Let's go to Sicily

...so we can stay at this hotel and just slide. swim. repeat. slide. swim. repeat. all. day. long.

Meet you at the airport in 10?

The Best Part of Moving:

Yesterday was spent mostly unpacking the 21 boxes of random junk that I have accumulated throughout the years. One of the perks of moving so much is that I don't have a lot of "stuff" in my room because I'm going through everything about once every two years. Well yesterday was the big clean and while I know about most of the stuff in my room, I was also able to experience one of my favorite moments multiple times throughout the day. I like to call this moment the "Cardboard Box Surprise" or CBS for short. The CBS is that amazing feeling you get when you open a box or unwrap some tissue paper and the joy of remembering something that was once forgotten surfaces in an audible "Ohhhh-- Awesome!"

I decided to take pictures of my favorite finds and share them on here because as I always say "It never really happened unless I blogged it."

Random Loot:

I am very specific about my office supplies and these Sharpie Accent Highlighters are the only brand I accept. So, to open a box and find 6 of them in mint condition? And in such amazing colors!?!? Boy, was I thrilled.

This wallet is obviously amazing. Found it one day cleaning out the high school room at church. Took it. Is that stealing? Maybe? No. It's totally not, because it had been there for like a year. And in case you were wondering, there was no money inside (dang it). Besides all of that, I like to call it my payment for working-- I mean, going to the high school group for 4 years. Weiner wallet-- I love ya.

Anyone who knows me, would not categorize me as much of an athlete. They are correct. BUT! I did play soccer for one year... I wanna say in like 3rd grade? ....hmm....Anyway, somehow I got on an amazing team with girls who had played their whole lives and....actually cared. I was miserable. I hated every game, dreaded every practice and was by far the worst on the team-- wait, no. There was one girl who was worse, but I think she may have had a mental handi-cap. Whatever. So, because we were so good, we always freaking won our games which meant the season kept going and going and going. Finally, we got the the district playoffs and won the whole enchilada! And I was sooo happy because that nightmare was finally over-- until I learned that we then moved on to the county playoffs. WHAT!? No freaking way. So my mom let me quit. But I still got this sick trophy!

Significant Scratch:

Apparently, I was supposed to give this to Francesca Nestande for her birthday in 2005 and never really followed through... oops. Lilikoi, here I come!

Oh what up, free monayzzz. Looks like I'm taking this $10 and going cray-cray at t.j.maxx, baby.

Vintage Fashions:

I'm not much of an antiques gal, and much as the same as with babies, I feel like when I touch them, they will break, so I try to avoid anything with a description that includes the word "fragile." But these hot little pumps were my grandma's until she decided she couldn't pull them off anymore. Come to mama, baby. I don't really know where on earth I can wear them considering I'm not really a "Take me out tonight; I'll wear my best rhinestones" kinda gal, but they are fun to look at in my closet next to my crocs.

This purse was my great grandmothers and is so so cool. It's in awesome condition and even has a few of her things inside. There's an old mirror wrapped up in this waxy tissue paper, and an a really awesome vintage ad from the at least the 40s. I don't want to use it and wreck it, but it's such a shame it's been sitting in a box for so long, so I think I'm going to make a shadow box to display it and all of its contents. Craft on.

This is one of 4 hats of my great grandmothers that we had in a cool hat box (that I think may have been hers too). It's hard to tell in the picture, but it's a little pill box hat that's covered in bright blue and white feathers. I remember playing dress-up with it as a kid, but I think I love it even more now.
Pictures:

Even with a little water damage this 8x10 of Kaitlin and me upside down on the stairs of our very first home makes me sooo happy. I don't really know what I'm doing with my hand, but from what I've heard, I was a bit of a spazzy kid and I think this represents that well.

Once again: spaz. This one is all about the styling of my outfit from the awesome "Hey, Mon" t-shirt, my sear-sucker elastic shorts and my fashion forward hand make-up. Also, a little fact for you: on the back of this picture says, it says "Celebrating Jesus' Half Birthday." I guess VBS was a little desperate for games that year.

Oh, Donald. This picture of you in your formative schooling years never gets old. Favorite things about this: 1. The adorable gap between your teeth and 2. The fact that you still have the exact same haircut. Hey- if it ain't broken, don't fix it. Eh, eh? Am I right?

I finished all my boxes yesterday, so unfortunately there will be no more CBS-ing going on. So until next time (and there will be a next time), all of the cardboard box surprises will have to involve some sort of baked good from a local cupcake shop.

Monday

Kaitlin.

Found this little ditty on Kaitlin's computer. Love her so much.

Back.

Finally flew home to California this morning after traveling from Savannah to Birmingham to Dallas. Long few days.

I am sooooo excited to be with my family all summer long and to soak up the beauty of sunny California. Speaking of, today the 30+ degree weather difference got the best of me and even though it was only in the low 70's in Newport, I was literally shivering. I guess it will take me a few days to acclimate to the "cold" weather.

Although I am so happy to be home, it was so weird coming back to a new house today. Even though this place is beautiful and all of our furniture is the same, I had a mini breakdown when I had to ask the question "Where is my room?" Ah, moving. No matter how many times I do it, the emotions involved always take me by surprise.

Tomorrow I am so excited to unpack my room (something I honestly love to do) and go to lunch with the world's best Casey Page.

Birmingham or Bust

Heading to Birmingham, AL. Thunder cats: go!

Porch Me.

Frankly, I don't even know if we have a porch at our new house, but if we do, that is where you can find me for the next 3 months because, I don't know if you caught this yesterday, but I am officially done with school.

We spent the whole day finishing up our classes (the rest of the girls had classes today) and moving the the rest of our shtuff to the house. Long day. And when it was all said and done, we were so sweaty and stinky and gross, so we decided to jump in the pool in our neighboring dorm building and it FELT. SO. GOOD. Oh my gosh. I never knew I could feel such sweet relief after such a hot day!

Anyway, we are now off to dinner to stuff our little tummies.

To Quote Kaitlin Patton:

DONE DONE DONE DONE DONE DONE DONE DONE DONE DONE DONE DONE DONE DONE DONE DONE DONE DONE DONE DONE DONE DONE DONE DONE DONE DONE DONE DONE DONE.

I turned in my last final tonight at 5 after a monumentous day signing the lease at our beautiful new home!

To celebrate, I give you the only song that is appropriate for the next 30 days.

**Fun fact: Linda Patton knows every word to this song. I dare you to ask her to sing it. She will.

**Fun fact 2: My nickname to some is "Juj." Juj rhymes with June. Some may say I am well endowed. The joke "Juj is busting out all over" is not as original as you think it is.