I woke up in the morning & the sun said hi

Today was a good, good day. I woke up on my own, not to an alarm. I made an iced mocha with the espresso machine I scored for $10 at a thrift store last week. I cleaned my room and planned my outfits for the trip I'm taking to San Diego next week to visit my sister (a trip which I spontaneously booked last night--beyond excited to play in the California sun all week!). I blasted reggae and put this dress on because the sun FINALLY came out. I made Chinese food. I met a friend for coffee and we let our feet walk wherever they wanted, over concrete and grass and trails and creeks. Tonight, I'll go see Moonrise Kingdom. Basically, today is a day to do whatever I want, and it feels goooood. 

Back to work tomorrow, but today, I play. xo! 

dress: Target, sandals & hat: Old Navy

Ps: the title is a lyric from the song "Marion Sunshine" by the Blue Scholars & you should definitely listen to it. It is sunshine in song form. 

Summer pins

Well, it's been a while. Between working a lot & playing the rest of the time, blogging has been put on the back burner & I'm okay with that--it is summer, after all, and there is lots of life to be lived. That being said, improving this blog is on my summer bucket list so I hope to get things going again with outfit posts, recipes, and perhaps a few DIYs. In the mean time, here is some summer inspiration brought to you by my Pinterest boards. Here is what I'm loving for summer this month:

The minute the sun decides to show her face in Washington, I am making this roasted peach lemonade

Loving this simple DIY using old t-shirts. 

& speaking of t-shirts, how perfectly chic is this skirt & tee combo? Found at the Opinion Slave blog.  

I can't stop looking at the stunning photos Andria Lindquist takes, especially these boudoir maternity shots. 

...need I say more? recipe here. 

This doily dreamcatcher is next on my DIY list. 

I have this quote posted above the desk where I write--it is wonderful motivation. 

Laid back summer perfection: tank + high waist. 

And last but not least, a sangria recipe that sounds to die for. I'm not a big winer, but I'm willing to try...

Find me on Pinterest & share your summer ideas! xo. 

insta lately.

rainy, vanilla chai kind of afternoon / chambray, stripes, & a color pop

grad parties / dancing on tables because Katy Perry said to

brother & my favorite piece at the Seattle Art Museum / Aboriginal art feature

blue & green Seattle / black & white Seattle

grad ceremony / gorgeous, colorful grad flowers

my best boys / beer & salmon burgers to celebrate

silly boy on a summer afternoon / brunch

celebrating our last night of Bible Study with kittens & brownie sundaes

fresh flowers in my room always make me smile / brunch

Life's been fun & I only see it getting better as the summer rolls in. xo! 

summer cookin: Thai Lettuce Wraps

My family is a food family--we all love to cook & we all have our specialties. Last week,  I was talking to my older sister from San Diego while I grocery shopped, and mentioned that I was looking for some fresh summer meals to make. She suggest Larb, a Thai lettuce wrap dish, which she had made for our family the last time she visited. I made a big bowl of it & snacked on it all week--it's delish, fast, healthy, and perfect for a summer lunch. Recipe below.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey

fresh basil (I used Thai basil)

mint

fish sauce

Sriracha

1/2 of a small onion

1 large clove of garlic

1 carrot

1 lime 

romaine lettuce

1. Cook turkey until browned. 2. While turkey is cooking, chop the carrot, onion, and garlic & combine in a large bowl. Add mint & basil to taste. 3. Drain turkey & add to bowl. 4. Toss with fish sauce, Sriracha, and lime to taste. 4. Spoon mixture onto lettuce, top with a little extra lime & Sriracha, and enjoy! I had mine with a Bridgeport "Summer Squeeze" beer and it was perfection. 

Thanks to my sister Katie for the recipe! Do you have any meals you love for summer? Leave some inspiration! xo. 

graduation day

I was on a plane during the commencement for last quarter, so I got to walk in yesterday's graduation & I'm so, so happy I did! It was such a perfect day--my family arrived in the morning armed with homemade quiche & chocolate pie, fresh fruit, flowers, champagne and wine, and so much excitement and pride. I got to walk with my roommate & fellow Creative Writing major/blogger Angela, see my best guy friends after (boys armed with flowers--just killed me), celebrate at my favorite local brewery with my family, and go out with my best friends after an evening cat nap. Not to mention the 2 am chocolate pie we shared.  

I feel happy of myself.

dress: Target, shoes: Old Navy

queen of hearts

Lately, it's been all about simplicity. Maybe I'm feeling lazy, or maybe it's the wishy-washy weather, but I just have not been in the mood to put together complex outfits. Which is why I'm depending on basics like jeans, tank tops, & boots. However, I'm loving basics with a bit of flair, like the color/fit of these jeans & the cute heart print on this Forever 21 top that I can't stop wearing--that way, I can be lazy without the world knowing it. Maybe I'll get dressy again when the sun decides to come back out. 

What do you lean on when feeling uninspired fashion-wise? Share your tips! xo. 

top: Forever 21, jeans: thrifted, shoes: Charlotte Russe, polish: Target

summer swag

Old Navy / Fred Meyer

Francesca's Collection / Target / Target / Buffalo Exchange

Forever 21

Old Navy / JennifCloset

Thrifted

Target / Forever 21

It's cloudy and grey here right now, but I've been shopping for summer all month...safe to say I should keep my wallet closed for a bit. I think I'm set for some warm weather, anyway. Are you? What's still on your summer shopping list? xoxo.