Happy to be Alive, Because: Vacations & Mechanical Bulls.

1. I've been on vacation all week and it has been incredible. No responsibilities and lots of free time...perfection. 

2. Just about every day this week has been a pool day. I now have a tan that teenage me would have had the first week of summer, but adult me is pretty proud of it.

3. I rode a mechanical bull. 

Sorry for the bad picture, but really...when's the last time you saw a mechanical bull somewhere with good lighting?

At the beginning of this year I decided that one thing I didn't like about myself was that I was too timid. So this year I've been trying to say yes as much as possible and stop letting "no" be my first reaction to everything. So on Wednesday night I rode a mechanical bull while wearing a dress. And it was fantastic. 

4. Even though I'm super sad that we have to go back to the real world on Monday, I can't help but think about how lucky I am to live with someone every day who I would want to spend a week of vacation with. This next week may include a lot more work and a lot less pool, but it'll still include coffee in the morning with my very best friend. And that's pretty great. 

5. My parents and little brother are coming over today! I can't wait for them to see why I love where I live so freakin' much.

Happy Friday! Cheers to vacations and to real life, too. 

What made you happy to be alive this week?

What We Should Take Away From the Reaction to Robin Williams' Death

On Monday, Robin Williams was found dead of an apparent suicide and people all around the world wept.

Twitters and Instagrams filled up with pictures and quotes and people expressing their sadness over the loss of a man who brought so much laughter into so many people's lives.  But they also filled up with something else.

They filled up with messages of hope.

Messages of people sharing their own stories of managing depression and choosing to live.  Messages of people urging others to get help if they felt like taking their own life, promising that someone would miss them and the world wouldn't be better without them, no matter how strongly they felt that way.  "Your life matters" started trending on twitter within an hour of the story breaking.

Why do we wait for something so tragic to happen to tell people their life matters?

Yes, when depression and suicide are brought to light by a high profile tragedy, it's a great opportunity to tell people they're not alone and that their life matters.  But so is a Tuesday afternoon.

When the ugliness of depression rears it's head in such a public way, it's easy to respond.  It's easy to post something on twitter and tell people you love them and they are wanted, because you know that everyone else is also sitting in the wake of a sad event.

But is that maybe waiting a little too long?

Do not wait for death to show its face before you choose to celebrate life. 

Don't wait for tragedy to motivate you into telling people you love them and that they matter.  Tell them every chance you get.  If you have a story that could help others, share it now.  Celebrate the lives of those around you.  Celebrate just how wonderful it is to be alive.

Don't wait for death.  Celebrate life now.

Pros + Cons of Living in the Sunshine State.

Pro: Sunshine. 

There are very few weeks out of the year that are too cold to lay on the beach or by the pool. I would say months, but even the "coldest" months have days with pool-worthy weather. It may not be an endless summer, but it's pretty darn close.

this is my dad & his dog.  they're bff. 

Con: Humidity.

I'm convinced that beachy waves only became a trend because Floridians had no clue what else to do with their hair.  Makeup? That's a funny joke.  I'm still learning my lesson on this one.  No mater how great you look when you leave the house, you're going down a good six notches once you step outside.  Frizz serum and setting spray are no match for Florida.

Pro: All the good things about summer, all year long. 

All of the good things you love about summer are pretty much always around in Florida. If you love sundresses and sandals, move it on down to the sunshine state. Bikinis and flip flops, all year long. Cookouts? Twelve months out of the year.

You can always find really fun shops for drinks, popsicles, ice cream, and any other treat that usually stays in the summer. You want a tropical fruit popsicle the week after Christmas? You got it.

I get mad when people say things like, "Living in Florida must be like being on vacation all the time!" Because hello, work.  But then sometimes on a Saturday in November I'll park it by the pool with a fruity drink and think, yeah, vacation.

Con: Lack of Seasons.

I love fall more than the average human being, so living somewhere with no changing leaves and no need to wear boots and scarfs is a little bit of a bummer.  However, there is something to be said about living somewhere you can drink a pumpkin spice latte in the morning and work on your tan in the afternoon.

Pro: Variety. 

On one tank of gas, I could make it to the beach, a college town, a few downtown areas, the river, some suburban towns, some rural areas, and theme parks. Florida isn't just beach towns, it isn't just tourist destinations, it isn't just suburban neighborhoods. It's all of those things, and they're all pretty close to each other. So if you want a day of adventuring in a completely different town, it's pretty easy to do.

Con: Tourism. 

Depending on where in Florida you live, it can get really touristy at times.  I live in Orlando, but not right by Disney World--which is something I have to explain every time someone new finds out I live in Orlando.  "There's other things in Orlando that aren't Disney World?!" 

Whenever I have to drive in the Disney area, especially around holidays, I kind of just want to cry. Lots and lots of cars slowing down to 40 on the interstate to ensure they don't miss their theme park exit. I mean, I get it. If I didn't live in Florida, I'd want to visit too. But maybe drive the speed limit.

Good and bad, for now, it's my favorite place in the world.  What are some pros and cons about living in your state?

Pssst...I listed a few fall line pre-orders this weekend!  Let me know what you think of them!

H A P P Y F R I D A Y : vacation + new blogs.

1. After today, Chris is off for an entire week! When he normally only takes an hour or two off every day, a whole week feels like an eternity.  I am so excited!

2. I found the picture I was talking about in this post. 

so tiny and snuggly!

3. The new Pretty Lovely Littles goodies will be out in ten days! I've been finishing everything up this week, and let me tell you...I have never been so excited about new products before. These are, hands down, my favorite that have ever been in the shop.  Pssst: keep an eye out, because there may be a few pre-order items listed this weekend!

4.  Megan has started a NEW BLOG in addition to her photography blog.  She is a beautiful writer and I highly recommend following along. If not for her writing, then for the hilarious pictures she posts of her 101 pound dog who thinks he's the size of Gatsby.

5. It's Friday.  I'm drinking a cup of coffee.  The laundry is going and there are candles burning.  Sometimes it's the littlest things that make you happy to be alive.

What made you happy to be alive this week?

How To: Convince Your Husband To Buy You a Puppy.

I was so excited when we got Gatsby in November, I never blogged about how we got Gatsby.  Since my husband was 100% team no-puppy-ever, I bring you..

SIX STEPS TO CONVINCE YOUR HUSBAND YOU NEED A PUPPY.

Step One: Ask for a puppy every single day. 

I started asking for a puppy the day after we got back from our honeymoon, and I didn't stop.  I rationalized why we needed one.  I made pros and cons lists--the con was always "too much happiness" or something like that.  If it was a day that ended in Y, it was a day I was going to ask for a puppy.

Step Two: Start sending him pictures of really cute puppies. 

Did you know pinterest has an entire animal section?  Hello, tiny puppy in a boot.  Work your magic.

Step Three: Find yourself in a situation where there are a lot of puppies. 

We were driving home from church and passed a man holding a sign that said "Puppy Sale."  So naturally, I screamed excitedly until he turned the car around. Since I married the greatest guy ever, he eventually did turn the car around.  We walked into the pet store, and our conversation went something like this:

Chris: You do understand that we're not getting a puppy today, right?
Me: Mmhmm.
Chris: Seriously, don't get attached to anything.  We're not leaving here with a puppy.
Me: Okay, okay. Wait, is that a fox?

Step Four:  Fall in Love. 

I have always been dead set on wanting a lab.  I grew up with labs and I think they're just the sweetest puppies in the world.  But I walked over to look at this one puppy because I kind of thought that maybe he was a fox and not a puppy. I put my hand on the glass AND HE PUT HIS PAW UP AGAINST MY HAND LIKE WE WERE IN THE MOVIES.

Chris: He's cute.  Come on, let's go eat.
Me: Falling in love. 
Chris: Chels...
Me: He wants to come home with me.
Chris: No, he doesn't.  He likes it here. He told me.  Let's go.
Random pet store lady: Would you like a private cuddle room with this dog? 
Me: !!!!!!!
Chris: silently shooting expletives at this woman with his brain. 

Step Five: Get your husband to also fall in love. Also, get a private cuddle room, if at all possible. 

Me: He has to come home with us.
Chris: No, no he doesn't.  We're not getting a dog.
Hands dog over to chris, and whom he promptly snuggles up to.
Chris: Well, maybe we can get a dog next year.
Dog starts making whimpering noises.
Chris: Maybe if he's still here after Christmas, we can talk about it.
Me: Dies on the inside as I have to give the puppy, who I've already named Gatsby, back to the pet store lady.  Also shoots eye daggers at the people casually waiting by my private cuddle room, looking at my dog. 

Step Six: Turn into a crazy person. 

But really.  I had taken a picture of Gatsby snuggling with me, and I sent it to Chris about 170432 times a day.  Then I called the pet store to see if he was still there, and they told me that was going home to his new family once they came to pick him up.  Heartbroken, I rationalized that maybe his new family wouldn't like him and would return him, or maybe they'd forget to pick him up, so I obsessively called the pet store every hour and asked if he was there. Psycho.

Little did I know, Chris had called the pet store and told them that he was trying to surprise his wife, but his wife was a crazy person who was going to keep calling, so they should just tell me the puppy was gone.

Step Seven: Try not to die of happiness when your husband surprises you with a tiny little fox with a christmas bow on his head. 

And we all lived happily ever after.  Until Gatsby at my favorite shoes.  Now we just peacefully coexist. 

WEEKENDS ARE FOR...

Falling in love. 

Laughing at absolutely everything. 

Celebrating friendships. 

Trying new things. 

Rooftop selfies.
Entirely too many pictures.
Putting off your entire weekend to-do list until Monday, where it belongs.
Re-watching your favorite episodes of old shows.

Making mistakes and laughing at yourself. 

Spending all day laying by the pool. 

Coffee.  A lot of it. 

And just remembering that life is really a pretty cool thing, and you should be happy to be alive. 

What are your weekends for? 

Happy to be Alive, Because: Lemonade + Local Friends.

1. It's August!  I love Fridays, I love new months, and I love months that bring me closer to to pumpkin candles and scarecrows. So today is a really good day.

2. Megan has moved to Orlando! 

I knew Megan and I were going to be great friends when we both went on a trip to LA two years ago and didn't know each other, but still adventured all over together all week. If by the end of the week you are taking grainy selfies (see above) together, you know the friendship is a keeper. 

3. Sushi and blueberry lemonade. 

Which is how we celebrated Megan's move to the great city of Orlando. I told you, a keeper. 

4. I plan on spending my entire weekend by the pool. Reason #873 Florida is the greatest: I can talk about pumpkin candles and pool days in the very same conversation and it's totally normal.

5. You can still go win yourself some money. Happiest of Fridays to you!

What made you happy to be alive this week?