10 things I'm thankful for this week:

1. Lonnie surprising me with pizza and the best bottle of rum he could find (two of my very favorite things) to celebrate our 5 year anniversary
2. having a guy I can count on to always be loyal and loving
3. extra lime
4. hiking up to Crabtree Falls
5. My best friend Samm texted me to let me know she was in town for the day so I met her and her family for lunch at Early Girl and ice cream at The Hop
6. waking up slow with the late summer sun and re-watching Fried Green Tomatoes in bed
7. making brownies with Brandon on the rainiest day of the week
8. pressing flowers into sketchbooks
9. finally buckling down to achieve my goal of exercising 4 days this week instead of my usual 3
10. getting all dolled up for a date night out

our place.

I mentioned on Monday that this week, I'm making the big move into my boyfriend's apartment. Now, my boyfriend and I have been together for about 5 years now, and luckily that means that I've gotten to know the differences in our style pretty well. Not so luckily, I've learned that he and I are pretty much polar opposites when it comes to style. I'm very much modern glamour meets pops of color, and he's very much rustic minimalist. My boyfriend is very much a guy's guy, and I knew moving in I'd have to immediately tone down my over-the-top glitzy style (he also has a weird aversion to anything painted white, and I have the strong desire to paint everything white, so...problems).

Because of our differences in style and also because of my need to visualize and pre-plan everything, a while back, I made a private Pinterest board to try and find some kind of middle ground between our two styles. And I found that our styles mixed together is actually a pretty awesome mix of rustic, quirky, and modern. Lots of found objects(we'd always enjoyed thrifting and antiquing together), mixed in with modern furniture with clean lines, add in some natural elements, and then bring in cool art with warm, energizing pops of color, and somehow we have a meshed style that's all our own.

Now the Pinterest board I created was totally just a dream of sorts; I have much more realistic home decor expectations for the first apartment we share. However, I feel so much better going into this move knowing that our two styles can coexist successfully, and having a set visual in mind helps me organize what to bring in to this new shared space and what to leave out.

"our place" Pinterest board

ain't no time like fair time.

My boyfriend has been working a lot lately, so to spend some time together and reconnect, he took me on a date to the Mountain State Fair.

Blogging about my obsession with county fairs is becoming a yearly tradition it seems, and looking back at the pictures I took from last year I'm shooting myself in the foot for not taking my DSLR and relying on lower quality iPhone pictures, because WOW what a difference. However with that being said, this year we managed to hit up the fair on the special day when they were offering a "pay 20 bucks, ride whatever you like" deal so I'm thankful for not having to have worried about the safety of my Canon while I rode rides.

It was a little cloudy this year, but luckily the rain held off and we stayed safe and dry. All in all, we had a great time and I look forward to going again next year. I also now feel inspired to drop the iPhone a little more often and pick up my DSLR camera in order to capture more memories like these as summer starts changing into fall.

self-love and 15 ways to shake loneliness.

Without going into anything too much, I'm currently going through a break up. I'm okay, but I've been spending a lot of time alone. However, I truly believe that it doesn't have to be a bad thing. I think loving oneself is so important, so I'm finding ways to treat myself and take care of myself now that I have the time to do so.

Here are a few of my no-fail methods to shake the blahs and enjoy time spent alone:

1. Indulge in a guilty pleasure. (or two. or three. mine are currently Rich Kids of Beverly Hills and hazelnut lattes.)
2. Spend time outside. Walk around a local park or your neighborhood. Get some sun on your face.
3. Curl up with a blanket and a good book.
4. Better yet, take a bubble bath.
5. Spend quiet time alone drinking tea or coffee. Do nothing else. Enjoy the silence. Embrace it.
6. Take a yoga or spin class. Go for a run. Try something new. Sweat a little.
7. Eat fruit. You'll feel better afterward, trust me.
8. Journal. Paint. Make something. Blog. Get what's inside of you out.
9. Call an old friend or a relative. You will always feel better afterward. (also, did you know that talking to your mom on the phone is proven to actually reduce stress? It's true.)
10. Purge your closet. Figure out what your wardrobe is lacking and start saving and shopping.
11. Watch your favorite movie, or an old movie you've never seen but have always been meaning to. A Sunday night spent in bed watching Some Like It Hot is a Sunday night well spent.
12. Gather inspiration. Peruse Pinterest or buy prints to create a gallery wall. Cut up magazines and throw up some pictures and quotes on a bulletin board.
13. Make a new playlist with songs that inspire you.
14. Sleep in on a Saturday morning. Eat breakfast in bed. Take your time getting ready. Put on a face mask. Paint your nails. Do not rush.
15. Wear that lipstick. Wear those shoes. Wear it and own it. Life is short.

cheers to three years.

Lonnie and I have been together three years today. I wasn't sure how to compose a post for this life event without being super cheesy. I didn't even want to include the above triptych because how cliched are kissing pictures, right? But look at how little we were just three years ago! We were just kids. We still are. We didn't know what we were doing then, and although we have learned and grown exponentially within the past three years, we still don't have a clue what we're doing now half the time.

But all of that is okay with me, because there is absolutely no one else I'd rather figure out everything with. There is no one else I'd rather have spent the past three years of my life with. Things haven't always been easy, but they have always, always, always been worth it. I am so in love with the best friend I've ever had and every moment that realization hits me like a wrecking ball, I am filled with the utmost joy and gratitude. 

I have got to keep this post fairly short, otherwise I will find myself spilling out even more cheesy confessions. Therefore, I am ending with the certificate pictured above that I recieved on our 3 month-versary. I have now officially survived 3 years, and I want a damn trophy this time.

the "V" word.

It's February and you know what that means.

Oh, Valentine's Day. There is no other holiday that people seem to have such bipolar emotions about. Everyone either loves it or absolutely loathes it. And in most cases, it depends on the relationship status of the individual.

Now, I have a boyfriend, so maybe this is all biased. But my boyfriend and I don't celebrate Valentine's Day. Last year, I threw on a pair of heels and we went out to get pizza and that was the extent of our Valentine's Day extravaganza. 

Personally, I have very mixed feelings about the holiday. I just don't really see the point in dedicating one day of the year to expressing your love for your significant other, because I think you should be doing that every day of the year.

However, there is a huge part of me (the Notebook watching, Country Love Songs singing, embarrassingly gushy part), that loves the idea behind Valentine's Day. I love the fact that there is a day in the worst, coldest, and most depressed month of the year where people look for ways to warm each other's hearts. I think Valentine's Day is a day to celebrate all the different kinds of love and the idea that love exists.

And as a true believer that love exists, I am choosing this year to welcome the dreaded holiday. I won't be buying my boyfriend a giant stuffed monkey that says "I Love You," but I will probably spend the day with him. I might make him a card or maybe something like this. I will call my parents. I will send my best friend a heartfelt text, or maybe send her a letter. I will try to find some old school Valentines to give to my hallmates, like the ones you send in Elementary school. I will probably eat a whole bag of Dove dark chocolate. I will paint my nails a sparkly pink and twirl around in my favorite dress and maybe even watch The Notebook.

all images can be found here.

paris of the south.

Walking downtown at night this time of year has made me realize why this city is nicknamed "Paris of the South."

Also, I am obsessed with the French Broad Chocolate Lounge (top photo) as well as Dobra Tea (bottom photo). 

Asheville, you're doing it right.