Happy Fourth of July Weekend!

Organized Chaos.

Happy Fourth of July weekend, friends! I surely hope you get some time to celebrate your independence. If you have to work, I say to you- stay strong and steadfast friends! Celebrations are everywhere you look!

 There's something so magical about this time of year. Perhaps because it is exactly the halfway point between the beginning and the end of the year. Perhaps because it's full of the nostalgic feelings of freedom that children have running about with sparklers and Otter Pops and what-not. It stays in your marrow, even as an adult. I don't know- there's a certain sweet, heady, hot and twinkling...magic this time of year. There's no other word for it.

I hope you find some magic this weekend too, friends. And here's this week's list!

*Check it this weirdly interesting optical illusion dance recital.

*Smaller than I dream of, but a rad tiny house nonetheless. Loved the Beer Moth House too!

*My joy takes nothing from you. Love it.

*Proud Mama rents a billboard for her son's graduation. So sweet!

*Hahaha! Weird ways couples mess with each other. I know I've posted it before, but I spent an hour watching all of their videos over and over and I just want to be friends with them!

*Gilmore Girls Sports Bar? Where is Jess is more...

*Woah. Poignant and telling and...well check it out... Like A Girl.

*Cool!!! Blood donors in Sweden get a text when their donations save a life or helps someone! That's so damn neato I can hardly stand it! We as Americans are just narcissistic enough to find that really rewarding! Ha!

*Gloriously un-retouched thighs. Yes!

*24 Parents You Wish You Knew In Real Life...Hilarious and great, but my folks should be on there too!

*Waking up with Katia and Tilvie (the bunny). I just love the pictures and the artist's morning routines aren't too shabby either.

*#ProudtoLove. Oh, did it ever make me tear up!

*A 3 year old receives unbelievable bill for damaging neighbor's car!

*Gorgeous little farmhouse in...New York City...on the roof of a 6-story building. It even has a yard and garden!!

*How to attract fireflies to your backyard! (Try to ex-nay on collecting them though, their numbers are dwindling).

*Some extra fireworks fer ya!

I hope y'all have a groovy Fourth of July weekend. Take a few moments to send out some gratitude for your freedoms, liberties and those who have come before you to keep them. Ciao, friends!

Friday Happies!

It's over y'all. You've made it to another weekend! Got any plans for Father's Day? I have to work all weekend, but I'll be calling my Papa in Nashville (can't say his gift on here because my folks are my most devoted readers- you cutie patooties) and spending time with my B after I get off work on Sunday (I'm lucky enough to have two men in my life to honor- though with wildly differing tastes). So, in honor of those great men in our lives, I've put a few fun gift ideas, some inspirations and some regular ole Friday Happy regulars to get you stoked for your weekend! I hope you enjoy!

*I <3 Dad chocolates! Because he's sweet and deserves a treat!

*This homemade shirt for Father's Day too, because Awww!

*James Taylor releases his first new album in over 13 years! It's great and what a good gift for a Papa in your life (or really anyone, because its so good!).

*How about keeping his favorite radio station pumping out the great music he loves? Donate here!

*A modern classic for him to enjoy. 

*A classic classic for him to enjoy.

*Why not make him a watermelon grill? He may just laugh himself silly! I almost did.

*A great cookbook for him too (as he loves to experiment in the kitchen)! I'm partial to the John Besh one myself.

*Awesome site of dads and kids! Like Iron Man & Iron Son above. Sooooo good!

Now on to the rest of the list!

*I want to try Graze.com's snack line!

*This is a great article not only on the tiny house movement, but on the "New Old" house movement (of which I am super into!).

*The cast of Gilmore Girls reflect back on one of the best episodes of the series, the dance marathon episode (*geek out*).

*Meet Lenore. She is 99 years old, and very interesting and self-sufficient.

*Have y'all heard of a She-Shed? Let's all go have these now, please!

*Well, here's one way to make lemonade. Due to her dog's rampant stealing of food, this photographer created an adorable series of...her dog stealing beautifully photographed food.

*I saw Jurassic World this week. I loved the action, could not ignore the sexism (really Hollywood?) and delighted in the references and Easter eggs hidden throughout. Oh, and I LOVED Jimmy Buffet's cameo! Loved it!!

*Then zookeepers around the globe began making memes teasing at the the image of Owen and the Velociraptors from that very film. It's called Prattkeeping. Silly and fun!

*I am super intrigued by this group of boys (The Wolfpack) and this documentary about their entire young lives spent locked in a tiny apartment together in NYC. Fascinating and resilient young men.

*Why is this photograph of Professor Sydney Engleberg holding a student's infant child during his lecture sparking conversations on parenting? Check it out for yourself, it's pretty great!

*The Elf Whisperer of Iceland?! Yes please!

*There is a facility/day school in Seattle that is for the very young and elderly to be together. It is awesome and makes me very happy to know it exists.

*This restaurant decided to restructure their financial system by barring tips April 1st. What happened? Their profits tripled, y'all! Their employees and customers all report better experiences all the way around. Check out their cool story!

I hope you have a truly wonderful weekend, y'all! Don't forget the first day of Summer is this weekend!

 Keep the love and positivity flowing. Pour your gratitude out every day and make sure you always tell those special people in your life that you love and appreciate them. 'Specially those daddies! Ciao!

Friday Happies!

Throwback. Savannah, 2008. I simply cannot believe that was seven years ago. Seriously!

Hello friends! How was your week? Mine went by in an utter blur! This weekend is the BIG yard sale. I am so excited to get rid of all the stuff I've gone through during my KonMari adventure. I have a sneaking feeling I will be getting rid of much more afterward. Anyway, here's this week's list of happies, funs, interestings and what-nots to get you stoked for your weekend adventures!

*An anonymous man donated his wife's wedding dress after she passed. He pinned the sweetest note to it and now it's gained worldwide attention.

*Fascinating. A woman vowed to wear the same outfit every day for the month of May as an experiment with "Decision Fatigue". Here is what she had to say!

*Where you lead... GILMORE GIRLS REUNION!

*This mom owned the dance floor at her son's wedding.

*I (and everyone else on the planet) love this little girl's sassy dance recital! Work it girl!

*Heh. Harry Potter and grownups.

*These guys described what they'd like to see their girlfriend's makeup look like to a makeup artist. The results were...mixed.

*I have been drawn to these simple linen aprons lately.

*I tried this scarf trick yesterday at work and we are all obsessed now.

*I'm going to make these for the hubs for his morning nosh this week.

*Coffee ground soap...I'm super intrigued.

*Every time I find this on the interwebs, I get so dang tickled my eyes water. Mischief managed!

*You know I love these "100 years of" videos! The '05 outfit was straight up Lorelai Gilmore!

*The kitchen registry items we still use today (and the ones we wished we had and hadn't registered for).

*"I tried living like every Instagram fashion girl".

Have a great weekend y'all!!

Friday Happies!

Pineapples.

Hey y'all! What do you have planned for the weekend? I have a family reunion here and I'm going to take off a few days for myself to recover from the insanity of the past month as well. Yay! I most likely will be going to see this one afternoon to snort laugh by myself. Anyway, here's this week's list of funs, happies, pretties, interestings and what-nots to get you geared up for your weekend whatever you may have going on!

*Have you had fish grilled in pineapple bark? What the what?! It sounds amazing!

*Some guy took a picture of a woman nursing her infant at a restaurant (a total stranger mind you) and posted it to his Facebook, shaming her for feeding her kid in public. She wrote back.

*I love this summer time gift wrap! So cheeky!

*Now that is how I'd wear a one-piece swimsuit (add high wedge heels and dramatic hat and shades).

*I have to bring something to the family reunion this weekend that can get warm and not kill anyone. I'm thinking this. Any standby recipes you make for gatherings like that? I'd love to know!

*It has been said at times I have the sense of humor of a frat boy. National Lampoon's anything, 21 and Over- those are my movies I watch alone while I laugh like Beavis & Butthead. All of this is to say, THERE IS A NEW VACATION coming out!!!

*And the bluegrass side of Ed Helms (who happens to be in the new Vacation film). He's so talented!

*Molly Ringwald at 47. She's so cool!

*This was so sweet! A dad stops the father-daughter dance at his daughter's wedding to play catch with her. Ack! I ugly cried.

*The British Prince and Princess's debut photographs side by side.

*Fifteen words to eliminate from your vocabulary to sound smarter! Yeeeeah, I pretty much use them all...

*A sweet video of an expectant family and their dogs. Aw!

*For the new front porch (my house is yellow).

*Smart kid. He gets paid to wait in line at one of the most popular barbecue joints in Austin.

*This picnic blanket is awesome!

Have a wonderful weekend, y'all!

Friday Happies!

Oh Kitty. How we miss you!

Y'all. This week. This friggin' week.

It's all good, but y'all. I need a vacation and I know there's no way to get one until June. But here is everything I could give y'all considering I didn't have internet until nearly 10 pm last night. Sigh.

Anyone up for Midnight Margaritas? 

Here we go!

*I want to try this Southwestern (Paleo) Pork with lime and avocado!

*How to get what you want.

*This is so interesting. Apparently around the 1830's or so blue started becoming prominent in every "masterpiece" and has continued to stay as such even today!

*Check out this info-graphic about how houses have changed over the past 40 years! 

*Miss your old decoder ring? Here's how to access the secret hidden menus on your phone!

*How good is your eyesight? Take this (slightly freaky but cool) test!

*Strong is the new pretty. YES!! Those little girls are something else!

*I'm not usually into the celebrity culture minus a mild interest. But I thought this was kind of motivating!

*A hat. And a hat. Oh! And a hat. 

*ACK! This was so sweet it made me tear up! Okay, I'll be real- big fat tears.

*This couple "retired" in their 30's and travel the world...with their baby. Read their awesome (and wise money management) here!

*Want! Me want! Okay...sorry...use your words, Lulu. Ahem...I would really like this pleaseandthankyou!

*I enjoy Rebel Wilson. A lot.

*I like this tenacious little Irish girl. When her parents laughed at her performance of Frozen, she put them in their place. You can't understand a bloody word, but the tone is unmistakeable!

*This littler girl's papa is an astronaut. She wanted to leave him a message he could see from space, and Hyundai was happy to help. Together they also broke a Guinness Work Record. 

Have a wonderful weekend y'all!!