"Our culture has accepted two huge lies. The first is that if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle, you must fear or hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do. Both are nonsense. You don’t have to compromise convictions to be compassionate.”

Things I don't know how I lived without...

Warning, this is (mostly) a super materialistic post.

You know those products in your life that you just lovelovelove and you don't know how you survived before you discovered them? Here's a list of some of mine.

1. Tervis Tumber. Seriously, I guzzle water out of this thing all day long at work. The big size, lid and straw are crucial.
2. Chia seeds. This one took me a while because I thought they were super hippy dippy and I, for a long time, sought to avoid all things mildly hippy dippy. But these things changed my life. They thicken up dressings and overnight oats (see below) and make my stomach super happy.
3. Overnight oats. For real, y'all. How did I live without these? Filling, super customizable, delicious and the perfect vehicle for previously mentioned chia seeds.
4. La croix. Love this water!!
5. My garmin. I feel naked on runs without it. And while I think it's a good idea to run without it occasionally, most of the time I like that it's a peer pressurer, taunting me to run faster.
6. A sleep mask. How do you people without one sleep any later than 6 a.m.?
7. Trader Joe's Vinas Chilenas Sauvignon Blanc. I honestly debated including this because I didn't want you all to know the best $3.99 secret out there and buy all the bottles before I get there, but I love y'all and want you to experience the happiness that is (decent) cheap wine.
8. Morning devotionals/His word. When I stray from God or don't take time to reflect, praise, ask, and give thanks, I am a big ball of anxious. For me, it's simple. He=peace.

I'll make this an ongoing list as I'm sure I'll come across something else in five minutes "I absolutely cannot live without!" What are your must have things/products that you can't imagine your life without??

Obsessed with this.

(Now that proper credit is given, for those of you who are lazy - like moi - here it is:)

I WANT A LIFE THAT SIZZLES AND POPS AND MAKES ME LAUGH OUT LOUD. AND I DON’T WANT TO GET TO THE END, OR TO TOMORROW, EVEN, AND REALIZE THAT MY LIFE IS A COLLECTION OF MEETINGS AND POP CANS AND ERRANDS AND RECEIPTS AND DIRTY DISHES. I WANT TO EAT COLD TANGERINES AND SING OUT LOUD IN THE CAR WITH THE WINDOWS OPEN AND WEAR PINK SHOES AND STAY UP ALL NIGHT LAUGHING AND PAINT MY WALLS THE EXACT COLOR OF THE SKY RIGHT NOW. I WANT TO SLEEP HARD ON CLEAN WHITE SHEETS AND THROW PARTIES AND EAT RIPE TOMATOES AND READ BOOKS SO GOOD THEY MAKE ME JUMP UP AND DOWN, AND I WANT MY EVERYDAY TO MAKE GODS BELLY LAUGH, GLAD THAT HE GAVE LIFE TO SOMEONE WHO LOVES THE GIFT.

SHAUNA NIEQUIST, COLD TANGERINES: CELEBRATING THE EXTRAORDINARY NATURE OF EVERYDAY LIFE (VIA FORMYSOULWAITS)

Relaxation Station

Since you guys seem to love this thing so much (by far the most searched term to get to my blog)... I can't  wait to be here this weekend.

I was supposed to get up there for Easter, but my pink eyes (yes, eyeS!) had different plans. But this weekend nothing will stop me. Family, sunshine, rest, food and wine await me. It's been too long Gaston. See you Friday!

(Also, in regards to missing places ridiculous amounts, I haven't been to Chapel Hill since the Duke game and I'm pretty sure my soul isn't complete. Dramatic? Yes.)

Oklahoma

My heart is in Oklahoma today. It seems like this year has been full of loss for our country - some intentional (Newtown shootings, Boston bombings) and some unintentional (Texas explosion, Oklahoma tornadoes).

The older I get, the more bone-chilling these things become. When I was a kid, I'm sure awful things happened, but I don't remember too many of them. I remember the ones that affected me personally, but not much else. And that's how it should be. It's not selfish or uncaring. Kids should be blissfully ignorant.

But now my heart hurts for so much pain in our country (and in the world - and for the fact that much of our country is ignorant to the pain happening in the rest of the world, but I digress). Every day my family and friends mean more to me. And while I'm not close to being ready to have kids, I know that I want them someday and I can't imagine the thought of losing a child, or anyone really, to something like this.

Praying, praying, praying for everyone in this world hurting to feel God's love and some small amount of peace and light in the midst of darkness. Everyone hug your families tonight. Cherish each moment. Wake up and be thankful for this amazing world we live in and every second of time we are given in it.

This weekend was for...

• seeing Gatsby Friday night (I actually really really liked it. As a LOVER of the book, I was not expecting that.)
• Sleeping in Saturday and going to visit Po with Mom. We gave her some Bedhead Pajamas that she loved! Then Mom and I went to the Mill for lunch and did a little shopping.
• Saturday night I went to Draft House to catch up with Val (my good friend Chris' mom) and later Lauren, Marcus and Hobbes joined us. 
• Sunday was for Mother's Day with my mom! She loved the vase I got her from Eclectic Garden (love that store) and we chowed down on nachos and mozzarella sticks (my mom eats poorly two days a year - her birthday and Mother's Day). We ended our time together with a Lowe's trip before enjoying some time in the sun.
• Sunday afternoon Emily came over and we enjoyed some porch sitting on a beautiful day and discussed plans for her birthday this weekend. Porch sitting is sort of my favorite thing ever.

A wonderful, beautiful weekend. And this week is supposed to be nice weather-wise. So blessed!

Blessed, Grateful, Thankful - All of the Above

The sun is finally out again in Raleigh! It has seriously been about 2 weeks since it's been out for more than an hour or two. My heart and soul are full of joy and I'm just in one of those moods. One of those moods where I am so freaking thankful for the people in my life. I don't know what I did to make God bless me with  these incredible people (the answer is nothing; God is generous and loving  and so so good no matter what we do), but I am in awe.

Good News!

So much of the news presented by the media these days is bad. And of course, they have to report on the band things that happen, but I'd love to see a little more happiness sprinkled in my news cast.

That's why this made me smile ridiculous amounts this morning. And reminded me of one thing: hope never dies. 

So glad those girls are safe. What a blessing!

(P.S. Charles Ramsey, the neighbor who initially heard the screams and helped free Amanda Berry, is not only truly a hero, but is truly hysterical. If you want to be grateful and laugh incessantly at the same time, check out this.) 

Happy thankful Tuesday, y'all!

This weekend...

• Lazy Friday night in catching up on DVR
• Going to visit Po
• Mother's Day shopping
• (Bad) run around the neighborhood
• Mimosas and the derby with Em and La
• Cinco celebratin' at Cantina 18 before a movie night with Em (best.sangria.ever)
• Costco trip
• Another meal at Cantina with Mom (I really like that place and we wanted to celebrate Cinco some more)
• Shopping with Mom
• Sunday laundry/cooking prep
• Inheriting some furniture from Mom post re-decorating

In other words, an amazing weekend.

And this week Gatsby comes out. I know I'm going to be disappointed, but it's my favorite book ever. Ever. Ever. I really want to buy a certain Sue Wong dress and beaded headband to wear to the premiere. This is my version of what Harry Potter is to the rest of y'all weirdos. 20s glamour v. dorky teenage wizard? I win. 

(Okay, okay. Don't yell at me. Some of the people I love the most are obsessed with Harry Potter. I just don't get it. And I may or may not have fallen asleep and snored at the midnight premiere of one of the HP movies in college. Don't drag me to a movie I don't want to see - especially at midnight. Just sayin'. Jeez louise digression much?)

My Two Biggest Pet Peeves

I don't really have a lot of pet peeves, but I've come across two recently and thought I'd share.

1. Tar Heels as one word. Tar Heel(s) is two words. End of discussion.

2. Punctuation outside of quotation marks. UGHH. I think everyone and his brother/mother/sister/cousin does this. Punctuation goes inside quotation marks.