a phrase i've latched onto.

makes me feel better a lot lately. 

a thought that's stuck with me & will now be a guiding principle.

when decisions get tough...

i haven't found a quote i love this much in a very long time.

it's so true, huh?

since seeing it, i've already referenced it a handful of times - especially during our recent move.

it's a good one.

lacey jaye, this one is talking right at you... do it & get back to me ;)

that's all.

(via)

living life.

this couldn't be more true. it's something ting and i talk about often. we try to push ourselves individually and as a couple. to put ourselves in situations that are little uncomfortable. to try things that scare us. familiarity is a funny thing. we have a love/hate relationship with it. during a recent evening walk we caught ourselves talking about our plans for next year and there's totally the easy/comfortable route and there's the scary/uncharted territory route.

we're up for the challenge.

love love love our life, but it's okay want more.

don't stop believing.

so much of the holiday season is about believing. for children, it's believing in santa clause and all the wonder of his magical reindeer and sleigh. for many adults, it's celebrating religious beliefs and faith. for the greater community, the holidays bring on a time of charity and remind people to help others and believe in the greater good.

i've just recently realized that it's also about believing in yourself.  it's a time to reflect on the past year and think about what's to come in the next chapter. in many ways, believing in yourself and your capabilities is the most important thing you can believe in, but often the hardest.

{image via pinterest}

something to think about this weekend.

i saw this a few months ago and it instantly spoke to me.

it's so true. don't you agree?

considering we spend the vast majority of our day/week/year working, 

we really should enjoy what we do.

what is it that you love to do? 

if you could do anything, what would it be?  

harder question than you think, huh?

shallow {but kinda true}.

...well, maybe those late night nachos did after saturday's beers, biking and wings.

happy monday. 
here's to a week of working off those weekend splurges!

{this little pillow found on pinterest made me laugh so hard. too bad this girl looooves food}

this weekend: think about it.

if you feel like tossing your to-do list this weekend - do it. you deserve it. i have a feeling we'll be "wasting" a lot of time together over the next 48 hours and it's gonna be glorious and guilt-free. happy weekend. xo, the tings

{via pinterest}

perfectly appropriate.

just bumped into this and thought it was perfect timing considering it's our anniversary and all.

{found here}

as you gear up for the weekend...

...keep this in mind.

easy enough, right?

beats and lyrics.

When it comes to music, us and our friends have a thing... you're either a "beats" or "lyrics" person. My husband and many of my best girlfriends loooove songs but can't sing you a single lyric. We laugh at them "singing along" to their favorite tunes. These are what we could call "beats" people. And then their are the "lyrics" people. Of course the sound of a song lures these people in, but it's the lyrics and meaning behind a song that resonates deep down.  I'm a lyrics person. Together, us beats and lyrics people are awesome concert teams - we've got the signing and dancing covered. Are you beats or lyrics?

Off the top of my head, some of my favorite lyrics...

"Winter Winds" by Mumford & Sons

We'll be washed away and buried one day my girl, 

And the time we were given will be left for the world.

The flesh that lived and loved will be eaten by plague, 

So let the memories be good for those who stay.

"Let Me In" by Griffin House

Sometimes you feel a little closer to heaven, 

when you raise a little hell.

"Awake My Soul" by Mumford & Sons

In these bodies we will live, 

In these bodies we will die, 

Where you invest your love, 

You invest your life. 

"Hearts on Fire" by Cut/Copy
There's something in the air tonight
A feeling that you have that could change your life
There's something burning up inside
I reach out for you and our hearts collide

Tonight we're going to the Cut/Copy concert with friends and we're super excited (yay for Friday night shows!). I can't wait for an awesome hot sweaty dance party and to sing my heart out to all my faves.

Cut/Copy mentioned on the blog here, here and here.

our (friend) galaxy.

i have this framed in our house and in my cubicle.

it's a nice reminder since our friends are spread out throughout the globe.

i hope our far away friends feel the same way about us.



recommended read.

I know I'm a little late, but if you haven't read The Help yet, I highly recommend it. It's about black domestic servants working in white Southern households in the early 1960s. Be sure to read it before the movie comes out this summer.

Some of my favorite quotes from the book...
"Ain't that the point? For women to realize we just two people. Not much separates us, not nearly as much as I thought."

"There is so much you don't know about a person. I wonder if I could've made her days a little bit easier, if I'd tried. If I'd treated her a little nicer."

"All I'm saying is, kindness don't have no boundaries."

"I realized I actually had a choice in what I could believe."

"Got to be the worst place in the world, inside a oven. You in here, you either cleaning or you getting cooked."

ain't that the truth.

If you're those dog people (like us) then you probably love this quote as well. How true is that?

I was reading an interview with the President of the French Bulldog Rescue Network (here) and I think he summed up the Frenchie perfectly... "They are a big dog personality in a small package. They are comical and very people-oriented. They were bred to be a companion dog and they take that job very seriously… having to share your chair, your bed, your dinner!" So true and we wouldn't have it any other way.

Danny was in Denver last night for work, but at least I had my furry, 30-pound, snorting son to snuggle with. I mean, seriously, Hunter? He really thinks he's a human baby. Ridiculous.

{what you can't see is that his legs are wrapped around my other side}