"What I need is the dandelion in the spring..."

Two things you should know about me:

One

I love Etsy. Like, LOOOOVE it.

Two

I love, love, LOOOOVE The Hunger Games. Peeta? Peeta anyone?

Seriously, after reading the trilogy and seeing the first movie I am dying already for the next 2 to come out.

So, I don't know why it took me so long to look up The Hunger Games items on Etsy. And now, I am glad I did. Behold, my new favorite necklace:

After having my world falling apart last year, this quote from Mockingjay really hit home:

"What I need is the dandelion in the spring. 

The bright yellow that means rebirth instead of destruction.

The promise that life can go on, 

no matter how bad our losses.

That it can be good again."

I wear this necklace close to my heart now, not only because of my love for this quote and the book series,  but because it holds a special place in my heart. It IS true, life can and does go on, no matter what we've gone through, no matter what we've lost.  Heavenly Father will help and heal you and bless you with peace and happiness and hope. Life IS good, and I am so grateful.

I fall in love a lot......

.....Like right now, and every other time I look at dresses. I made the mistake of getting on Shabby Apple while I'm broke. Seriously, it is love.SUCH cute finds. 

I am a big dress junkie. I prefer them and skirts to jeans ANY day. So this is like dress-addiction heaven. 

Just look at these beauties!!

First of all and I am loving how there are so many modest options out there in dresses now! And that bathing suit is uh-mazingly cute!

*1*     *2*     *3*     *4*

Now to come up with a few hundred dollars that I can splurge on them ;)

Be Prepared To Cry

I have been hooked on watching some of the Mormon Message videos lately.  I have been having a rough time with some things that have happened in my life and there just always seems to be a message in these videos meant just for me, that the Lord knows I need to hear.
I found this video a few years ago when it first came out, and I am sure the Lord lead me to it at a time when I REALLY needed it, just He has lead me to find it again now, as I needed to hear these words again.
This is truly a touching video with an incredible message, I totally recommend it to anyone, and hope it touches you like it does me.
Just get the tissues ready...

The Hot German Life Guard Who Gave Me Sun Poisoning

I just got back from my first vacation in 5 years!!! (9 if you don't count that "vacation" driving across the country 5 people to a 5 passenger car in the middle of the summer in 2007)

  I had SUCH a good week!! I feel so refreshed,  that is, when I am not moving...

because every move I make hurts...

and this is why:

(right-me, left-my sis. pardon the immodesty, it hurts to wear anything but tank tops and even that is pushing it)

Yeah, painful. Real painful. And this picture doesn't even begin to do it justice, haha. I am seriously red. I look like  I am wearing a white bathing suit top over a red jumpsuit.

 Hot, I know ;)

I ended my awesome vacation getting incredibly sick with sun poisoning...i.e. chills, hot flashes, nausea, aches, etc. Not fun.

So the moral of the story is: WEAR SUN SCREEN YO! Especially if you are fair skinned, and NO MATTER how distracted you are by the hot,blonde, German life guard watching you at the pool.

Fried Oreos Will Save Your Life

On Friday my sister and I went up to a festival called Mayfair on kind of a whim to see one of her favorite bands, Boys Like Girls. It was a free concert, so why not?! 

 It rained...like, a lot.  Thank goodness there were different giant tents to sit under. We got there and right away met Martin from BLG.. SUCH a nice guy, and easy on the eyes too;)

Then, we definitely got a...wide variety(to say the least).... of entertainment while we were waiting for the show to begin. Like...

 kids performing songs from Fiddler on The Roof, a band playing who were no older than like 17, and a DJ and a huge dance party. And let me tell you.... if you know any white boys who actually can dance, cherish them, because it is a rare, rare thing. 

Then we had to sit through a rapper name Chiddy Bang. 

Then finally there was Boys Like Girls.

And in the midst of all the rain, weird entertainment, and white boy arm-flailing, my sister bought us fried oreos. And THAT made it all worth while.SERIOUSLY. 

If you haven't had any, I beg you..go change your life and partake at your nearest fair/festival right now.

Things I've Learned By Thursday

When Doritos are around, I have absolutely no control. Zip. Zilch. Nada. 

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I remember when my mom would pack these in my lunches on random, special occasions back in the day,  it was like payday, only...elementary school style. HECK yes.

I am not a big fan of 80-90 degree weather. At any time. And so darn early in the year?!  It's been happening since March. And I live in PA! Seriously...where is this coming from?! I thought it was supposed to be cooler here. It only cements the fact that I need a pool. Please and thank you.

 

 

Humidity kills. Period.

Oh wait, I already knew that.

But seriously, if you live in an area where there is little to no humidity, COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS!! It's like breathing through a hot, wet washcloth. And not to mention the disasters it causes previously styled, smooth hair. HELLO frizz!

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Movies You NEED to See Volume 2

In my last movie post, I listed 6 of my top ALL time favorite movies that should be a requirement for living. They are definitely a requirement to get to know me at all. haha.

Here are the next 6!

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Never Been Kissed

I remember when this came out I was still pretty young and my mom didn't want me watching it, because it's rated PG-13. But then she ended up seeing it at my Aunt's house while visiting and we all ended up watching it on TV then. And thank goodness...this movie is the epitome of awesomeness. It is HILARIOUS and cute and just THE perfect chick flick.  My sisters and I bust out the Josie dance quite often:)

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Tangled

I flipping LOVE this movie. My sister and I went to see it when it was released to theaters in 3D and I fell in love! I said before that The Little Mermaid is my all time favorite movie, and this one is a close second. SO darn awesome! And, I totally cried at this one too. Haha.

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Dear John

When this came out I was writing my missionary, and so I could majorly relate to this flick. I totally felt for them. And while my relationship with that missionary ended, my love for this movie hasn't! SO romantic and beautiful and... it needs to be said....Channing Tatum is flipping hot. Oh yes.

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George of the Jungle

When we were visiting family down in Arkansas I remember my aunt took my sisters and I to see this in theaters. This was like in the mid 90's yo, and I have LOVED this movie ever since. It is so stinking HILARIOUS. Seriously.  I think I have it like memorized by now.  And my whole family gets the quote references I am constantly busting out.

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The Blue and the Gray

All my life I have been a civil war buff. We always have lived within driving distance of Gettysburg and have visited it like most families visit Disney World. We would go to reenactments, civil war train rides, and my sisters and I dressed up in civil war hoop skirts most of my life. We didn't play "house," we played "civil war."  Legit. Every time a train passed by my house (we live across the street from the tracks) my sisters and I would run and duck and pretend that we were being shot at by the Rebels (or how we said it, the "revels"). So, no surprise I have been watching this movie since I was 3. It is AMAZING. Seriously.  Go get it.

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August Rush

I LOVE this movie. It is so touching and sweet and little Evan/August is SO darn precious.  And Jonathan Rhys Myers? SOOOOOO stinking beautiful/hot!! AND his REAL Irish brogue?! Be still my heart/ear drums. This is a family favorite too, my dad is even obsessed,which is weird, half the time when we show him movies he's just like "eh." But he constantly requests to watch this one. So you KNOW it has to be good:)