
14.    go camping, sleep under the stars
15.    eat s’mores. plural
16.    have a popsicle
17.    buy a treat from the ice cream man
18.    go boating, get wet.  enjoy wearing a life jacket
19.    go fishing, tell a great story about the fish you did or did not catch
20.    wear sunscreen every day.  baby sunscreen at the pool
21.    spend an afternoon at a public pool. laugh at every belly flop
22.    slather yourself in aloe vera when you get sunburned.  no sunburn? do it anyway
23.    go to a baseball game, chew bubble gum and/or eat sunflower seeds
24.    play beach volleyball even if you’re no good at it
25.    set up a hammock and take a nap in it
26.    sit in front of an electric fan to cool off.  talk into it like darth vader
27.    play on a playground, jump off the swings
28.    go hiking
29.    attend an outdoor concert
30.    read a book in the shade of a tree
31.    float a river at a leisurely pace
32.    raft and/or kayak at a not so leisurely pace
33.    have a watermelon seed spitting contest
34.    eat a tomato right off the vine
35.    build a sandcastle
36.    walk around barefoot. do it often
37.    spend an entire day in your bathing suit, like you did as a kid
38.    go makeup free for one day and enjoy your freckles
39.    make a meal over a fire. dutch ovens are the best way to do it
40.    build a campfire. tell stories around it
41.    have a snow cone. let a child pick the flavor for you
42.    set up a slip ‘n’ slide. use it
43.    take a road trip
44.    drink something you pulled out of a cooler
45.    play in a kiddie pool, with or without kids
46.    gawk at shirtless hotties on the beach, or the pool, or the basketball court…
47.    go down a waterslide
48.    wear arm floaties while you swim
49.    carry a squirt gun. be ready for action
50.    watch the sandlot
51.    enjoy an ice cream sandwich. let it melt a little bit and ooze down your hands.
52.    shop at a farmer’s market
53.    go garage sale-ing

lessons in awesome: part 1

i recently had a discussion with a friend of mine who, as it turns out, thinks i'm super awesome. i am inclined to agree. as a service to this awesome impaired friend, and all the rest of you, i have taken it upon myself to enlighten the world as to how to be awesome. let the record show that, try as you may, you will never live up to my level of awesome. it's just not possible. sorry, i didn't make the rules. at any rate, you can increase your level of amazing by mastering the following lessons:
lesson #1: just pretend it never happened. if it's not awesome i refuse to acknowledge it. people, places, things and events. you will be amazed at how easy this really is. you may have to thin the herd a little bit and stop spending time with "friends" that are lametards, but it's so worth it, and the less time you spend with them, the more time you have to devote to your own awesomeness. with any luck, they will take a cue from you and develop their own. don't go where you don't want to be. it's that simple. same goes for things. awkward moments? non-existent. the thing is, it's only awkward if you let it be. pretend it didn't happen. blow right by. ignore it. do that and the awkwardness is gone. for realsies.
there it is, your first lesson in awesome. ready, set...GO!
p.s. please report back on your progress so that i will know when it is time for lesson 2...

6/20-6/26

sunday: girl talk
monday: grocery shopping (maybe it's weird but i really enjoy it)
tuesday: pillowcase sewing
wednesday: pillow fight
thursday: mongo and glee with mamma mia
friday: mace-face!!
saturday: "i'll bring home the turkey if you bring home the bacon"

dear old dad

today is father's day, and, as i suppose i ought to, i've been thinking a lot about my dad and how cool he is. i mean, my awesomeness didn't just appear out of thin air, it was bestowed upon me by my parents (yes, mom too). after much deliberation, i have compiled the following list of lessons learned from my dad over the years. sort of a top ten of life lessons, except there are 13...

1. if you put it away when you’re done with it, you will always know where it is
2. use the right tool for the job
3. respect your mother
4. weekends are play time, but only if you’ve done the work during the week
5. spending time with family is never a waste of time
6. don’t spend money on frivolous things
7. the library can be your best friend
8. buy the best one you can afford and then take good care of it
9. if you’re going to do something, do it right the first time so you don’t have to do it again later
10. it’s okay if you aren’t the best at something, as long as you try your best
11. “roughing it” doesn’t have to be rough
12.  good music should be listened to loudly, and often
13. john wayne is awesome

6/13-6/19

sunday: toasty nutella pockets
monday: laughing until i cried "walker told me i have aids..."
tuesday: volleyball. the real kind.
wednesday: baking with jordan (read eating things that jordan baked)
thursday: did the new york times crossword puzzle almost all by myself
friday: canned chicken soup (i don't know why i like this stuff so much)
saturday: confirming my status as the favorite aunt

sing a song of sixpence

i have found my calling in life. okay, okay, i know i've said that before, but i'm pretty sure i warned you about my indecision. maybe i didn't. i don't remember. at any rate, i may be the most indecisive and restless person you'll ever know. i change my mind about everything multiple times before i settle on anything, and even then i may change my mind. this week my future occupation is that of jingle singer. i may never be a pop star, but i'm musical enough to be the voice you hear at the end of a commercial singing some cheesy line like "hoover, nobody does it like you." i honestly can't imagine that it takes much talent to obtain a job like that. plus, you probably don't have to work very hard, which makes it the ideal position for a lazy person like me. i have no intention of writing these jingles, i have no skill for that sort of thing, but that is beside the point. there's just one little hitch in my master plan, i haven't a clue how one becomes a singer of jingles. do you? no? that's what i thought. well, at any rate, i am officially offering my services should any of you need them.

welcome back 12 year old lindsay, i've missed you...

once upon a time i had a best friend named leslie. we met in gradeschool and cultivated ourbond over years of school, church, birthday parties, movie nights, road trips and (most importantly) sleepovers. with the years has come maturity (sort-of) and a marked change of taste in movies (sort-of), but ultimately, we are who we have always been-an independent, type-a, plan making, control freak and a laid back, decision hating, fun loving jokester who somehow manage to get along beautifully. who would've thought we'd be friends at all, let alone for nearly 20 years. holy crap. i'm old enough to have had a friend for nearly 2 decades. i'm so not okay with that, but i digress. so this weekend, amid the time spent visiting the fam and attending my older brother's graduation (congrats on the master's degree bro!) and catching up with friends i haven't seen for quite a while, i spent some time reacquainting myself with the unbridled fun of a sleepover. not just any old sleepover, a sleepover with leslie. i cannot count the times we've done this in the past, but as late we've been adults and have spent our time together doing adult things.  i gotta be honest, kid things are way more fun than adult things. ahhh, the long-lost joys of the sleepover. i'm not really sure who decided to give them such a blatant misnomer since there is little to no sleep actually happening, but they are super fun just the same. in our youth we stayed up until 2 in the morning talking about boys and watching 80s movies, in our not-so-youth we stayed up until 2 in the morning talking about boys and watching episodes of glee which are filled with 80s music, so not much has changed really. it's nice to know that even at the age of 26 i can act like a preteen schoolgirl with a crazy crush on some teen idol. back then it was jonathon taylor thomas (even if he was short and went by the nickname jtt), now it's cory monteith (even if he is canadian and has weirdly sparse eyebrows). things have certainly changed over the last 14 years, and yet, somehow, things are the same as they always have been. weird how that happens.

6/6-6/12

sunday: jungle vs. juggler
monday: knocking on the wrong door. multiple times. then ringing the doorbell. oops
tuesday: glee finale party
wednesday: balsamic glazed chicken, mashed potatoes w/gravy & sauted zuchinni=delicious dinner
thursday: penelope + snuggie + umbrella-ed drink at movie night in the solarium
friday: hello boise :)
saturday: making "stickers" with katelyn, yet another reason to love post-its

5/30-6/5

sunday: inventing new recipes
monday: making a tractor out of the couch cushions with my nephew
tuesday: meritt's ice cream sundae scone
wednesday: mongo and movie night with mama mia
thursday: kickball!
friday: slept until 12:30. pm.
saturday: volleyball (even if i did get sunburned)

i got that boom boom pow!

once upon a time, i took a math class wherein this "brilliant" teacher (attempted) to teach me how to save time by doing the problem right the first time and eliminate the need for a trial-and-error solution finding style. i failed that class. three times. not only am i really bad at math, i also kind of enjoy trial-and-error. okay, so it's not so fun when you're trying to solve some algebra equation (especially when there is a time limit and such) but, generally speaking it's kind of lovely. math failure aside, these last 26 years of my life have been like one big trial and error process. lots of errors. lots. i am happy to report that i have finally found my calling in life. before i tell you what it is, please bear in mind that i have searched far and wide to discover this particular path and am seeking genuine support from all my peeps (that's you, i hate the easter candy. gross.). okay, are you ready? really and truly ready for this epic revelation? if not, better not to read on. just turn off your computer, walk away, and return at some future time when you feel you are fully prepared to read this and follow through with your commitment to love and support me in my endeavors. didn't make that commitment you say? wrong. you should have read the fine print. well, here goes...
i
am
going
to
be
a
kickball
player
second baseman to be exact.
turns out, all those years watching my older brother play little league (while loathing the idea of participating myself) have finally paid off. i am on a pretty epic kickball team. yes, that's a real thing. i only committed to playing because a friend of mine asked me to. i figured, no matter how bad i am, i owe it to him to at least try. we have known each other for like 13 years, after all...so i gave it a go. i used to love to play kickball on the playground in elementary school, but that was a LONG time ago, and since then i have only played with children who are in elementary school. i'm pretty good against a bunch of third graders, but who isn't? so, i went into the whole thing knowing my skills were rudimentary and likely to be disappointing, and i told this to the team. the last thing i needed was for them to have unrealistic expectations about my athleticism. they assured me that it would be fine. i'm not sure they really grasped the gravity of the situation. have i mentioned that i'm really slow? i am. really slow. slow enough, in fact, that i was almost overtaken by the kicker behind me in the line-up while running bases. really slow. good news is, you don't have to be fast to play second base, you just have to be able to catch decently. now that i can do! i would like to take this opportunity to thank my older brother for being such a boy and forcing me to play catch with him in the back yard. also, for throwing stuff at me unexpectedly. reflexes are very important in kickball. i would like to extend my gratitude to my parents for enrolling me in dance classes as a child as well. for that, my friends, is where i developed these wicked kicking skills. and to my various choir teachers who helped me to develop this loud voice of mine, thank you for endowing me with the skills to effectively communicate with my teammates on the field. it seems my whole life has been building up to this very profession. now if only i could figure out how to get paid for it...

yeah, that sounds about right

i was having a discussion with a friend of mine and i mentioned this little blog of mine (of which he was totally unaware. figures) and his reaction was a little disconcerting. and by a little, i mean a lot. he said something about how he could totally picture me blogging. i realize that doesn’t read as offensive, but it sure sounded it.  he was all smug when he said it too. clearly, he has never experienced the sheer awesomeness of my ranting.  okay, that’s not true. he’s heard it many a time, but he’s never read it.  so what does he know? yes, i am a blogger. i use this public forum to express my thoughts, feelings and opinions. yes, i rant and rave a little bit. what of it? i like it here in the blogosphere. i like getting these things out and knowing that someone, somewhere is reading it and maybe even agreeing with me.i really like when people leave comments. i think my points are valid, and interesting. whether you agree with me or not, i think it is important to open yourself up to the world, to share what makes you unique and wonderful. most of all, i like that being here, doing this, allows me to share me with you. i get to be a part of your life, and you get to be a part of mine in a way that isn’t possible in any other arena. i am a fan of the whole thing. so, unnamed friend that is judging me for doing this, i say to you, what are you doing to share you?
that’s what i thought.

5/23-5/29

sunday: naptime
monday: colby cheated at 4 on a couch. seriously?! not necessary (also, not good at it)
tuesday: homemade peach pie from danny
wednesday: 50 states challenge
thursday: turned in final paperwork to leave my job
friday: water balloon launch
saturday: BOISE!!!

for the love...

i just made about 6,000 rosettes for work. okay, that's an exaggeration. i only made 5,000 and by 5,000 i mean 30. still, that's a lot of rosettes. i must say, they turned out pretty cute, even if they are pink:

so, while i'm sewing these little buggers (by hand no less) i got to thinking about my new plan to embrace the life i'm living now and live it on purpose and all that. my plan of attack? post-it notes. i don't mean i plan to attack someone with post-its (although that would be borderline amazing...) i mean i'm going to attack my post-its. the thing is, i'm obsessed with post-its. the inventor should get a nobel prize or something.  post-its save lives. they save mine anyway. i use at least 12 a day. not kidding. don't believe me? enter exhibit A: my bathroom mirror (and yes, that is a giant poster of james dean in the background)

exhibit B: just above my nightstand (please ignore the hand lotion pump in the corner):

still not convinced? exhibit C: my bedroom wall (posted 3+ deep)

i rest my case.
so i have all these post-it notes and they represent about a thousand different things (i'm not exaggerating this time) from shopping lists to memorable quotes to crazy middle-of-the-night bursts of inspiration.  i am most concerned with the latter category.  i don't know why, but i get my best ideas in the wee small hours of the morning in those moments between sleep and wakefulness (kind of like right now), but i'm not about to drag myself out of bed to do anything about it.  let's face it, i barely follow through when i'm fully awake.  this is where post-its=life saver.  i keep a pile of blank ones on my nightstand. this way, the random flash of brilliance is not lost. i simply scribble it on a post-it, stick it to the wall and stare at it in disbelief when i finally do roll out of bed. genius i tell you. if only i could figure out a way to make them more legible. somehow, writing with your eyes closed doesn't lead to super readable notes. who knew? well, once i can figure out what they say, i'm gonna start following through with them. the feasible ones anyway. i hate to break it to you, and myself, but i don't think that a series of salt prints about noah's ark is a viable option. i don't even know how to make salt prints. yet...

beauty is only skin deep...maybe...

i am a people watcher. i am not a sociologist or an anthropologist or any other ologist, but i find human behavior fascinating and i like to analyze it in my own little non-scientific way. through all my "studies" the question that plagues me is this: why is it that you see tons of couples wherein the woman is far more attractive than the man, but rarely (if ever) see the opposite? i have my own theories on the subject but nothing with any concrete evidence, or any evidence at all besides my own opinions and experiences. until now, that is. i just read an article about the attractiveness of each half of a couple and how it affects the relationship. apparently, i'm not the only one who has been wondering. as it turns out this study shows that when the man is more attractive than the woman, he is less supportive, feel less satisfied and aren't as happy as others. on the other hand, when the woman is more attractive, she doesn't have the same issues. weird. also, completely unfair. some of us were really hoping to find an extremely attractive mate for no other reason than to give our kids a chance to be hotties. that plan would work if some of us were men, but the rest of us are out of  luck. or rather, our kids are out of luck. poor them.

5/16-5/22

sunday: rooster cogburn and the lady
monday: finally found a perfect pair of yellow shoes
tuesday: kickball
wednesday: shepherd's pie
thursday: jordan vs. nate
friday: playing mission for 2 hours (that's like a record)
saturday: changing clothes in the car, trying not to flash the fisherman over yonder...

pearls of wisdom

let me just start by saying that i am brilliant. seriously. need some proof? done. the other day my dear friend, let's call him butch (NOT his real name), posted this status on facebook: You would think that growing up with 4 older sisters would give me an extra advantage when it comes to understanding women but no, in the end I am still as confused as every other guy. (holding tounge now to keep from saying what I want to say)

apparently this was a sore subject since there were already 12 comments when i got there. turns out, butch is super popular.  anyway, it was clear that butch was not the only one who was confused. thus, i posted the most marvelous explanation i could come up with:  women are just as confused by female behavior as you are. we don't know what we want. and we often do things and then think "why did i do that?" then we go home and talk it over with our roommates (or call our mom or best friend) and eventually come to the conclusion that it must have been YOUR fault, because it couldn't possibly have been ours. the thing is, while we're having these conversations and reassuring our friend/cousin/sister we are thinking the same thing you are: "she's crazy!!!!!" we're not about to say that to her though. she could unleash all that crazy on us, and we would much rather she unleash it on you (or anyone else for that matter). the key to being happy with a woman is to embrace the crazy. don't try to understand it, because, my friend, you never, ever will (and neither will we)

told ya. i'm a genius and i'm not the only one who thinks so either. see:

I don't know Lindsay, but she is extremely smart. I'm pretty sure she hit the nail on the head. That should be your new theme "Embrace the crazy". One additional note there though. There is a little crazy in all women, and then there are women that are the poster children for crazy. Stay away from them! Love ya.

 

and now we have reached the root of your problem. you have to stop thinking in terms of right and wrong. no such thing. i think i already told you that we don't know what we want, and thus there is no right answer, because we might change our mind in 10 minutes. there is no solution, you just have to get used to it (that's me again)

and by the way, I completely agree with Lindsay. We have no clue what we want and are often just hell-bent on making the rest of you as confused as we are :)

 

Lindsay - You should probably know I have been informed by my sisters that you have now given the best explanation of women that ever was. (butch again)

 

i have amazing insight. people should pay me for this...

ultimate tree houses

just in case my last tree house post wasn't enough, here are some more amazing tree houses for your viewing pleasure.

5/9-5/15

sunday: locked myself out of the apartment, but spent some time with my neighbor to make up for it
monday: talking about art with colby
tuesday: cold peach cobbler for breakfast
wednesday: ultimate frisbee
thursday: pizza with the kiddos
friday: hugs and kisses from my nephews
saturday: watching my sister run her first 5k (and spending time with the fam after)

i was not prepared for this!

i was watching penelope the other day (cute movie. if you haven't seen it, you should) and i was struck by this line somewhere in the middle. penelope's dad is talking to her mom about the current state of their daughter's life and he says "we've spent so much time preparing her for the day that things are different, we never prepared her for the day that they are not." pretty profound moment in a cute little romantic comedy/modern day fairytale.  anyway, i woke up in the middle of the night after a super crazy dream (seriously crazy. it woke me up. that never happens) and once i fully regained consciousness, the ability to reason and had expelled the insanity that had previously been rolling around in my head, i had a thought. that's right i had a thought. who knew. so i had this thought about my life and about how everything up to this point has really only been a preparation for some day in the future when things will finally work out the way i (and apparently everyone else) had always hoped it would. i've spent all this time preparing for the day that things are different, i never prepared for the day that they are not. granted, penelope was waiting to break a curse and shed her piggy face, and i have no such curse, but i think it still applies. the thought returned earlier today as i was watching a lot like love (i watch a lot of movies. i probably have too much time on my hands) and there is this part where the older brother says (actually he signs it. he's deaf, but it's really the same thing so this parenthetical was unnecessary. sorry) "oliver, this is your life. right now. it doesn't wait for you to get back on your feet." this is my life. right now. it's happening and i feel like i'm missing it because i spend so much time looking forward to the next phase of my life, that i forget to enjoy this one. not okay! new plan. live life on purpose. it's time to stop saying "someday..." and start doing all the things i keep saying i'm going to do with my life. hopefully this means plenty of blog posts about all of the wonderful and exciting things i'm doing with my life (present tense, not future), so you should all look forward to that...

5/2-5/8

sunday: alex vs. alex "my head is bigger than yours, so i'll bite your head off..." epic.
monday: belly full of leftovers
tuesday: they finally gave puck some lines!
wednesday: "i love you daddy..."
thursday: "...pretty is how i feel..."
friday: super chill day at work
saturday: bubble bath

4/25-5/1

sunday: catching up with old friends
monday: jack in the box. mmmm tacos...
tuesday: new pillow
wednesday: browsing bumper stickers with heather
thursday: homemade soft pretzels
friday: "why isn't this keyboard working?"
saturday: in bed until 2 p.m.

mood music

way back in march i posted a list of things to do in the springtime. i hope you are taking advantage of the (occasional) spring weather and taking my advice. no? you haven't? SLACKERS! refresh your memory of the list and renew your commitment to spring enjoyment here. i have taken an extra step here and compiled for you an amazing playlist of songs to listen to while you check things off your list. just as the beach boys make me want to go surfing or celine dion makes me want to shoot myself in the foot, these songs put me in the mood to embrace all that this season has to offer. likewise, i hope it will put a spring in your step :)
please note that i have painstaking arranged these songs in the ideal order. shuffle if you must, but know that you are messing with perfection...

1. here comes the sun-the beatles
2. country roads-john denver
3. alright with me-eric hutchinson
4. hey soul sister-train
5. stolen-dashboard confessional
6. cecilia-simon & garfunkel
7. here comes your man-the pixies
8. these words-natasha bedingfield
9. take the money and run-the steve miller band
10. holiday-weezer
11. you make my dreams-hall & oates
12. the gardens of samson and beasley-pink martini
13. feels like today-rascal flatts
14. sweet afton-nickel creek
15. blue skies-ella fitzgerald
16. be ok-ingrid michaelson
17. let's fall in love-frank sinatra
18. sky-joshua radin (feat. ingrid michaelson)
19. crawl-chris brown
20. time to pretend-mgmt