yep.

escapism.

winter came at the perfect time for me this year. in a season when everything is dying, i have felt more alive than i have in a long while. there is just something so enchanting, so magical and so insipiring about winter. i don't know that i can exactly put my finger on it, but the things that winter brings (the joy of the Christmas season, the crisp, cold air, a fire in the fireplace and snuggling up under a blanket) make it feel like an escape. an escape from a reality that can be a bit dull sometimes.

i am thankful for winter, for being exactly what i needed at exactly the right time.



(if you're looking for a soundtrack to this season, check out Bon Iver, Sufjan Stevens, Feist, She & Him...some of my very favorites right now).

who wants to send me to europe?

i am absolutely, positively sure that i will do what this couple did when i get married. who needs more things when you can have your wedding guests send you on an overseas trip?

and i love how they separated all of their trip ideas into a travel registry so guests could know exactly what part of the trip they'd be contributing to. genius idea!

p.s. maybe i could set one of these up as a single girl. anyone want to contribute to a travel fund instead of buying me Christmas gifts?

dreaming of crisp fall days.

i want every single piece from this outfit. and i want it to be fall right now so i can wear it while drinking a cup of coffee and reading a book.



who am i kidding? i would steal every item from this girl's wardrobe if i could. perfect mix of casual, classic and trendy. love.

to whom it may concern.

two things you should know:

1) i'm absolutely loving the Civil Wars right now. their music is hauntingly beautiful.

2) i'm also in love with their song, "To Whom It May Concern" and the sentiment it expresses. not to get too cheesy, but it is almost as if the lyrics were pulled from the depths of my heart. listen for yourself:

to love or not to love...

oh, how i needed to see this today:

"To love anyone is to hope in him always. From the moment at which we begin to judge anyone, to limit our confidence in him, from the moment at which we identify [pigeon-hole] him, and so reduce him to that, we cease to love him, and he ceases to be able to become better. We must dare to love in a world that does not know how to love."
- French priest

the question is: are we up for the challenge? can we love in even the worst of times when everyone and everything tells us not to?

(thank you Christie for putting this up on your blog ages ago!)

happy thoughts.

you don't even want to know how many times i've watched this on my DVR. i am in love.



and we all know how much i love this man. i found a treasure trove of new music on You Tube tonight. so exciting!

things i do when i should be packing.

tomorrow i'm driving back to my beloved home state (okla-HOME-a...you know you love it). i should be packing right now, but i completely and utterly loathe packing (i mean, really dislike it). so instead, i've chosen to fill my time by:

a) reading random blogs, such as this one:
Kitchen Oddity: this girl is quite humorous and has some creative cooking ideas (of which i could always use, considering my lack of skill in the kitchen).

b) pretending i'm Liz Lemon (a new episode of 30 Rock is on tonight--hooray!). come on, who doesn't love a little "Night Cheese"?



c) watching the Travel Channel. people, i'm in serious need of a vacation. random fact: lately, i've had a curious fascination with Asia. i've added Japan, China, India and Thailand to my list of places to visit. but really, send me anywhere!

d) dancing to T. Swift. you will probably laugh at this, but i'm slightly obsessed with her new CD. it's ok if you don't like her. i do. well, except for that song about my dearest John Mayer. i won't hold it against her.



alright, time to go pack! well, maybe...

recipe for a relaxing sunday.

sunday morning: i wake up feeling like someone shoved cotton balls up my nose and then rubbed my throat raw with a brillo pad. not a good way to start off the day. how to remedy this problem?


pajamas and cozy socks +
comfy couch +
cup of hot tea +
fire in the fireplace +
Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations =
---------------------------------------
soothing for a one sickly girl

have i ever mentioned that i love Anthony Bourdain? because i really do. i not only love the man for the silver fox that he is, but i love that he loves writing, traveling and eating. he's smart and a bit (ok, a lot) of a smart ass. he appreciates a good adventure and discovering what other cultures in the world are all about. i don't have the money to drop on an overseas trip whenever i want, but i can watch a little No Reservations and dream about where i want to go on my next journey. Brazil? New Zealand? India? Uzbekistan? (Bourdain can make any country look fascintating).

i think i'm feeling better already!

i can't help it.

i love this song. that's all.



happy listening.

the heart of life.

"To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all."
-Oscar Wilde

yes, it's fun to ponder new year's resolutions, and i, of course, have fulfilled my list-making needs with a slew of things i want to do this year. but in the very depths of my heart what i most want to do this year is live, and truly live. i want to savor every moment and fully embrace everything life has to offer. i want to focus on giving more and loving more and pouring into friends and family. because ultimately, that's where true happiness really lies. so, let's take a journey together this year...will you join me?