the weekend.

My weekend.

photo via

Friday was a day of friend catch up.  My bestie Brooke and I had been missing each others calls for about two weeks and we finally connected Friday morning while she was driving back to Starkville from a work presentation. We chatted for a good hour and a half. During that call Bayley beeped in so I promptly called her back when I got off with Brooke. Before all the phone calls started I had been in the middle of cleaning...I thought I was finally going to get back to it when I got a lovely surprise call from Anna Claire. She was driving to Tupelo for the weekend from Nashville. We chatted for 2 hours. I seriously haven't been on the phone this much in AGES. But its fun to catch up with good friends. I guess I'm the go-to-girl to call when you've got two hours of driving to kill.

My brother Josh came for a visit this weekend. He arrived Friday evening and then along with my parents we all went to eat some Japanese at the local Kyoto restaurant. So yummy. Saturday started with a lazy morning. My mom made us ham and biscuits and we ate them right up then all set out on the back patio and drank coffee and chatted for a few hours. Josh and I then went through my parents old record collection from college and such and went on the search for a turntable. We didn't have any luck, but he took some records back home with him and he was going to look online for one. I would have loved to have known the Karen that owned that record collection. It was fun hearing her talk about listening to them in her room as a teenager.

Saturday afternoon I went to Sam's and Kroger with my mom. Always an interesting experience. We did enjoy some good samples as always at Sams. Mom and I piled up on the magazines. I realize I get my love for the glossy pages from her. I don't why she ever admonishes me for the habit because she is just as bad or maybe even worse. We spent the afternoon on the patio reading through these:

Saturday night my Grandmother came over to have a spaghetti dinner with us. We all hung out on the patio and chatted while we waited for supper to be ready. We ate and then had some wonderful fresh cut strawberries, angel food cake and homemade whip cream for dessert. 

After Grandmother left, I indulged in my favorite Washington event of the year via CSPAN and my DVR: The Annual White House Correspondent's Dinner. It's held every year at the Washington Hilton. The press comes, the President comes, celebrities come and everyone makes fun of the President and/or the Press. This years spotlight comedian was Conan O'Brien. It was quite fun to watch. Here's a look at President Obama's speech. Funny stuff.

And here's Conan:

I really think the person in charge of the invitations just decided to put all my FAVORITE people in one room that happens to be my favorite event and torture me. ALL OF THESE PEOPLE WERE THERE:

1. Josh Lyman & Joe Quincy, West Wing {Bradley Whitford & Matthew Perry}

2. Olivia Pope & President Fitzgerald Grant, Scandal {Kerry Washington & Tony Goldwyn

3. Congressman Francis and Claire Underwood, House of Cards {Kevin Spacey & Robin Wright}

4. President Andrew Shepard, The American President {Michael Douglas}

5. Lady Mary Crawley, Downton Abbey {Michelle Dockery}

6. Elaine Benes, Seinfeld--She was there because of her show VEEP but she's always Elaine to me {Julia Louis-Dryfus}

7. Jamie Lanister, Game of Thrones {Nikolaj Coster-Waldau}

I MEAN SERIOUSLY. 

Sunday consisted of church services, amazing roasted chicken with potatoes & carrots, asparagus & apple turnovers, a great nap, wonderful ladies Bible study on Grandmothers, and some leftovers for dinner. 

I'd say it's been a pretty good weekend. How was yours?

Linking up with 

the royals & Harry Potter

Okay. William, Catherine, & Harry. Warner Brother's Harry Potter movie museum. So cute.

brotherly love

Kate and William have mad wand skills. They are precious.

Maybe the Royals really aren't Muggles after all.

It was a polka dot day for Princess Kate and Harry Potter mastermind JK Rowling

That face kills me. She's real into this event.

all images via

Friday Links

Start it off with a look at my favorite links from around the web this week:

So Kareem Abdul-Jabbar discusses How the Real Housewives Have Made America Better over at HuffPostTV blog {I seriously love this so much, he makes some very interesting points}

If you're a fan of Game of Thrones, therefore hater of all things King Joffrey, & not too big of a Blieber enjoy this Tumblr where fiction's biggest brat and real life's biggest brat become one

As a 90s girl myself and  proud owner of Samantha, Felicity, Kirsten, & Molly and reader of all their stories--- I totally understand Emma Gray's position on why American Girl Dolls Really Need to Remember Their Roots  at HuffPostWomen 

Haven't we all seen some version of These People at the Gym. Sami's Shenanigans tells it like she sees it.

I'm obsessing over these handbags featured on from Ainsley, with love designed by up and coming newbie Kelly White 

BuzzFeed compiled the 23 George W Bush Moments That Probably Won't Make It Into His Presidential Library {they may not make it, but we will always remember them}

linking up with thedwellingtree for bloglovin' hop Friday

dubya.

This morning I tuned into C-SPAN 3 to watch the dedication of the George W Bush Presidential Library and Museum. It officially opens to the public May 1, and I know it will be first on my list of things to do when I visit John and Bayley in Dallas soon.

I think one of the best things about our country is this:

All living former Presidents, getting together to celebrate one of their own. Amazing.

And I love me some First Lady fashion {obsessed with LB's gold necklace} and history, so it was equally fun seeing these ladies too.

41 & 43 enjoyed some laughs during the ceremony. After giving a very brief statement 41 turned to Dubya and said "What, too long?" He's still got it.

But not as funny as his wife. I really want to know what Barbara Bush's aside comments to President Obama all throughout the ceremony were, because she had him cracking up. Like seriously cracking up.

I was also fascinated by Dick Cheney's choice of head gear...I guess, when you're in Texas, do as the Texans do {I also want to know if his hunting gun is in the museum}

Karl Rove {also known as Turd Blossom in the Bush White House} was there, the brains behind the entire operation. The genius of presidential campaignin'

But the real star of the whole day: Bush 41's pink socks

I can't wait to visit!

"There was a time in my life I wouldn't have been found at a library, much less found one.”- George W Bush

all photos via

Living: The Graduate

The Graduate is a classic American film. I remember watching it for the first time in high school, but I didn't really appreciate it until I was a little older and re watched after college. I loved the music of Simon & Garfunkel, the sexy black & animal print style of Anne Bancroft, and the complete awkwardness of Dustin Hoffman mixed with the 60s Pasadena lifestyle. This movie impacted an entire generation and inspired classic decor and fashion that is still popular today.

Mango glitter dress, $68 / Vero Moda leopard print coat / Stella McCartney / Fogal black tight / Myla demi bra / Rupert Sanderson shoes / Tory Burch clutch / Oasis gold earrings, $6.05 / Etro Slim-Fit Contrast-Placket Cotton Shirt / Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Barcelona® Couch / Picnic Green Bamboo Decorative Pillow / Safari Cheetah Giclee Glow Black Bronze Table Lamp / DiSinistra 26" Stainless Steel and Ivory Counter Stool / Abstract Square 25" Wide Antiqued Gold Mirror / Worlds Away Carr Gold Leafed Bar Cart / Wild And Wolf Black Series 302 Telephone, $83

my {messy} closet life

So yesterday afternoon I decided I was finally going to tackle it. MY CLOSET. This thing hasn't been properly cleaned out since probably I was in middle school. I didn't even know what I was bound to find in the back corners. They hadn't seen light in probably a decade. Four massive Hefty Bags later everything {pretty much} has been cleared out. All clothes now residing on top of my bed or piled high on the floor. All things headed for the carport sale right outside my bedroom door and all over the upstairs hallway and spilling into other bedrooms. I refuse to hang my clothes back up until I have proper all uniformed hangers...because really whats the point of all the work if you won't be able to tell once all the dreaded "WIREEEEE hangers" are put back in. I'm planning to head to TJ Maxx in search for discounted velvet hangers tonight. I also really want to extend the clothes bar across the whole room: I'm coming for you Home Depot.

My closet is hard to explain. It's more like a tiny dwarf room. When I was a teenager it had a chair and a tv. It was a little lounge area but now I just want a massive CLOSET. To be continued....

Here's the dream:

FRIDAY links

Some of my FAVORITE things around the web this week:

Very inspired by the honesty and self improvement happening over at Sami's Shenanigans.

Helene explains those celebrity Coachella fashion choices

Audrey Hepburn's Fashionable Life in Rome from Vanity Fair's May 2013 Cover Story

Who doesn't love a good .gif, especially from some Reality TV? My new guilty pleasure in Tumblr world.

Girls, lets just stop scrutinizing ourselves! Ainsley speaks the truth about us being our own worst enemies when it comes to self image and confidence.

Maggie Smith’s Portraitist on Painting the Dowager Countess, Criticism of Kate Middleton’s Portrait

I did a guest post over at Significance or Nothing this week. Please check it out!

linking up with the dwelling tree for Blog Hop Friday

Why I'm Obsessing over RHOBH

The theme parties
No one loves a theme party more than Taylor Armstrong, even if it's planning a $50,000 Mad Hatter tea party for her daughters 4th birthday party. {yep, you read that correctly}She also loves a Roaring Twenties party, a dude ranch 5th birthday party {complete with Ace Young----I couldn't contain my laughter on that one} The only theme Kyle can stick with is her annual White Party that always includes Fatburger. Lisa doesn't like theme parties or as she calls them "fancy dress" due to a mishap with her and Ken believing a party to be one and turned out...NOT one ala Legally Blonde. The notorious party planner Dana hosted her own themed Game Night party with real fun random desserts in the shape of dominoes  but that's as far as her theme went---not too good for business.

The Giggy
I want Giggy's day to day. {even if he has Alopecia and constant itching} I mean really he has the life. He doesn't even have to walk anywhere {except for the occasional "four walks and a wee wee" --read in Kyle's faux British accent} He has custom made clothes to coordinate with Ken&Lisa and he eats in the best restaurants in Beverly Hills and travels the world. Everyone loves that little sex monster.

The trips
Whether they are sprinting to Vegas for a quick weekend trip, overnighting to Hawaii for some sun or jet-setting to Paris for a romantic couples get-a-way these ladies no how to travel and see the best the destination has to offer.

The husbands
Meet Mauricio, Paul, & Ken. These three are the constants in Seasons 1-3. They often bring the voice of reason or at least colorful commentary to the happenings of a dinner party mishap....and occasionally they do cause the issue themselves {Ken, looking at you and your therapy comments to Taylor or Mauricio's comments to Brandi at the Morocco restaurant} but no matter what they move on from any disagreement, unlike their wives.

The houses

The quotes
There are so many amazing lines spoken in every single episode. These are some of my many favorites:

The fashion

These ladies never back just one bag, even if it is for an overnight. Expect two suitcases just devoted to shoes and/or makeup. Just one peak into their store like closets and one knows that clothes are more than just a "something to wear everyday" it's more like collecting art for these woman. It's fun to see them just pull out a custom dress for a last minute dinner party and wear Louboutin's for the casual lunch. 

The Vanderpump
The housewife of all housewives. I mean seriously, she's the best of all the Real Housewife shows. She's the richest, she's got a British accent, she's a great cook, she's cheeky,  the most honest & truthful, has the longest marriage, and always has the right amount of pink, bling and sass for every occasion. Read her best lines here. I give you Mrs. Vanderpump-Todd.

Demonstrating what one needs when walking around a stripper pole:

The Taylor Armstrong method for eating cotton candy:

 Probably why she was picked for DWTS:

 How she gets through most RHOBH situations:

 When she gets bored with the group activities:

 When Kim Richards gives another excuse for not showing up:

 When Camille tries to attack her and fails miserably:

 Reaction to the rest of her casts net worth: {not really, I just imagine that it would be this}

And I'm out

Also I did a guest post over at Christa's blog Significance or Nothing today. Be sure to check it out!