My book club at Truman has decided to read The Time Traveler's Wife for next's months meeting. Although I've already read it, it's reminded me how much I adore Rachel McAdams. Let's face it, she's gorgeous. She's adventurous with her fashion style, and has successfully carried off many different hair styles and colors. Vintage, Modern, Classic; they all are flawless on her.

The BSU across the street from my dorm has been playing Christmas music for about 18 hours a day, for the past five days. Tis the season...

Although my Black Friday was spent driving across the waste lands of Minnesota (now say it in that stupid sounding voice that obviously is from a movie a failed to see in my adolescent years), I did manage to buy a gorgeou

s dress and a fabulous pair of shoes for the formal this Saturday (surprise Mom!). I'll have another post next week with a full report on the event!

In the mean time, I did want to write a quick little post about winter fashion and a few tips that I have.

1. Layers are your new best friend! I personally love cardigans, and a tank top and a deep v-neck work wonderfully together.

2. Own a comfortable pair of boots that are also fashionable. That way, on the days when you're hiking across campus in the snow, you can still put together a cute look. Erin recently got a great pair of brown leather Ugg boots and they make everything look better. They remind me of England for some reason.

3. Deep condition your hair weekly, and avoid over styling. The cold weather is not only harsh on skin, but hair too. Be nice to it.

4. A patterned pair can add so much to a cute dress

or skirt. In all actuality, there isn't a lot of difference between the expensive and cheap pairs. None of them will last very long, and you will end up snagging them sooner or later. Forever 21 has great sales on tights this month, so stock up while you can!

5. Myth: Brown, black and gray can not be worn together. False! They are all neutrals, and are the same color scheme.

The holiday season is the one time of the year where you can't bring out the bling! Silver is a great way to go, and the red coat adds a great pop of color.

Happy Thursday :)

The AGD formal is only a week away. Too dressy?

Six ways to make people like you

1. Become genuinely interested in other people.
2. Smile.
3. Remember that a person's name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.
4. Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.
5. Talk in terms of the other person's interests.
6. Make the other person feel important - and do it sincerely.

Ten Rules of Being Human

1.	You will receive a body. You may like it or hate it, but it's yours to keep for the entire period.
2.	You will learn lessons. You are enrolled in a full-time informal school called, "life."
3.	There are no mistakes, only lessons. Growth is a process of trial, error, and experimentation. The "failed" experiments are as much a part of the process as the experiments that ultimately "work."
4.	Lessons are repeated until they are learned. A lesson will be presented to you in various forms until you have learned it. When you have learned it, you can go on to the next lesson.
5.	Learning lessons does not end. There's no part of life that doesn't contain its lessons. If you're alive, that means there are still lessons to be learned.
6.	"There" is no better a place than "here." When your "there" has become a "here", you will simply obtain another "there" that will again look better than "here."
7.	Other people are merely mirrors of you. You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects to you something you love or hate about yourself.
8.	What you make of your life is up to you. You have all the tools and resources you need. What you do with them is up to you. The choice is yours.
9.	Your answers lie within you. The answers to life's questions lie within you. All you need to do is look, listen, and trust.
10.	You will forget all this.

This whole collection of videos is fantastic. I love the settings, and Alison Sudol is gorgeous.

Apple Orchard

Fall break was so wonderful, and so full of love. We all need affection, and I definitely got my fair share. This was my first over night babysitting job, and I thought it would be a good distraction to start out at the Apple Orchard. I'm sure by now you've realized that I adore fall, and I was so happy that this adventure could be worked into my short time at home. We played in the hay maze, the wooden train, picked apples, and played hide and go seek in the corn maze! Everyone was exhausted and went right to bed! Mission accomplished :)

My favorite part of fall fashion are sweaters, especially cardigans! Not only do they go with everything, but they make everything better. Jeans, skirts, leggings, dresses...you name it. Neutrals are a bit hit this year, and I've seen a lot of people wearing different shades of the same color (purple, gray, blue, brown). Pair it with a simple necklace, and you're good to go!

(Images taken from the Saltwater Fall Collection)

Today is the first day of initiation week, and it's also Red day! We have to wear pin attire all week long, with a different sorority color each time.

In a perfect world, my hair would look exactly like Kiera Knightley and I would be sashaying around wearing this gorgeous red Chanel dress with Clive Owen waiting for me to return from piano class (yes, I recently watched Duplicity). However, I must settle for my red sun dress with brown boots and scarf.

Happy Monday!

That's right folks, it's No Shave November! The Urban Dictionary says it's "the month in which you don't shave any hair on your body, but instead you grow more bestial, brutish, and manly." In other words, it's yet another chance for boys to be utterly disgusting.
I like to think there are three types of men in this world. Welcome to the stage bachelor #1: he's tall, dark and handsome, and he think's he's in this for the long run. A week from now we will discover that he really is what we like to call a "tool", and will shave that stubble because it's blocking his douche bag moves. Bachelor #2: He's probably a math major. He will, in fact, last the whole month, but it doesn't really matter because his Halo buddies haven't seemed to notice that in addition to not shaving, he hasn't been showering either. Bachelor #3: This man is a Viking among Vikings. Not only will he have his cake and eat it too, but he will have the beard...and the ladies.

Peace out,

Megan

Like We Used To - A Rocket To The Moon

As the days of October are quickly drawing to a close, I try to savor every last moment I can. The apple cider, color changing leaves, and the ever wonderful cardigan days. But as Halloween approaches, I've been thinking that maybe October isn't the only time of change.

Obviously we experienced lots of "Change" with President Obama, but what about the little things? We change our hair style, our clothing, our vocabulary, our diet, our friends, our lifestyle... Is Halloween really the only time of year that we are something we're not?

Everyone has had their mother tell them to "be themselves", and at the time I remember thinking "who else would I possibly be?"

In high school we are limited to our personalities. You get labeled from the beginning, and it was hard to change that stereotype.

At college, things are a little different. You have a fresh start to decide who and what we want to be. However, there seems to be two trends among girls my age: they are one stereotype, and they have boyfriends.

They're all "go green"...and they have a boyfriend.

They're super fashionable...and they have a boyfriend.

They out going...and they have a boyfriend.

And then there's me. I recycle, am sometimes fashionable, and can be out going...

This really isn't my struggle. During Fall Break, I had many laughs with my style guru Hannah about how awful it is to be above this desire for our lives. For once, it would be nice to be irresponsible and have a flirty friend boy!

Perhaps I am getting a little off topic. The point really was to say, that the other thing these girls have in common is that they all changed for these boys. They became something they thought would be wanted and desired, instead of waiting for the real deal. And although it's pretty awful to always dance with Erin at parties, and to be rejected more times in three months than I did in three years, I can't say I'm not content.

So Happy Friday, and Happy Halloween.

"This is my shocked face"

10 Café Pickup Tricks

Waiting in line for coffee is a great way to meet people in college. Since it is the essence of our existence, it's a great conversation starter! Here are some tips to get you started:

1. Ask the right question. Is “Coffee, tea or me?” the right question? No! “It’s shocking how much I overhear people saying this — and with a straight face,” says Brandy Marshall, a coffee jock in Phoenix, AZ. “So far, it hasn’t worked.” The truth is, clichés never work, so don’t use them. If you can’t think of something original to say, just ask a normal question like, “What are you having?” or “Which do you like better?” These are much less cheesy and provide easy introductions into cozy conversations.

2. Find common ground(s). “People meet all the time because they either like the same weird combination drink or one is fascinated by the other’s order,” says Tony Snipes, a barista in Raleigh, NC. “You won’t get anywhere saying, ‘Wow, you like hot chocolate, too?’, he notes. “But if you have slightly oddball tastes, you could have an in. Or, frankly, if you just like plain old black coffee, that’s odd enough these days to make the grade, too.”

3. Ask for some expert advice. “I’m always amazed at the vast array of options available at my local coffee and tea joint,” says Seattle-based Virginia Burroughs. “I couldn’t decide what to get the last time I was there, so I asked the cute guy behind me in line what he recommended. I didn’t care for his suggestion, so he offered to buy me another drink. We have our first date this weekend.”

4. Try sharing. Coffee houses get crowded, but use that to your advantage. Ask if you can share a table. It worked for Jay Baldwin of Spokane, WA, who shared with two women. “As we began drinking our coffee, I commented on the Body Shop shopping bags that they both had and asked, ‘whatcha buy?’ They both started pulling out scented candles and hand lotions for me to smell and try out. The married girlfriend went home, and the other one and I had a great time shopping (a little) and going to a movie afterward.”

5. Do the java jive. What’s a coffee house without a soundtrack? “I’m always jamming to the music, and a few people have asked me who the band is or something,” says Austin-based Trina Nash. “It’s a nonthreatening way to start talking, and if I like the person, there’s plenty else to talk about.”

6. Make your introductions. “Behind the counter, we’re always getting to know our regulars,” says Constance Ruiz of Denver, CO. “But they don’t often get to know each other.” If there’s someone you see at your local café on a regular basis, introduce yourself. “I see you here a lot. I’m...” is an easy, straightforward way to start chatting. And even if you don’t date, this new friend could introduce you to your true match.

7. Make ’em laugh. “I’m not the most suave guy on the block, so I have to try harder,” admits Robert Vass of Boston, MA. “I often say something funny like, ‘Can I buy you that tea or would your rather just have the cash?’ My success rate isn’t 100 percent, but it’s actually better than I thought. Chicks dig humor.”

8. Read it and reap. “I love reading, so if I see someone with a book I’ve read, or one I’d like to, I’ll use that as an excuse to make contact,” says Cheryl Donley of Oxford, MS. Since you’re interrupting them, begin by saying something like, “I’m sorry to interrupt, but I’m dying to read that book — how is it?” or “Pardon me, but I think you’ll love that book — I did.”

9. Do your market research. New in town or simply looking for a new place to try? Ask the hottie in line with you to recommend other hangouts or coffee bars you might like. This is great for two reasons: 1) It’s an innocent conversation starter and 2) It’s a natural lead into getting together. “I like it here, but where else do you go for a good cup?” is a fine way to phrase it. If it goes well, the next (obvious) line is, “Would you like to go there together?”

10. Walk on the wild side. Maybe you’re the sort who’d like to win points for being bold. If so, consider this story: “My back was facing a table of girls and guys sitting down,” recalls Alisa Davis of San Francisco, CA. “One of the guys touched my shoulder and said, “We’ve reached a consensus at this table that you look great from where we’re sitting!” I couldn’t help but laugh and ended up sitting down with the people at the table and talking to that guy for hours.”

Website Wednesday: Operation Beautiful

My fabulous friend Hannah sent me this website the second week of college when I was having a difficult day. She always knows the right thing to say, and is so supportive when I need her. College is the perfect place for something like Operation Beautiful! The mission from their website gives you a little idea of what they're all about!

The goal of the Operation Beautiful website is to end negative self-talk or “Fat Talk.” If this little blog only does one productive thing, I hope it helps readers realize how truly toxic negative self-talk is — it hurts you emotionally, spiritually, and physically.

Through my own experiences fighting Fat Talk, I’ve realized the power behind an anonymous act such as Operation Beautiful. When I post a note, I’m saying, “I CHOOSE to be positive!”

I began Operation Beautiful by leaving positive messages on the mirrors of public restrooms — at work, at the gym, at the grocery store. I scribble down whatever comes to mind — "You are beautiful!" or "You are amazing just the way you are!" My personal goal is to leave as many Operation Beautiful notes as I can. Maybe some people read them and just smile, but I bet some people are truly touched by the effort of a random stranger.

Now go spread some love! <3

4 year plan!

This isn't Summer 2010, and I don't have a Tour Schedule, but I felt that Steve Moakler's drawing was equally relevant in my life.

Well, what can I say? The worst has happened. The one thing I swore to myself I wouldn't do...I have done. I stopped blogging! (gasp!) I haven't had a real post since August, and this really is appalling.

I don't mean to presume that anyone cares whether or not I have fallen off the face of the earth, but in the off chance that a couple of you do, here is an update.

School is awesome. Awesome, awesome, awesome!

From my roommates, to my classes, to the massive amounts of mac n cheese, it's awesome.

The first month of college has flown by, but I'm loving every minute of it. I'm finally all settled into my dorm room, and I'm quite happy with my Liberty of London bedding.

My roommate, Erin, is pretty much amazing. She is constantly surprising me with her love of musicals and rap music. She is the glue that holds the 4204 suite family together, and we are applying to live together next year as well. Liz and I had a great time at the K-State game together over Labor Day, and an awesome road trip back to school. Hannah is the peanut butter to my Oreos. Literally. She pushes me at the gym, but always knows when it's time to get serious and break out the ice cream. We've started a quote book, and it's difficult not to write down everything that is said. I won the roommate lottery with these girls!

My class schedule isn't too bad, and I get along great with all the other students. I have a music class every day at 8:30, which keeps me feeling exhausted. Besides that, I'm taking French, a Book Discuss class, Master Piano Class, Piano Accompanying class, Chorus, and piano lessons. My suitemate Hannah and I are stumbling through French class together. Our professor is very animated, and it makes me miss the Frechet's very, very much.

The Kite Runner was the selection for my Book Discuss class, which was taught by my advisor. I really enjoyed having a class where everyone had enough time to share there thoughts and ideas without being judged. When it was my day to lead the discussion, I brought peanut chicken skewers, which were a huge hit!

There are 4 Megans in my music class, so I am Megan Augusta. Being a music major is a love hate relationship. On the one hand, I was ecstatic over getting a key to the Piano Major practice room, and when I walk into the performance hall in the music building, I suddenly realize that my entire well being rests on preforming on that stage. On the other hand, I am constantly drained. On Tuesdays, I am only in my dorm room for one hour between 8:30am and 8:30pm. I cry over melodic dictation, and want to scream at the people who call my major "cute". But alas, c'est la vie!

Despite my mother's fear of malnutrition, I'm eating more than I ever could have imagined possible. Mac n Cheese has become my new best friend, and thanks to Matthew Riordan, I frequently make peanut butter and jelly waffles.

My roommates and I all went through Rush, and I am now an Alpha Gamma Delta! I love being able to call Erin my sister, along with 40 other freshman girls. We are social butterflies, attending every party and philanthropy event possible. My pledge mom's name is April, which just proves that God knows how important it is for me to always have one in my life. She even calls me "babycakes"!

I had a great time with my mother on family day. She didn't let go of me for more than five minutes, but I missed all her love. I was impressed that she waited until the other parents left before she started cleaning, unlike Erin's mom, who made her bed in the first two minutes.

This weekend I popped over to St. Louis for the ever wonderful pastime that my family is obsessed with: hockey! I was amazed at how quickly I fell back into the routine of jackets and blankets, Starbucks and fast food, and not to mention that ever distinctive smell.

It's bittersweet to leave for my St. Joe home, yet return to my new home here. I miss everyone dearly, but am somehow consoled by the fact that Tuesday classes continued after graduation.

I adore getting mail, weather it be tea bags or colored pictures (they are all hung on my wall!)

West Campus Suites 4204

215 W. Normal Street

Kirksville, MO 63501

Bonne journée mes chéries,

~Megan

p.s. Check back soon for a tour of my room/ Kite Runner review/ a story of Starbucks!

And if you managed to make it all the way to the bottom, I will be home for Fall Break October 21-24. I post a tea invite as soon as the details are worked out!

Alpha Gamma Delta!!!!

Picture of the Day

After a long day at the lake, the boys decided to take float out on the tube and relax in the sun. When my Aunt Kathy yelled out that we were going to untie them, they took us seriously! David is in front, saving his glasses. And Ben is in the back, saving the Pringles.

Truthful Tuesday

I know have a Twitter account, with which I "tweet".

I have no idea what I'm doing, and I text Miss Hannah every week with a new question.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder & it may be necessary from time to time to give a stupid or misinformed beholder a black eye ~Miss Piggy


Yeah, that's all I've got for now.

On this sunny Sunday morning, I can't help but thinking of the word "lovely". Having just attended a wedding, where I wore an amazing pink vintage dress I found in an antique mall last week, I'm feeling quite inspired.

I have always adored these pictures from Sarah Jessica Parker's perfume Lovely. The pink silk dress is so flattering, and the messy up-do combined with the bright pink lipstick is very chic.

Lovely is my word. Although I haven't reached the point of fully embodying it, it's more like a goal for my life. It's the person I hope to be.

1.

Charmingly or exquisitely beautiful: a lovely flower.

2.

Having a beauty that appeals to the heart or mind as well asto the eye, as a person or a face.

3.

Delightful; highly pleasing: to have a lovely time.

4.

Of a great moral or spiritual beauty: a lovely character

Song of the Week Saturday: Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop

Food Friday: Cleveland

Bonjour!

This weekend my mother and I are excited to check out this fantastic looking French restaurant in Cleveland. It's called Le Petit Triangle Cafe, and looks just as sweet and quaint as can be!

I'll be sure to post a follow up review next week!

Jour de joie, mes amis belle :)

Theater Thursday

Go see Eat Pray Love tomorrow!!!

Website Wednesday

Dear Readers,

Today I wanted to share with you one of the blogs I follow. I especially love Maiden Luxe for her wonderful vintage flair and sense of fashion! Check it out here!

~Megan

Truthful Tuesday

I require more personal space than a heard of American bison.

Do something nice for someone you don't know today :)

Mailbox Monday:

Hello everyone!

Dorm shopping is coming along well, but this is definitely the...strangest thing I've gotten. My wonderful, thoughtful mother, ordered me sample mayo this week to take to college. NOW my life is complete ;)

Happy Monday :)

Weddings...

Hello ladies,

Recently I've been very intrigued with weddings, and wanted to share a few things I've found with you! First off, I love that face veils are becoming fashionable again. They are so romantic looking, and perfect for a bride who doesn't want a full veil. Check out how stunning Katherine Heigl looked in hers:

I also love how lace is becoming popular! It's so lovely and elegant looking.

Song of the Week Saturday: Aqualung

If I ever make it back to Streetside Records, this is definitely on my list! It was released in April of this year, and so far the reviews I've found go both ways. I'll be interested to hear it for myself.

Food Friday

Start out by letting your ice cream sit on the counter for about an hour (this is a great time to paint your nails, or deep condition your hair!)

Then put your softened ice cream and 1 1/2 packages of Cappuccino mix into a mixer. We also added 1 cup of chocolate chips, because everyone needs a little chocolate!

Put the mixture back into the freezer until ready to serve. This takes about an hour. Enjoy!! :)

Theater Thursday: Identical Movies

Dear humans,

Today I thought I'd do something a little different for Theater Thursday. This was mostly brought on by the fact that I didn't really feel like writing a review on Dinner for Schmucks. Nevertheless, I do think this will be a success!

Let's start in 2004. Where Chasing Liberty was released on January 9th, and First Daughter on September 24th. Interesting.

Maybe that was just an off year, right? Next we move to 2006, where The Illusionist was released on September 1st, and The Prestige on October 20th.

I would love to hear some of your thoughts about this. It pretty safe to say that Hollywood caters to the majority. I also have noticed "filler" movies. The ones that are just there to sell a few tickets until the big movie comes out. Killers was one of these movies. Put a few big names like Ashton Kutcher and Katherine Heigl in it, and you make a few millions while everyone is waiting for Eclipse and Inception to come out.

Happy Thursday!

Website Wednesday!

When I posted the last video I had no idea how far it would take me. I journeyed to Capture Studio's website, and was blown away. They are incredible and amazing. The work they do is so beautiful, and their 4 minute videos are far better than any chick flick. If you have some time, please check our their website: http://vimeo.com/capturestudios
This is something they posted before a video:

1. Bride gets in hair and make-up

2. Groom puts on tux

3. Bride gets into the dress

4. They meet. She cries.

5. She walks down the aisle. He cries.

6. They kiss, dance and depart. Day over, we all cry.

Truthful Tuesday

Even though I fully believe in crying, sometimes I go weeks without shedding a tear.

The Official, Unofficial Video for True Like Your Name

SPENCER + ALEXANDRA // San Diego, CA from capture studios on Vimeo.

On a recent 'Monday Date' with Hannah, we decided that the good looking guys are jerks, and the ugly ones are...well ugly. And if by some crazy blue moon, there happens to be a good looking Christian guy, he's married! This summer I have been searching for a place of contentment, and acceptance that I am not, in fact, going to college to find a husband. This journey has lead me to some very interesting places. First, I started with Whitney. She is a beautiful, K-State graduate, who is so full of God's love. Check out her photography website here! Her advice to me was to make a list of "No Compromising", and to stick by it. I've been working on that list ever since, and am discovering a lot about myself through it. Next their was Karissa! When you look at her, you want whatever it is that she has. She is peaceful, and loving, and sure of herself. She encouraged me to stay strong in myself, and to not change that person for anything. Even a boy. After that there was Adrienne, who you read about in a post last week. Her words were simple, and it came down to that "God wants me to be attracted to my husband". I wanted to shout it to the world! Yes! God made me to be attracted to beauty, and it is a GOOD thing for wives to be attracted to their husbands. This is not vain or sinful! It is okay for me to want those things!
Well a week went by, and my certainty was fading. Of course, as soon as I post something about not crying, I cry for 3 days straight. I am a firm believer in crying. I think it's healthy, and therapeutic. And let me tell you, it was time for me to let it out! But by Friday I was feeling a little pathetic. There is good crying, and then there is obnoxious crying, and I was headed toward the deep end. Then I found this video just by chance. I follow Steve Moakler on Twitter, where he announced the release of this video. That then lead me to Spencer's photography website. He is an amazing Christian, who is fully supported by his wife! As I sat there crying for the last time that day, I felt God's arms around me. He was telling me to not give up. That all the desires of my heart can be met if I trust in Him. He is faithful, and I have no reason to doubt him.

Song of the Week Saturday: Hey Monday

Hello Readers!
I am super excited about Hey Monday's new music video! I love their lead singer Cassadee Pope. She is so chic and stylish, despite being the only female member of the band. On a side note, her new hair style is gorgeous, and I think that will be the look I try out on my next haircut. If you're looking to find Hey Monday this summer, they are touring with Warped Tour!

Food Friday

The Republic of Tea has just released their new Eat Pray Love tea!

Eat, Pray Love Tea blends flavors from heroine Elizabeth Gilbert’s three destinations of self-discovery – succulent blood oranges from Italy, smooth black tea from India and heart-warming cinnamon from Indonesia. It is packaged in a recyclable, airtight collector’s tin with label art from the film.

Theater Thursday: The Social Network

I'm talking about taking the entire social experience of college and putting it on the internet.
That's what this movie is about. Facebook. Things written there aren't written in pencil. It's ink. Permanent. Lasting. Forever.
There are several directions I could take this post. I could hit the world upside the head with my Jane Austen action figure and demand we all go back to quill pens and paper. Long love letters, and stories of balls and lace. I could preach my homeschool stance, saying that too much socialism leads to terrible things like holding hands (I suppose I must point out that I'm being humorous here, because some of you might think I'm actually serious).
I am anxious to see where this film goes. Right now, I can't imagine a world without Facebook. There are so many people I would never talk to without it. Yes, this is a horrible reality to be faced with, but none the less, a true one. At the same time, I don't think there is a single person out there who hasn't been injured by the site. It could be that their self esteem went down because of some girl's air brushed photos, or the fact that they don't have as many friends as so-and-so.
The more I think about it, the more I can correlate it to People Magazine. There is a small part in each of us that wonders what it's like to be famous. Facebook gives us that glimpse! Our relationships and breakups are plastered around like entertainment. Our vacation photos viewed with envy. Our status updates gleaming with over dramatized adventure stories of going to the movies. Yet, we adore it. In February 2004, Mark Zuckerberg and co-founders Dustin Moskovitz, Chris Hughes and Eduardo Saverin, did actually launch Facebook from their Harvard dorm room. Since then, the site has reached over 400 million users. 50% of them log on to Facebook on any given day. People spend over 500 billion minutes on Facebook every month.
So what is it about Facebook that draws us in? Let me help you out. These stories were taken from the recently added application Facebook Stories:
"A woman's Facebook status updates from her mobile phone become a lifeline for her and a group of 36 people traveling in Haiti during the earthquake. A recently laid-off man lands a new job by reaching out to his friends on Facebook. After 15 years apart, a father reconnects with his daughter through Facebook" just to name a few.
Despite my post, you must decide for yourself. Is this the culture of death at it's highest? Or just another MySpace? I like to hope the site will take a turn for the better, and that I can use it to express my creative side, as well as my Catholic stance.
Either way, I know the site will live on.

Website Wednesday!

Good evening everyone!

Today I would like to give a shout out to my wonderful friend Adrienne Doring. She was generous enough to take my senior pictures (as you see displayed above) and did a fantastic job! It has been almost 10 months, and I still can't believe how great they are. Every day I discover a new favorite!

Adrienne is so talented, and I am honored to recommend her website. Her business is Magnified Moments, where her pictures will just blow you away. Not only is she an amazing photographer, but she is also an amazing woman. I am so inspired by her love for the Catholic Church and her Pro-life stance! Adrienne's husband, Greg, is the director of FOCUS for our area, and they recently had a baby girl, Monica, who is just as cute as can be with her red hair :)

Mailbox Monday & Truthful Tuesday

Mailbox Monday: If you thought waiting 3 months for Liberty of London bedding to arrive was a long time, you will die when I tell you it took 5 months for my very own copy of Enchanted April to finally make it into my hands!

My mother and I have a standing tradition of watching Enchanted April every year, on a rainy night in April. So of course we we're thrilled when the ladies of our book club agreed to add it to the list. After my mother gave away one copy, and one eBay order fell through, I can now say, it's mine!

Truthful Tuesday: I've recently discover that the much younger Alfred Molina and the lead singer of Mumford and Sons have a striking resemblance! And now every time I listen to The Cave, I have that ridiculous image of Mr. Molina in Enchanted April, standing there in his bath towel, with all his chest hair burned off! This is only something you can completely understand, if you've seen the film, and if you're me.

I will spare you the emotional and physical scarring, but if you do wish to see the image, click here.

Food Friday

This is the best peanut butter cookie recipe I've ever found. And look how happy they will make you!! (In case you were wondering, yes, my job is better than yours)

2 ½ c. flour
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ lb. (2 sticks) SALTED butter, softened but still firm
1 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. granulated sugar
1 c. peanut butter
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. chocolate chips

Adjust oven rack to low-center position. Heat oven to 350°. Line large cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in medium bowl, set aside.

Either by hand or with electric mixer, beat butter until creamy. Add sugars; beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes with electric mixer, stopping to scrape down bowl as necessary. Beat in peanut butter until fully incorporated, then eggs, one at a time, then vanilla. Gently stir dry ingredients into peanut butter mixture. Add ground peanuts, stir gently until just incorporated.

Working with generous 2 tablespoons each time, roll dough into 2 inch balls. Place balls on parchment-lined cookie sheet, leaving 2 ½ inches between each ball. Press each dough ball twice with dinner fork dipped in cold water to make crisscross design. Bake until cookies are puffed and slightly brown along the edges (but not on top--they will look slightly underbaked) about 10-12 minutes.

Theater Thursday: Inception

There is a fine line between loving this movie, and hating it. To determine which side you will fall on, you should ask yourself this simple question: Can I love a movie, even if I don't understand all of it? If you answered no, save your money. If you answered yes, then this is by far the best movie made this year. To follow your "yes" answer, you should click here and watch the trailer, and then see it as soon as possible.

3 reasons why this movie is awesome:

1. It was directed by Christopher Nolan, the director of The Dark Knight (i.e. fantastic chase scenes)

2. Some genius mind followed the tradition of having Leonardo Dicaprio start out in the water.

3. Brilliant cast including Joseph Gordon-Levitt (seriously, who doesn't love him after 500 Days of Summer?!), Ellen Page (nice to see her as a more serious character), and Michael Caine (it's a small role, but he brings so much to this film).

Favorite quotes:

"Dreams feel real while we're in them. It's only when we wake up that we realize something was actually strange."

"Quick, give me a kiss."

(she does, then looks around)

"Did that do anything?"

"No, but it was worth a shot."

That's it for Theater Thursday, hope you enjoy it :)

Website Wednesday!

Hello readers,
The website for this lovely Wednesday is http://www.aolnews.com/category/weird-news/

Check it out for a few laughs :)

Truthful Tuesday

This week was difficult. I wanted to think of something personal, and creative to put on here. Something intelligent, and insightful.

Well anyway, that didn't happen. So instead, you get to find out something slightly lame, and a little bit quirky.

I.......like science fiction! I know, who would have ever guessed! I am currently reading The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, and The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul, by Douglas Adams.

First, a little background information on the book. The introduction goes something like this:

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy — not an Earth book, never published on Earth, and until the terrible catastrophe occurred, never seen or heard of by any Earthman. Nevertheless, a wholly remarkable book. in fact it was probably the most remarkable book ever to come out of the great publishing houses of Ursa Minor — of which no Earthman had ever heard either. Not only is it a wholly remarkable book, it is also a highly successful one — more popular than the Celestial Home Care Omnibus, better selling than Fifty More Things to do in Zero Gravity, and more controversial than Oolon Colluphid's trilogy of philosophical blockbusters Where God Went Wrong, Some More of God's Greatest Mistakes and Who is this God Person Anyway? In many of the more relaxed civilizations on the Outer Eastern Rim of the Galaxy, the Hitch Hiker's Guide has already supplanted the great Encyclopedia Galactica as the standard repository of all knowledge and wisdom, for though it has many omissions and contains much that is apocryphal, or at least wildly inaccurate, it scores over the older, more pedestrian work in two important respects. First, it is slightly cheaper; and secondly it has the words Don't Panic inscribed in large friendly letters on its cover.

Now that you have a basis for the book, I would like to continue by stating that I do think this series is a classic. I believe a book can be called a classic if it is timeless. I know this to be true in the present situation because you can simply change the quote a bit, and it goes something like this...

"If human beings don't keep Facebooking, their brains will start working!"

Since you are probably a little confused, let me now insert the actual quote.

"It is worth repeating at this point the theories that Ford had come up with, on his first encounter with human beings, to account for their peculiar habit of continually stating and restating the very, very obvious, as in "It's a nice day," or "You're very tall," or "So this is it, we're going to die".His first theory was that if human beings didn't keep exercising their lips, their mouths probably seized up.After a few months of observation he had come up with a second theory, which was this - "If human beings don't keep exercising their lips, their brains start working".In fact, this second theory is more literally true of the Belcerebon people of Kakrafoon.The Belcerebon people used to cause great resentment and insecurity amongst neighboring races by being one of the most enlightened, accomplished, and above all quiet civilizations in the Galaxy. As a punishment for this behavior, which was held to be offensively self righteous and provocative, a Galactic Tribunal inflicted on them that most cruel of all social diseases, telepathy. Consequently, in order to prevent themselves broadcasting every slightest thought that crosses their minds to anyone within a five mile radius, they now have to talk very loudly and continuously about the weather, their little aches and pains, the match this afternoon and what a noisy place Kakrafoon has suddenly become."

My true hope is that this post convinces one of you to read the book, because then I will have someone to talk about it with! If this goal is reached, I will truly be able to say this was a successful Truthful Tuesday :)