grace in small things.

• every single moment I spent with my boyfriend over the weekend
• deciding on an outfit for Easter
  
• lunch with my Lady Lumps
• lots of beautiful weather
• Beyonce's newest song
  
  
• being Natalie's bridesmaid dress model and helping her pick styles and a color
  
• finally seeing Toy Story 3 (definitely cried) and Easy A (such a good movie!)
• trips to Starbucks
• finally admitting I'm head-over-heels in love
  
• snail mail
• feeling optimistic, energized, content, loved, cared about... and just plain happy

This week was such a good one and this weekend is going to be the icing on the cake. Happy Easter weekend for all those who celebrate! Eat lots of Cadbury eggs and Peeps, or whatever else you like instead. (There's a purple bag of Cadbury Mini Eggs with my name on it, waiting to be devoured on Sunday.)

grace in small things.

{Nana's tree; planted at my cousin's house. I always think of her & my pop-pop around this time of year.}

• all of last Friday and Saturday, which included but was not limited to: attending a house party and being way too old for it; being decent at flip cup even though I've never played; meeting the rest of E's hometown friends; watching him interact with said friends; interesting conversations throughout the night; hanging out the next day; going out to dinner with his family for his dad's birthday; having that warm and fuzzy feeling in my stomach basically the entire two days
  
• getting up early on Sunday to see Hop with the dance girls, which was adorable and also pretty funny
• planning Easter desserts and a little surprise project
  
• confirming that E will be joining me on Easter and meeting (most of) my dad's side of the fam, and being extremely excited because I think (hope!) everyone's going to get along fabulously
• figuring out my feelings, taking chances, and just being randomly happy
• being relatively successful with eating healthier and exercising every day
• day dreaming about my future
• beautiful weather
  

Happy Friday! What little things are making you smile?

grace in small things.

• my Glade "Bring On the Blossoms" candle, which smells so spring-y and is pink
• eating delicious Irish stew, being unimpressed with the Super Moon, and spending some quality time with two of my best friends and our boyfriends at Katie's St. Patty's Day dinner party
• having another anxiety-free, enjoyable car ride down to Katie's place with E
• avoiding the snow by sleeping in and napping all day
• three new pairs of shoes from Target (on sale!)
• some awesome finds on the clearance end-caps at Target (cute gift bags, a paperweight, and note cards)
• Extra Dessert Delights gum, particularly the Key Lime Pie flavor that I just tried this week
  
• finally getting around to cleaning and organizing the clutter-y parts of my room
• going to lunch with my grandparents, aunt, mom and brother, actually feeling good, actually eating, and not having much anxiety at all

What's making you happy this week?

grace in small things.

{via}

• baking cupcakes from scratch and making buttercream frosting for the first time
• weather beautiful enough for dresses and flip flops
• Tuesday's episode of Glee
• coming up with little surprises for people
• Danielle's Save the Date coming in the mail
• shopping smart and coming home only with what was needed
• e-mails, texts, and Facebook messages with people I love
• having plans to look forward to
• dance parties in an empty house

grace in small things.

• The snow is all melting and I was finally able to get the Christmas lights off the bushes in the front yard.
• I wore a dress to work yesterday.
• My boyfriend can actually quote most of the sixth Harry Potter movie (and I'm assuming all of the others; it's something he can do with any movie he's seen several times), which was surprising because I just assumed he had never seen them.
  
• I've been making plans with people left and right - by the end of the month, I will have touched base with almost all of the lovely people in my life.
• My Valentine's flowers are blooming like crazy. I can't stop taking pictures of them and grinning from ear-to-ear. They're gorgeous. (Thanks again and again to my boyfriend, who clearly has good taste.)
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Glee performed 'Take Me or Leave Me' and I just about died (it's one of mine and Lyndsay's fave songs).
• My friend Emily is doing so well after her surgery - she was already back in her hotel room yesterday afternoon and has been feeling great!
• I bought myself lots of yummy candy from the Valentine's Day clearance section at Target.
  
• Queen Britney released the video for HIAM and it is amazing.
  
  

Happy Friday!

grace in small things & a winner!

I usually reserve Grace in Small Things for Friday posts, but I forgot last week and feel like posting some, so let's do this.

• Listening non-stop to the new Britney Spears song.
  
• Talking to Lyndsay about our shared anxiety problems and feeling a little less alone.
• Snuggling with E while watching TV.
• Having a perfect, perfect date night with two of my best friends - sitting on the floor eating Chinese food and watching wedding shows, swapping gifts, catching up, talking about weddings, just like how it used to be at school.
• Being asked to be a bridesmaid in Danielle's wedding(!!!).
• Random texts from E that make me smile.
• Getting my dress from the lovely Miss Ev`Yan.
• Quality time with my brother over quesadillas at 3am.
  
• The Jets winning against the Patriots!
• Watching the Golden Globes and being so, so happy for Chris Colfer, Jane Lynch, and Glee for winning awards.

My post-birthday week was so wonderful in ways I never expected. Reconnecting with my closest friends recharged me just when my post-holiday-and-birthday-blues were setting in. Thank goodness.

Also! As promised, today I'm announcing the winner of my giveaway. I used random.org and the winner is... Stephany! Congratulations! Look for an e-mail from me later today. Thank you to everyone who commented - I'm hopefully going to respond to all of your comments later tonight, but it was so fun to read all the interesting things about my lovely readers.

grace in small things.

It's been a long, mostly internet-less week, which was both a blessing (I was forced to be productive) and a curse (major withdrawals). But! I'm back with my list of loverly moments for this week.

• Working at a 'Pictures with Santa Paws' event for my cat shelter and meeting lots of cute kitties and doggies.
• Visiting my aunt and decorating her house, including a surprise for Lynds when she comes home.
  
• Dancing to the music from this awesome Target commercial every time it plays.
  
• Watching my brother play Grand Theft Auto, which was so much more fun than it sounds.
• Making an epic play list of all my favorites from my Christmas albums.
  
• Crafting and writing my Christmas cards, which go out in the mail tomorrow! (If you still want one, feel free to fill out this form by Sunday and I'll send it along.)
• Wrapping presents, which is by far my favorite Christmas activity.
• Finally getting my internet back! (Sad, but true.)
  

grace in small things.

It's been a long, long while since I've done one of these posts, but I think I'll pick up the habit again. Collecting my lovely moments at the end of every week is good for my soul.

• Getting a great big hug from my favorite little girl, Isabella (my dance teacher's daughter). I haven't spent too much time with her recently wasn't sure she remembered me now that she's a bit older, but when I showed up at the wake on Wednesday night, she smiled and ran right up to me and nearly bowled me over.
  
  
• Finding the perfect game for Christmas on my shopping trip with Lynds - it's based on A Christmas Story and we're surprising our parents with it.
  
  
• Visiting my alma mater and feeling like I've never left. The drive down felt like I was going home, I got to park in my old (and always frustrating) parking deck, and hanging out in Lynds's dorm made me want to go back immediately.
  
  
• Spending quality time with Lynds, complete with ridiculous car dancing to Christmas songs, buying gifts for ourselves from Victoria's Secret, and gushing about boys.
  
  
• Planning to grab dinner with Natalie's brother (who will be further known as E so I stop mentally associating him with Nat), which I'm trying not to freak out about because I always think five million steps ahead of myself and really, it's just dinner between friends.
  
  
• Filling up my calendar, chatting with friends, finding the perfect gifts, and crossing things off my to-do list.

A quick little reminder that if you'd like a Christmas (or other holiday) card from me, just click over and fill out this form!

grace in small things, 17/365.

I've neglected GiST for far too long, so I'm bringing it back with a twist (at least for this post). I usually make a little list, but this time I feel a full entry coming on.

This past weekend, I ventured out for the first time in a while. I was due to visit The Boy, and since his house is halfway between my house and my aunt's shorehouse, I figured the two of us would drive down and visit. Aside from the ridiculous amount of traffic, I'm glad we made the decision, especially considering there was a farewell party for my cousin and another neighbor, who are both going off to college soon.

The ride to The Boy's house and the subsequent drive to the shorehouse were nearly unbearable. While the combined time for both trips should've been just about two hours, instead it was nearly three and a half. Of course, it's mostly my fault for planning to make these trips on a Saturday. In the middle of the day. On the first sunny and warm weekend of the summer. In New Jersey.

If you're from North Jersey or travel the GSP to get to the shore, you can probably guess what bridge this is.

I was instantly at peace with my decision when I stepped in the house. As usual, I was offered a lovely alcoholic drink (which I passed on, since my tummy had been icky all day) and a comfy seat amongst family and friends. We talked, laughed, and traded playful banter about things like stupidly using your finger to test the heat of baked penne vodka, my aunt's hot flashes, and sneaking bread before the food was put out.

My cousin, at the ready to light the sternos at a moment's notice.

As we waited for dinner to be served, the guests continued to show up, sharing stories, hugs, and smiles. I love the people who live on the block by the shore house. They're so bubbly and welcoming, and remember me even if I only visit once or twice every summer. At one point, the random mix of old and new songs being generated by the random "party mix" TV music channel came to a meeting point when Only the Good Die Young started playing. My 18-year-old cousin, whom the party was for, came running inside with her friend and started belting out lyrics, along with me, our cousin's 27-year-old girlfriend, and a few of the parents. It was one of those moments that doesn't make for a great story, but at the time it just feels so good for your soul.

Sunset.

The best part was after we'd all eaten, when most of the party guests had drinks in their bellies and the sun had just finished setting, and the dancing commenced. My aunt recently had an addition put on the house - a gorgeous back patio with screen windows to keep the cool breeze coming in but the nasty greenheads and mosquitoes out. With the outdoor speakers blasting Just Dance, the twist, and everything in between, we all hit the makeshift dance floor. The older guests danced in a tipsy stupor, while the teenagers let loose as best friends enjoying themselves together one last time before my cousin left for college. We did the Hokey Pokey and the limbo, laughing and dancing and sweating.

My youngest cousin, giving the girls a run for their money.

She has no shame, although she did try to tuck her dress under before she went for it.

Those are the moments I live for. While we were spinning in circles during the bridge in the chicken dance, belting the lyrics to a favorite song, and laughing at made-up dance moves, everything else fell away into the background. All my worries, concerns, doubts, shortcomings, and feelings of sickness were gone, and I was happy.

I was letting go and laughing loudly, something I need to find a way to do way, way more often.

grace in small things, 16/365

1. The amazing, warm weather today
2. My yummy guava-scented candle
3. My cousin's gorgeous prom dress
4. Bedtime phone calls with The Boy
5. Having a really good hair day

Doing my part to wage a battle against embitterment; join us.

grace in small things, 15/365

1. Starting to plan for my graduation party
2. All the awesome deals at Old Navy
3. Amazing finds at the dollar store
4. Wearing my knee-high black boots, affectionately called my hooker boots
5. Spring Break!!!

Doing my part to wage a battle against embitterment; join us.

grace in small things, 14/365

1. Enjoying the 35-degree weather, which seems so much warmer compared to Tuesday's 5 degrees
2. Birds chirping, reminding me of spring's imminent arrival
3. Walking outside in slippers to go do laundry
4. Online wish-listing
5. Silly conversations with family

Doing my part to wage a battle against embitterment; join us.

grace in small things, 13/365

1. Actually waking up at a decent hour
2. Being productive! Yay!
3. Knowing I just have to get through classes tomorrow, and then Spring Break is just a day away!
4. Ben & Jerry's Brownie Batter ice cream
5. Finally getting back in the habit of dancing around my room on a daily basis

Doing my part to wage a battle against embitterment; join us.

grace in small things, 12/365

I had a not-so-great week last week, so I slipped a lot with my GiST posts. But I'm more than ready to get back to it.

1. Snow day! On a Monday, when I have three of my four classes.
2. Lyndsay getting accepted at my college!
3. Watching Lynds compete at states for cheerleading, and get 8th out of 11 teams! (Side note: Their team is a bit new to the world of competing, and for the past three years all they ever got was last place. So that's a major accomplishment!)
4. Catching up on sleep
5. Writing an awesome paper for Buddhism class

Doing my part to wage a battle against embitterment; join us.

grace in small things, 11/365

1. Making my own unique meals, like salad with avocado, corn, tomato, and chicken fingers
2. Getting together with my mom's side of the family and poking fun at one another (and the family members we don't like)
3. Coupons for Victoria's Secret stuff
4. Hitting barely any lights on the drive back to school
5. Realizing I don't have reading for tomorrow's class because we're watching a movie

Doing my part to wage a battle against embitterment; join us.

grace in small things, 10/365

1. Fridays!
2. The Boy buying lunch for me because I'm sick
3. The drive home
4. Long bubble baths
5. My comfy bed at home

Doing my part to wage a battle against embitterment; join us.

grace in small things, 9/365

1. The smell of my shampoo (Sunsilk Daring Volume)
2. Passing by friends on campus and saying "hi"
3. Beat Freaks on America's Best Dance Crew!!!
4. Watching Conan's last episodes - he brought back the Walker, Texas Ranger lever!
5. Knowing I only have one class tomorrow

Doing my part to wage a battle against embitterment; join us.

grace in small things, 8/365

1. Weather warm enough for rain instead of snow
2. Making and eating nachos
3. Catching up on watching Top Chef
4. Getting on top of my resolutions, specifically with keeping track of money
5. Having Wednesday's off from class

Doing my part to wage a battle against embitterment; join us.

grace in small things, 7/365

1. Finishing a test for a 400-level course in a half-hour
2. Chicken Caesar wraps with extra dressing
3. Watching cartoons
4. Much-needed naps
5. Going to bed early

Doing my part to wage a battle against embitterment; join us.

grace in small things, 6/365

[Playing a little game of catch-up.]

1. Eating healthy
2. Being the person The Boy wants to keep him company while he does homework
3. Sleeping in
4. Sparkling green tea
5. Lazy Sundays

Doing my part to wage a battle against embitterment; join us.