Slow Down, Week!

Hey guys!

Why is that when you're having a terrible week, the whole week goes by so slow? Likewise, why when you're having an amazing one does it fly by? My spring break has been nothing short of spectacular. I'm planning a big post for Sunday showing everything that I've done while home. While I may not be sipping away at a Mai-Tai on a beautiful, sunny coastal beach, I believe I'm having the classic spring break by being home. Classic always wins out in the end too ;) For my hump day post I decided to show a few of my favorite websites (the non-mainstream ones), the ones that are always there when the rest of the internet seems boring! Pinterest not included because we all know thats #1. These sites won't sharpen you intellectually, but we all have those days when we want to be lazy on the internet and these are just some I've found.

1. If You Watch It Backwards This is a tumblr site, but it's one I found so randomly, randomly enough that I don't remember how! It always has something on it that's funny or just plain interesting. Whoever operates the tumblr does a great job with this site. You're guaranteed to find something that will make you laugh or put you in awe. It's just a cool site to check out once in awhile. It's either a hit or miss with some of the pictures, but the nonetheless on a good day it can be a fun site.

This was one of their pictures in a section called "Fashion of the Congo"

2.What My Friends Think I Do This site kind of collects those pictures that have been floating around Facebook. Again, it's a hit or miss. Some of them are hysterical and others I just don't have enough knowledge about what they're saying to understand. I like it because sometimes, if you find a picture that hits home with you or a friend, they can brighten your whole day.

You can expect to find pictures like these, they're humorous!

3. Post Secret I hope you all are familiar with the Post Secret project series! If not, you are missing out my friends. Summed up - Post Secret is an idea thought up by this guy. You send a homemade post card and write a secret on it of yours. Then he picks the craziest ones, the most beautiful ones, and the ones that just make you think and publishes them in a book. It is 100% anonymous and SO much fun to read and to know there are people out there who are really human. A lot can be sad and really make you reflect. It's a nice little collection, and awesome to see that people think the same way about a lot. People send in the secrets that they could never say out loud. I'm obsessed with Post Secret - I own the books he's published with them, but if you just want a taste before you commit to the book here's their site.

Example

Example

4. Free Samples. I consider myself generous to share this last website!! I haven't told anybody about it, and I've been keeping it as my little secret. How stupid I would feel if everyone else knew about it already, and I'm just late to the party. Basically, everyday this website finds a free sample of something. Yes, everyday you get a free goodie. Downside is for most you have to wait 4-6 weeks in the mails to get it, but just last week I got a 7 day sample of Lancome Genifique. Not too shabby.

That's about it for Wednesday. Hope everyone is having a healthy and happy week and is looking forward to the weekend as much as I am.

XOXO, Rosie

{Two} of My Best Buds

Hey guys!

Best friends are the best. Ha! But really, they are. I think it's important to have a few very best friends. They can all be "best" at one thing in particular - whether they're your best friend at making you laugh, your best friend at listening to your problems, or your best friend to goof off with. You can have best friends at everything, and I consider myself very lucky to have the people that I do in my life.

I've always been a huge believer in the statement that it's better to have a few very, very good friends instead of many acquaintances. Some people like to have a huge group of not-s0-good friends, but to me it's better to have the few and the fabulous. It's the quality not the quantity that counts when it comes to friendships right?

In one of my first posts I talked about how Kyle is my best friend - and he is! He's there for everything and I love him for it. We have the most fun together. However, this post isn't about Kyle...it's about the wonderful girls in my life! I'm leaving out a few :( but these are just the two that are there for me always.

1. My sister, Lucy. We're five years (almost five) apart but that doesn't stop us - we're the best of friends. Having a sister is the biggest blessing. It's like being born into having a girlfriend that will always have your back no matter what. It's having a girlfriend who will always stand up for you and protect you and make sure you're happy. Sure we had our fights, and our tattle wars, and our "don't wear my clothes" wars, but we still had a great time all the time. She's like a walking inside joke - half the things I see everyday can be traced back to some joke we have that only she knows, and I love having that bond with someone. I couldn't ask for a better big sister. She's always there for me and I try to be as good to her as she is to me. She's the craziest, most confident and most wonderful girl ever. She's the only girl I know that doesn't need makeup and looks even more beautiful without any on. She's spunky and is the definition of "being yourself." Maybe that's why it's been so easy for me to be myself! Every girl with a sister is truly, truly blessed. It's a lifelong friend. The craziest part for us? We are both adopted, so it's fate that we ended up being sisters. God knew we were supposed to find each other and be together forever...so here we are!

{Us as littles}

{Just the two of us}

{Nothing but love}

2. My high school girl, Francesca. Every girl in high school dealt with some shall we say, turbulence? when it came to friendships. There were rumors, fights - well, we've all seen Mean Girls and lived through it so you know what I'm talking about. Francesca and I actually didn't become friends until our senior year. It was weird - we had the same mutual friends but for some reason just never linked up with one another. Senior year though our boyfriends were best friends, so it was only natural that we became close too - and we did! We had the most fun doing nothing, and we had our little tradition of getting frozen yogurt before the boys baseball games. From our lunch table, to prom, to graduation, we survived senior year together and had a pretty perfect year - the best that anyone could ask for. I don't know what I'd do if we hadn't become friends, and I don't want to. Francesca is the type of friend that I can not talk to for months at a time, then when we pick up again it feels like just yesterday...like no time has passed. Those are the best of friends - the ones that you can be apart from for months but see each other and have nothing have changed.

{Through everything we go!}

{Always there}

Well I tried to keep it as short as possible, but that's just a little taste into my love for my two best girlfriends.

"A true friend knows your a good egg even if you're half cracked." ~Unknown

XOXO, Rosie

Sunshine Award ☀

Hi guys!

Kelsey over at Just Another Blonde Princess tagged me for the Sunshine Award, so now that I'm on spring break I have time to answer the questions and then pass it onto five other blogger friends, yippie!

Favorite color? This is an impossible question, how can you have just one? I'd say my all time favorite, favorite colors would be red and purple. Close seconds are pink and white though. And grey and yellow! Told you, I can't pick just one. Non-negotiable favorites are red and purple though.

Favorite number? Easy, 2. It was my first soccer number ever since I was three and I just love the number 2. Can't explain it - then again we all have our crazy number we obsess over right?

Favorite non-alcoholic drink? This sounds so lame of me, but water. I love everything about water especially when it's chock full of ice cubes. With lemon!

Facebook or Twitter? Hard to say. I couldn't really imagine not having either which is why I can't pick. Facebook I love because of the pictures, but Twitter I like because it's so quick and easy. Tie?

My passion? Cooking, baking, and writing. I love cooking because I think it's so cool to take a bunch of ingredients and combine them to make something delicious. I love baking because I am the queen of the sweet tooth. Plus, it's so fun to share baked goods - they are the universal cure all.

Favorite Animal? Dogs and monkeys! Anyone seen the preview for Disney's Chimpanzee with Oscar?! I'm in love he is adorable. I want a dog and a monkey. Both of my puppies died last year and I miss them everyday. They were perfection. Crazy how dogs become family.

Giving or Getting Presents? Both! Which makes Christmas the perfect holiday because there's a little of each. I like getting presents for myself, but I get nervous getting them. No clue why, I just get anxious opening them. I do love surprising people though and seeing the looks on their faces if I did a good job. So overall...I probably like giving more.

Favorite Pattern? Chevron. Or stripes.

Favorite Flower? My name makes me bias to roses...but I also love a mix of tulips and peonies! Calla lillies are a beauty as well. But roses, tulips, and peonies definitely win me over.

Now that I had my turn, I tag the following five:

Elle @ A Southern Belle Named Elle

Allie @ Sundresses and Smiles

Erin @ Towhead Tales

Provincial Beauty on a Budget

Jordan Linna @ Dragonfly Tales

Get your sunshine going!

XOXO, Rosie

Friday Friday!

Helloooo friends!

Praise the LORD I never thought this day would come. Finally, I'm on spring break!!! I can't wait to get home and just relax. Sweet, sweet spring break. I will be just fine soaking up the D.C. sun. People underestimate it, but I have gotten some of my best tans laying out in the hammock in my backyard.

Today couldn't be a more perfect day either. I showed up to class (unlike the rest of my classmates) and got two extra bonus points on my midterm for going...and the professor cancelled class! Good start to the day. It's also about 80 degrees so I'm sitting outside in my *navy blue and orange* sundress just soaking up some last minute rays before I head home.

One thing I particularly love about my school is the trees that blossom in the springtime. So many people just walk by them but they are so damn pretty I can't stand it. They are cherry blossom-esque and look amazing. It's too bad so many people just walk by them everyday and don't take the time to appreciate them. I don't think you're really living life unless you take the time to soak up your surroundings.

Another thing I love about the spring is fro-yo. True, I love it all year round - but eating it in the spring time makes it that much better. Something about how cold it is mixed with how warm the weather is just makes me feel great. It also reminds me of high school - my best friend Francesca and I used to go get frozen yogurt and then go back after school to watch the boys baseball games. It was our little thing, and I miss it! I need to do a post on Francesca (remind me!). I also think it's so funny the different flavor combinations people can come up...still searching for my topping and flavor soulmate.

Kyle and I saw 21 Jump Street yesterday. It was honestly the funniest movie I've seen in awhile and it had me laughing the whole time. Not only was it funny but it kind of taught you a lesson - no matter who you were and who you were friends with in high school, none of that matters when you grow up. Anyone can be friends with anyone, and you can find yourself being close with people you never would have imagined. Happened to me this year! I always thought I'd be friends with a lot of athletes, but recently I've found friends from all different backgrounds and interests and I love them all! Always keep an open door to new friends.

{Side note, everyone should see the movie it is too funny...Kyle and I even saw a 75 year old couple laughing in the movie too - it's fun for everybody}

Before I go home for break, it's nice to just look at my campus. We never really see it for how beautiful it is because we're always too busy cursing it for making us work our little butts off. It's nice to just take a step back and remind yourself how lucky you are because of where you are.

Last but not least...the weather I'll be going home to today is...

Perfection, perfection, perfection!

Days like today with a cool breeze and a warm sun make me realize how lucky I am to be where I am, have who I have, and be who I am. And ALL of you should feel the same way too.

Happy Friday and have a beautiful, warm, perfect weekend.

XOXO, Rosie

Hump Day Thought

What's the best piece of advice you ever received? Likewise, what's the worst advice?

I think it's good to get as much advice as possible - that being said I think that like, 70% of what other people advise you to do is bologna and won't get you very far. It's just good to hear advice so you can find out what works for you, and you can learn to separate the good from the bad for yourself.

1. The best advice I ever heard...this is a tough one because I think there are so many. The best advice I ever heard was to do what makes you happy, and that anything worth doing is worth doing right. We need to be happy, hello!? We have no reason not to be. Just find your happy wherever you can. As far as anything worth doing is worth doing right, I find it to be really true. If you're going to make the decision to do something and put your time and energy into it, then you might as well do it to the best of your ability. Otherwise, why do it all?

2. The worst advice I ever heard was that you have to finish what you started. I just think it's so untrue and vague! If you don't want to finish, don't. Unless it's super important and life changing, things aren't that important and they can be left undone.

Such a short post, sorry guys!

XOXO, Rosie

Tuesday

Hey guys! I don't know about you, but like always I am so ready for this week to be over. Probably because my spring break starts on Friday! I'm not going anywhere this year, just home to be with my family. Too bad, I really could use some sun and fun but I also miss my family terribly and would love nothing more than to spend a week home with them. Today is a two part post because I don't think I'll be back on tomorrow (last week of school, lots of midterms...you know the drill).

1. First off, St. Patty's day was a huge success. I made Kyle a big, green breakfast to get his day started off on a good note. I made the lucky charm cupcakes I posted on my St. Patty's inspiration post, but stupidly forgot to take a picture! Anyways - those were a big success. I made some for my best girlfriends, and I made some for Kyle's roommates. They were all gone in a flash, so next year people...make them for your friends!! Best way to show you care for someone is to cook them something delicious, in my opinion at least.

Kyles green pancake Patty's day breakfast

2. My favorite pair of Ugg moccasins finally ripped, sad day for me. I think it was their way of telling me that spring was here and I needed to resort to a cuter, more spring time look. So, in honor of those little moccasins I got another pair. They are the prettiest shade of blue and make my day by just slipping them on. I can't find an exact link for them, but I did find these two pictures and I'd say they are a cross between these shoes (but cuter!).

3. Something I need in my closet is... the Lily Pulitzer Maybell dress! The minute I saw it I coveted it. I love this dress, maybe for the color and maybe for the beadwork - but something about it just screams my name. Sad that it costs an upward of $250 but still...it seems like the classic dress that could never go out of style, right? Keeping my fingers crossed that this little number will be in my closet sooner rather than later.

4. Since I said I was doing spring break home, here's a little collage of my favorite things to do back in D.C. The pictures are a little bit hard to see (time crunch, wah) but if you want any specifics just shoot me a message! Obviously this is a non-exhaustive list, it's just the places I'm looking forward to going back to the most when I get home. I did leave some favorites out though, you'll have to venture down to the cap to find them yourself ;)

Washington Monument - Yes it's very touristy, but I love nothing more than driving down there at night and laying on the lawn in front of it and just staring up at it in all it's glory. Plus the fountains by the monument are even prettier at night when they are lit up.

Georgetown Cupcake - Again, very touristy...but sometimes a girl just needs a little red velvet. This was actually a picture of their old store front before they moved. So many cupcake places are around the city now though that I find equally to be as good - especially the non-chain ones.

National Zoo - Again, very very touristy...but I don't care. Ask any of my friends, I'm an avid zoo lover and zoo goer. I love nothing more than going to see the orangutans. My favorite is Lucy. She's the oldest one there but has the biggest personality. She'll make faces with you and is just hilarious to spend an afternoon looking at.

Bens Chili Bowl - Kind of touristy. It's a main staple to DC life but it is so delicious regardless. The best is their classic Cosby half smoke. Kyle has never been there, so I'm taking him for spring break. Their cheese fries too are out of this world. This is a place to go to splurge on whatever diet you're on. Trust me, you'll want to.

Georgetown - What's not to love about Georgetown? There's something for everybody. Great shopping, fantastic food, gorgeous architecture - everything you could want for a sunny afternoon. Taking a walk through Georgetown is one of my favorite things to do, you always find something new.

Dupont Circle - Despite what rumors and labels this place has about it, it still is a great place to just hang out for the afternoon. They have great little stores and restaurants, and a fabulous circle with a huge fountain. I love it here, and wish I could spend more time here also. Definitely check out the neighborhood if you're ever in the city.

Washington Nationals! - Games haven't started yet, sad! But summer time is all about the Nationals game. They have the best atmosphere, and I'm so happy DC finally got their baseball team back. The area around the stadium is really developing too, so I think you'll start to see more places pop up around there. My perfect summer day is a hot sun, jean shorts, a five guys burger, and a Nats game with a big honkin scoop of gelato.

Sweet Green - Please tell me you guys have tried this? Sadly we don't have one by school for me, but Sweet Green is my ultimate favorite salad. They have the best best best and freshest salads you could ask for in my opinion. And they have fro yo too! I'm salivating just thinking about their chicken caesar salad. I get mine with grapes and apples in it - you can add in your own toppings to the salad. Plus it's super fast.

Surfside - Last but certainly not least is Surfside, one of my favorite restaurants in DC. It's like a baja restaurant, with lots of burritos, tacos, quesadillas, and more. It's a very laid back place and I love the atmosphere in it. It reminds me of a beach restaurant that you go into after a long hot day outside. All their menu items have original names such as Acapulco, Belize, Cozumel...you get the picture! My favorite is the Cuba tacos. It's pork carnitas with the best pineapple salsa you'll ever taste. It's the perfect combination of salty and sweet. I cannot wait to go here right when I get home.

So that's a little about me and my hometown favorites. Everyone has their own but that's just a glimpse into what I love about where I'm from.

XOXO, Rosie

St. Patty's Preview

As promised, my St. Patricks day preview! I figure I won't have time to post tomorrow, so this is ambitious of me to have two posts in one day...bear with me! I love, love, love holidays. I don't care what the holiday is, I just love a reason to celebrate and drink/eat/look festive. St. Patty's day is no exception! I even changed my font GREEN for the post! Here's what I'm doing and thinking of doing for the green day.

1. Irish soda bread. Simple and classic, and effortlessly tasty. Smother on a nice homemade honey butter and you have a delicious little treat for yourself and friends. It's the best. Don't be fooled either, store brands of Irish soda bread don't live up to the real homemade deal. It's like a biscuit taste wise, depending on what you add in. I prefer it plain with a jazzed up butter.

Baking Instructions

2. I love anything macaroon related. I just love them. These I made earlier in the year (except as Pumpkins for Halloween). I followed a similar recipe to this one, but these are more shamrock specific for you. Very, very tasty but make sure you have the patience and the time to prepare there. The chocolate ganache is delicious with them. My rule of thumb with these personally is that they are a bit hard to master, as are all macaroons, so consider yourself forewarned before beginning your baking endeavor. I hate to say they are for more experienced bakers because I'm NOT experienced and I think that sounds pretentious, but in this case these are a bit of a challenge. How cute are they though?

Macaroons

3. So adorable. I had these in elementary school actually when I was little. Someones mom brought them in and they just made me so excited for St. Patricks day. Lord knows how excited I was to find them again on the internet! These can be made with any cupcake mix, flavor doesn't matter at all. Really the best part about them is the Lucky Charms on top of the cupcake. They are huge crowd pleasers believe me. My 7 year old self still loves these. If you're trying to make them even more festive, try a green velvet cupcake!

Lucky Charm Cakes

4. My favorite! Green pancakes. Oh my goodness I don't know where to begin. Nothing gets you more excited for a holiday than a THEMED breakfast. These give me chills I love them so much. All you have to do is add green food coloring. Easy, adorable...and if you make them for a boyfriend, for a friend, for a kid...you will be number one in their book.

5. This is really only applicable I think if you're going to some sort of day party, night party, or any kind of St. Patty's parade or party of some sort. It's over the top I'd say for a day look just going to the super market, but hey it's a holiday so you could get away with more than you think! I think it's cute - a little too much glitter but I love the idea and the spirit of it.

6. Last, but certainly not least. Probably should have put it first because it's my favorite part...but I wanted to save the surprise for last. Dun dun dun...green beer! If you don't like green beer on St. Patty's day you are looney, and you deserve a million pinches! People think it's so difficult to make - but funny thing is it's the easiest thing to do possibly ever. Pick your favorite (light ale) beer. Basically pick the lightest color beer you can, AKA stay away from the Guinness family. Put some green food coloring in, stir stir stir. WAHLA! Green beer. Beautiful, same taste, 10 times more fun.

Have a great St. Patty's day and an even better weekend. Hopefully my post inspired you to get a little green yourself. It's one day a year, show the Irish some love!

XOXO, Rosie