bittersweet.

As I'm sure everyone knows.. it all ends tonight. 
Harry Potter that is, what else would I have been referring to?! 


I'm a Harry Potter fan. I wouldn't say I'm the craziest fan.. but I'm on the crazy scale for sure. 
As excited as I am to see this movie tonight at 12:01am I sort of want to cry at the same time. I dont want this era to be over. What will I look forward to movie wise the REST OF MY LIFE?? (yes I wanted that to be extremely dramatic.)


I'm having a constant battle in my head on whether or not I should actually go see the movie. The sooner I see it, the sooner it's over.. BUT I HAVE TO SEE IT!!!!! 


Ahhhh constant inner self battles are the absolute worst. 

hump day.

Every week my best friend from high school comes over and him and I make dinner together. Well, more I make him dinner. 

He likes to call it: wife-ing me. 

aka.. getting me ready to be a wife! 

He is bringing over tuna steaks to make sashimi as an appetizer and I'm in charge of coming on with a main course and side dishes. 

I. have. no. idea. what. I'm. going. to. cook. 

Any suggestions?

weekend favorites

butter dish: anthropologie 

belt: target 

phone case: dillards

5 finger shoes: sun & ski 

home grown cucumbers from a dear friend

delicious snack 

new maxi dress: anthropologie 

This weekend, I went shopping! It was much needed retail therapy and I could not be happier with my new snags! :)

Hope everyone had a great weekend! 

fifteen.

 
Today, is my sisters birthday! She is turning 15 and growing up so fast! We are pretty far about, 6 years. But we are freakishly close. We have never fought a day in our lives and are best friends! She is one of the biggest blessings in my life. We have always been attached at the hip and I pray every day nothing would ever come between us. She is amazingly smart, funny, witty, caring, big hearted, and beautiful on the inside out (as you can see!). I'm so excited to drive home today to spend the evening with her in celebration! 

Cheraden: 2. Me: 8.

Happy Birthday Cheraden, 

I love you to the moon and back! 

blue green algae

there was a blue green algae scare this weekend at the lake.

but it was blown out of proportion.

& we wanted to play anyway.

so we did!

we're not scared of blue green algae! 

red white & blue

red white & blue 

strawberries white chocolate & blue sprinkles 

I wanted to make my family and friends a fun little treat for the long weekend. 

we spent it at the lake so it was important for me to make a finger food treat! 

& of course who doesnt love chocolate covered strawberries

... this is just the remix! :) 

bag o' strawberries 

dip in 1 bag of melted white chocolate

directly dip the strawberry into the sprinkles while chocolate is still moist.

& voi la!

dunzo! 

quick. easy. delicious! 

the fourth.

I will warn you now.. the next week all my posts will be about 4th of July. 

I love 4th of July. 

love it. 

This fourth of July felt different to me. I appreciated it more. It was more real; what our men and women have done for us seemed more real. 

I was sitting there 2 nights in a row, watching fireworks listening to America themed music in a free country that men and women fight for everyday with my family and best friend. 

I've always understood what Independence Day meant. I promise I do. But for the first time in my life I felt like I understood what life would be like if we weren't free and what those men and women are like.

I give credit to 2 things: 1.) Africa 2.) my navy friends

As you all know, I just got back from 3 weeks in South Africa. What I probably havent mentioned is that I'm going back for 3 months next year and plan to move there when I graduate. 

I miss it so much.

Even though I miss it and want to go back. I understand now what a privilege it is to live in America. 

I just got back from a place where crime is inevitable and corruption is guaranteed. 

I just got back from a place with men holding machine guns and machetes ready to use them on anyone. 

And this weekend I was home. home. 

I was in the home of the free. 

home of the brave. 

Brave. 

Brave brings me to my next point. This year I met, dated, fell in love, and broke up with a man in the Navy. 

But I also fell in love with his friends. 

I still speak with all of them [including him] weekly. 

And for the first time in my life, I am close with people in the military. 

During the fireworks all I could see in my head was their faces and I realized the reality of war and men and women in the military. 

They, my friends, are the ones who are fighting. 

my friends are the ones keeping us free and safe.

As Americans, we take a lot for granted. Including our freedom. 

That is one thing I will never take for granted again. 

It took me 20 years, but I think I finally grasp the reality and magnitude of how amazing and blessed our country is as well as all the men in women who have ever been, are, or will be in the military. 

So thank you. 

Thank you very much. 

God Bless you ALL!!