I love decorating my apartment {I'm starting to feel like a Martha Stewart... hehe!} I have found so many cute, one-of-a-kind, handmade knick knacks lately! Here are some of my favorite things I have stumbled upon.

Etsy:

{credit to GLB aka fancifulheart blog for finding these first. I love her taste so much that I bought them!}

lovecalifornia Maine felt pillow. They are crazy cute!

Alice in Wonderland tea towels. Because I love Alice in Wonderland that much.

UO & Modcloth {my new favorite vintage store}:

my flower "vases"

Never have I enjoyed decorating + gardening so much in my LIFE! I can't wait til all my herbs and flowers grow. Who knew that Target even had "grow pots" in their store? I was a little giddy, I must admit. All the more reason to enjoy the summer season. :)

sarahjo

{summer} bliss list

Certain things make every season something special. It seems like here in Oklahoma it skips from winter straight to summer. With some rain in between. Here's a little of what makes summer so impossible to resist {for me}:

1. Gardening. Or the beginning/attempt of doing so. My porch was just starting to look a little plain to me. I couldn't resist these darling little garden markers either. Eek!

2. Vacation is a given. I'm so stoked for Colorado and Chicago/Indiana/Ohio is year! {As I had no vacation/time off last year...pathetic.}

3. Summer Reads. Only one name comes to mind. Sarah Dessen. Maybe I will try to read ALL of them. That will be quite the challenge.

4. Honeysuckle. Best smell in the world. Enough said.

5. Country music. Turn it up. Never has it sounded so good with the windows rolled down driving through the countryside.

6. Backroad Highways. This has always been one of my favorite things. You find some of the coolest things during the summer out there! Like cute little snow cone stands and disowned thrift shops with all the stuff abandoned outside. I was dying to pull over and sift through it. I didn't want to look homeless.

7. Highlights. Ok, so what if my eyebrows clearly reveal that this haircolor is a lie? For now, it's a fun change. I'm going to embrace it.

8. Sunglasses. The only time of the year I wear them. I swear.

9. Sundresses/just dresses. Because seriously, who really wears dresses any other time of the year and doesn't freeze their buns off?! Pictures of some of my fav's to come soon!

10. The lake. I'm kinda sad to be missing out on the tubing, water skiing, and cliff jumping this summer. Boo. I was wanting to try wake-boarding...

Now I just need some white sand and the smell of Siesta Key. {Sigh}. Oh well, maybe next summer?

Enjoy June,

sarahjo

{buried} deep beneath

Today was a hard day. Death is such a hard situation to face. It's inevitable. We are all dying.

But I still hate seeing it four times in a row.

Tonight, the tears I cried were not my own. They are of all those who are hurting and broken. You are not alone. We have this hope. Buried deep down.

{things that matter} things that don't

I have to get on my soapbox {at least for today}.

My brother woke up today and officially started his summer. He also woke up to some tragic news. A guy he went to school and happened to be friends with got in a motorcycle accident that took his life. I will spare you the details, but tell you this: no helmet. Fact.

Now, this is already a tough issue for me as I've had a patient in the hospital who has already undergone SEVERAL surgeries and was on life support from a motorcycle accident. He was in pretty good shape {he wore a helmet}. His young daughter survived too.

I almost lost a classmate the summer I graduated from a motorcycle accident. She isn't even the same person anymore {she didn't wear a helmet}.

Things That Matter: I would never support anyone to buy a motorcycle, but I will say this. IF you're going to, please wear a helmet. When you get in a car, put on a seat belt. It's just not worth it.

Things That Don't: People may think it's more fashionable and cool to not wear some form of a safety harness. And honestly being on a motorcycle or driving in a car is dangerous enough. But does it really matter when it's the difference between life and death? Between a broken bone or being on a ventilator?

Some risks are worth taking in life. And some are just plain stupid.

I am praying that God heals this boy's family and friends from the hurt and pain they are going through right now. To see my own brother start his summer out this way only brings back my own painful memories.

{oh, hello there.}

I've {out-of-the-blue} become an avid SmartWater drinker. Not only is it the taste, but they contain a lot of water! This really tickled me pink though...

Eek! Who knew that these darling little pictures were on the inside of these bottles? And I'm sure there are more impossibly cute bottles out there I haven't even seen yet. It's exciting! So, consider this my environmental gesture.

Have a lovely week, ladies.

much love,

sarahjo

{the incredibly overdue} friday five.

1. I caved and bought an orchid. Pretty much my favorite flower. It has inspired me to plant flowers on my front porch of my apartment, which I fully intend on doing this week. I'm thinking peonies {new love}. Favorite store of the week: Home Depot.

2. My boyfriend fixed the Airport, which is the only reason I am right now sitting in my bed on the internet {wirelessly!}. It's the little things.

3. Life-long dream come true. I now have a canopy over my bed. Eek! Pictures to come soon. It's sort of blocking the ceiling fan, but that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make.

4. Hello, little pretty pink vintage trunk. Would you like to make a home at the foot of my bed? Think about it, get back to me.

{iheartfotosfriday- pic of the week}

5. I'm considering getting a coffee maker. You know, the kind that you set a timer and coffee magically makes itself at 5 a.m.? Sorry, I know that's not everyone, just me and my work schedule. Either way, maybe it will curve the undying need for pop... or not.

happy friday!

1. That darn Michael Buble song, "I Just Haven't Met You Yet". Sorry, but Frank Sinatra was an original, Buble is just impersonating him {which I can't stand}. Yet, I love this song...so sad.

2. Eating breakfast for dinner. I used to even hate the smell of syrup when others would do this.

3. Vintage shopping {Favorite new little nook seen below}. Now I have even more reasons/bad excuses to {you guessed it!} SHOP! Dang it.

4. The fact that I'm about to DUMP this book that I've "attempted" to read for more familiar summer reads {Mrs. Dessen, your books are looking awfully tempting right now...}.

5. Switching from Starbucks Frappucinos {you know, the $5 ones?!} to chai tea before work. Still equally delectable. Maybe now I can give up the Poptarts too? Hmmm...

much love!

sarahjo

{don't you know...}

Thank you, Sadie Sue! Loved this little reminder posted on your desk so much, I just HAD to take a picture of it. What a lovely way to remember that we are beautiful just the way we are.

{avatar} kitten

Wow, waaay too long of a blog break! I must be working too much...

So, here's a random thought. After watching Avatar {and LOVING it by the way... totally Pocahontas meets Fern Gulley}, I discovered this:

Cats look like Avatars. Or vice versa. Or maybe it's just my cat... there's a resemblance.

Anyways, promise the blogs will be more frequent that way you don't have to listen to my ramblings.

love love love you guys!