...kindness don't have no boundaries

A couple of weeks ago I finished reading The Help by Kathryn Stockett. It is such a great book--one that really makes you think about things. It takes place in the South during the 1960s and focuses primarily on a young white woman and 2 older black maids. It is very well written and sort of based on the author's real life. It is one to put on your list for sure.

This might sound a little nerdy but it's books like these that make me really wish I belonged to a book club. When I finish a book I really like to talk about it with other people. But since it usually happens that one copy of the book gets passed around between my friends and family, we end up all reading it at different times and never really get to talk about it. But pick this one up. Its a good one!

drifted off into a dream of what has been and what could be

I really cannot wait until the Brendan James concert this Friday. I have been recently introduced to this amazing artist by my best friend Whitney and his music has been on loop on my iPod ever since. I think this is my new favorite song. Definitely check it out!

Put 'em in the wash, they'll be grand

Growing up my family was never really into holidays that much. The only holiday we decorate our house for is Christmas but I think it's kind of against the law not to (and if it's not it should be). But I have always loved St. Patrick's Day. Green is my absolute favorite color and St. Paddy's Day means that Spring is right around the corner! In elementary school my friends and I used to spend hours on end searching for four leaf clovers in the field at recess--I never found one. But this morning, even though I have nothing really important to do today, I got ready and put on my abstract shamrock print skirt and new cute white, strappy sandals. I feel very festive and I love it!

If you couldn't tell by the red tones in my hair and my pale, virtually untannable skin, I am Irish. Just a little but still it's there and let me tell you, those genes are very dominate! But hey, I have come to embrace it. It's who I am and I'm fine with that. So in honor of that and this glorious day, I have decided to celebrate with a little movie marathon. First Leap Year, then P.S. I Love You, and finally The Luck of the Irish.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

mardi gras!

I absolutely LOVE Mardi Gras! It was my favorite day of the entire year when I was in Jr. High. Mostly because it happened during Foreign Language week. I loved to great foreign candy from Spain and France that we were able to buy and the silly trivia competition that our lone French class won every year. We dominated over the Spanish classes and always brought that trophy back to our room. But Mardi Gras was my favorite day of the whole week. My teacher always made it a huge party in our room. She told us if she could afford it she would take us all down to New Orleans but somehow I don't think our parents would have gone for that haha. Anyway, we had beads and games and King Cake. I never got the little plastic baby in the cake but it tastes so good I really didn't care. My 9th grade year my teacher had all her 3rd year students put on a Mardi Gras party for each of the Spanish classes so we actually had 2 parties that year. Oh I miss it! I could really go for some King Cake right about now :)

And tomorrow is the Ash Wednesday which is the first day of Lent. You are supposed to give something up every year and since I gave up Diet Coke for New Years, I needed to think of something new that I could go without. (Yes, I have yet to take a sip of Diet Coke. Aren't you proud?) So I gave it some thought and decided to give up eating out...Then I got to thinking about it and realized I already have plans to eat out a few times this month already and that really isn't going to be a good thing. So then I thought I would give up fast food, especially Costa Vida. I went this afternoon and got lunch from there today to say "Sayonara" until Easter. This will definitely be a challenge. I also decided to give up white things. White rice, white bread, and processed sugar :) This will also be extremely difficult because I am a carbaholic. I don't eat a whole lot of meats, I would much rather have bread so we will see how this one goes. Wish me luck!

And spring is less than 2 weeks away! I wish I was in DC with all the pretty cherry blossoms! :)