today i am thankful for... my parents

Today is their anniversary and that's a happy thing!  I was fortunate to be at their wedding 13 years ago as a tiny flower girl.  I am a lucky girl.  And yeah, they are young and sometimes more hip than me.  Can't wait to see them NEXT WEDNESDAY.  Like, wow.  Just need to finish a five-foot self-portrait, read a few plays, write an essay, and take a biology exam before then...  No biggie.  (Nervous laughter.)

today i am thankful for...chocolate

Tonight after our last Little Big Burger until next fall (crying forever), Ted, our friend Alex, and I went into the newly opened The Meadow, featuring a large collection of chocolate, salts, and bitters in its small space.  We passed it last weekend and it's been on my mind since, so I was delighted to stop in tonight.  It was just as lovely as I imagined it would be (sliding ladder over shelves of chocolate included).  I never wanted to leave.  But alas, we had too.  Thankfully I had two small Woodblock chocolate bars (made here in Portland!) in stow to ease the pain. I tried a bit of the Ecuador tonight and it was lovely.  I'm excited to try the Salt & Nibs as well, although I think I might save that one for finals week.  Hearing the guy describe the flavors made me want to learn more about chocolate.  It's just one of those happy things in life, you know?  Maybe my dream craft shop should have a small chocolate selection...

today i am thankful for...middle school favorites

Tonight is one of those classic Kaylie nights where I bypass a fun college party and instead opt to stay home and be semi-productive by reading blogs, watching the latest Emma Approved, finishing a homework assignment, and listening to The Killers and Interpol.  Sorry, I hope that wasn't too overwhelming to read.  Things get a little crazy around here...

There's something so comforting and nostalgic about these bands to me.  The Killers were my first band love (Hot Fuss was the first CD I ever purchased and it remains to this day my favorite album ever) and Interpol's Antics got me through that weird transition from elementary school to middle school.  Yes, I was way cooler in middle school than I am now.  I realize that.  But middle school was the weirdest ever, so I won't get too sentimental.  I'm thinking The Strokes are up next...

today i am thankful for...kendal goose

This little lady is not so little anymore (okay, well, she's still pretty petite).  My sister turned 12 today and even though she gets annoyed when I try to cuddle and hug her, I love her so much.

today i am thankful for...portland

Tonight Ted and I went to Boxer Ramen in Union Way, and although the ramen wasn't our favorite, the self-contained shopping center it was in reminded me how cool Portland is (as if I needed reminding).  We even stumbled into Danner, which was hosting a small party of hip Portlanders, complete with a "rock & roll-country" band called the something Billys and whiskey-tasting.  I'm not cool enough to live here, but maybe someday.

today i am thankful for...impending holidays

I'm unbelievably happy to be going home for Thanksgiving.  I also have to admit that I'm starting my Christmas prep, which I think is totally necessary at this point, especially since I will be getting home a couple days before Christmas and need to have a game plan and crafting schedule.

I may have also worn red and green today.  WITH PURPLE, DON'T YOU WORRY!  I also unintentionally matched my still-life drawing that we finished today (I chose the complimentary colors red and green because...no reason), right down to my fruit-covered cardigan.  Subconsciously theme-dressing, you know, the usual...

photo//a beautiful mess

today i am thankful for...calm nights

This semester.  It's been a lot.  Tonight is a welcome change of pace from the go, go, go--I just got home from yoga, and now I am doing laundry, watching embarrassing TV online, and doing some research about possible thesis options.  Yep, that's a thing.  Since I'm going to be abroad in the Spring, and my advisor is going to be gone next Fall, we have to talk about it this Friday.  THIS FRIDAY.  I don't have to make any crazy decisions yet, but the fact that I am even thinking about my senior thesis right now is a little insane.  But for now, I am enjoying my embarrassing TV and laundry.  Later tonight when Ted gets home from the library, we are going to Bannings with friends, then ending the night with New Girl.  I even get to sleep in tomorrow since my Biology professor is doing field work in Jamaica.  Life is good.

winter is coming

It's been a cold November so far.  We're heading fast into winter.  I'm already excited for what little snow we might get this year!  In a little over two weeks, I go home.  A month from today will be the last day of classes.  In less than two months, I will be in London.  What even is life?  I'm not complaining (except about the whole I-still-have-a-month-of-school-left thing).  It's just a lot to take in.

In the meantime, I'm enjoying the season of plaid, wool, and annoying colds (Ted and I were both sick this weekend).  It seems like every time it starts getting cold, I become infatuated with gray.  It's not a color I usually gravitate towards, but as winter approaches, it seems rather appropriate, especially paired with plaid.  Oh, plaid.

Plaid Dress/Urban Outfitters, Red Dress/Urban Outfitters, Coat/Old Navy, Velvet Headband/from when I was a kiddo, Schnauzer Brooch/Vintage, Belt/Thrifted, Tights/Urban Outfitters, Shoes/Born

today i am thankful for...movie dates

Especially when they remind you you're going to be in London in less than two months with one of your favorite human beings in the world.  About time!

But really, About Time is a fantastic movie.  We both loved it so much.  There's nothing better than a sweet British rom com on a cold Fall night.

today i am thankful for...safeway

Tonight Ted and I decided to go to the BRAND NEW Safeway.  It was pretty magical, and made us feel at home (since we're used to Safeway/Von's).  Also, there is an escalator for carts.  Enough said.  We planned on just grabbing something for dinner, but got so excited, we bought our groceries for the coming week.

And that's how you do Thursday night.  We're wild ones, I tell you.

today I am thankful for...cupcakes

 I'm not one to let Thanksgiving get taken over by Christmas, so I like to dedicate November to "thankful" posts. This is a few days late, but I made cupcakes the night of Halloween and it made me so incredibly happy.  Ted and I also watched Halloweentown (which we realized during the credits was actually filmed here in Oregon--we kind of geeked out) because it's the best ever.  This situation filled me with such joy.  Hope your Halloween was just as sweet!

pumpkin patching

On our way back from the coast, Ted and I stopped in McMinnevile to grab a few pumpkins to put on the porch.  A couple weeks later, I went on a school-sponsored field trip to Sauvie Island and got one more pumpkin and a tiny pumpkin chiffon pie.  Obviously.  Now I have four pumpkins of various sizes and several tiny pumpkins.  I need more.