Eight Things I'm Loving Right Now

1. <3 My new "niece"  <3 Miss Norah Claire <3 Such a beautiful name <3 My best friend had her baby girl a three weeks ago!!!! I'm in love with her little fingers and toes, face and hair. Both mommy and baby are doing well, and I can't wait to spoil her and cuddle her and give lots and lots of kisses...oh, and Jess, too <3

2. Earlier this month, my church finished a series called "FIT" (having a fit mind, body, and heart). It was brilliant, touching, and perfect for the season I felt God was bringing me through. Now my pastor is in the middle of a "Family Matters" series. It's times like these when I know I am not alone, God listens when I call out to Him. I pray these messages continue touching my heart.

3. Pulling out my spring clothes from storage. I am over with the cold and snow and winter, and I want to see more green, pastels, and less sweaters and mittens. I'm usually a fan of winter, but this season has been very temperamental this year, even for Ohio, and I'm over it. Yesterday was a high of 72 degrees! In March! In northeast Ohio! I'm going straight for my flip-flops.

4. Finding, no making the time for my yoga practice. Every day. Whether it's a full-on 70 minutes of Holy Yoga, a 30-minute leg routine, or a couple of sun salutations. Making time for it daily is one of my top priorities right now. I need to put the books down! <--- I can't believe I just typed that, haha

5. After Mr. B touched up the upstairs hallway with a new coat of white, he painted the doors, their frames, and the built-in cabinet storage all white. We also have cream-colored carpet up there. This winter we decided there was way too much white in that little area. I need color. I love color. I was game for any color. Mr. B chose red. A beautiful red. We painted it a few weekends ago. It's beautiful. It's still white, but not so white.

6. Since Lent, I've been having my "bullet" coffee almost every morning. Just black coffee with a tablespoon of coconut oil. Using my hand mixer, I combine until it's creamy and frothy. It's so deliciously good I should feel guilty. See part of my fasting during this Lenten season, besides fasting one meal a day, I gave up my calorie-laden beverages from Starbucks. (If it's not a black Americano or red eye, or unsweetened tea, it's on hold until after Easter.) Because of the sugar, and lately it's all I've been craving. Caramel macchiatos. Dirty chais. Steamed apple juice with a pump of chai. It's saving me money as well. My bullet coffee easily curbs these sugar cravings.

7. My latest movie love is The Age of Adaline. I don't know why I love this movie so much, but I am in love with this movie. I found it so beautiful. A different kind of love story. I cried. I laughed. I watched it and then watched it again. There was beauty and heartache. And the casting was perfect.

8. All my life I have been a purple girl. I love purple. I want everything purple. Lately, I want pink. All the pink things. I even dug out a pink-patterened VB purse from my closet because I had to have PINK.

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

My Beautiful Month

In case you aren't on Instagram, or don't follow me, here's a peek at my Insta-Life lately.
[*All photos are taken from my Instagram account.]

 Corgi Selfie!

Early evening naps.

 One of my toddler mom's and her daughter made a get-well bag for me when I was feeling under the weather. This put a huge smile on my face <3

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

7. Football

So, back to a few of my favorite things.

Now is the perfect season for me to slide in this huge FAVORITE. I know I have mentioned my love for this game many, many times on here, but it is time to make it official.

For fear of waxing on and on, and making this post longer than it already may be, let me just summarize my feelings with a few significant and favorite football moments.

• How almost every person in my family has their own favorite team. We have the Browns camp, the Bengals, the Cowboys, the Vikings camp, the 49ers, the Packers camp, (and unfortunately, the Steelers <--- married in, so we don't count this. Not sorry.) We're a loud, beautiful, rivalry mess. Sundays are interesting, let me tell you. Christmas can also get people worked up.
• That time (Thanksgiving, I think) Dallas was beating the Steelers and someone got a little miffed and turned the TV off. Let's just say my father was not amused and decided to leave the family gathering. While picking him up on the side of the road, my mother was not amused. However, my brother and I thought it was the best moment ever.

• My senior year of high school, when Daddy took me to my first Cleveland Browns game (even though it was a pre-season game and we got completely lost in Cleveland on the way home)
• When I first met Mr. B and had to tell my father he was a 49ers fan. I quickly told him Mr. B's mother was Steelers fan and we could be equally disappointed together. Forever.
• When Mr. B invited me over to watch football with him and his dad. It's quite the dramatic, emotional, and nerve-wracking experience ever. And I thought my family was intense! I decided to document the various stages of this madness for my college photography course final. I don't think my professor was impressed. Huge fail. (At least my up-until-then A balanced me out, and I ended up with a C.)
• The fact the Browns have WON every single game when I have been in attendance. Get me more tickets, people!
• The weekend we were in Buffalo for the 49ers-Buffalo game. Mr. B proposed. It was quite the memorable event.
• A few weeks ago, for the first time ever (at least for the time my family and I can remember) all FOUR of our teams won. !!!!! Oh my goodness! (...it's a shaky egg. <--- children's librarian humor. If you don't get, just move on.) I think you-know-what just froze over. <insert huge happy dance break and mass celebration> However, my husband's team did not win that week. Who knows if all FIVE of our teams will ever claim victory in the same seven-day period. BUT, the original four celebrated. woot-woot

*Disclaimer: I haven't looked up these stats to know for certain if this was the first time Cleveland, Dallas, Cincinnati, and Minnesota all won. We would need to go back to 1994-1995 season and check. If you have time for that, feel free to let me know if this is correct. Of course, read in a whisper---> we lost a few seasons when my Brownies moved for those few bitter years.

<insert huge emotional meltdown> But then I became a huge COWBOYS fan, just like my daddy. And then the Browns came back and I thought, I must go back to the Dawg Pound! Little did I know we.are.to.suck.forever. Apparently.

But I can't abandon them! Not like they abandon me in my youth! (Sidebar: I'm a closet Dallas fan. I can't abandon them! Mr. B is not happy about this, by the way. It's something we don't discuss, really. We also don't discuss the fact his mother waves a Terrible Towel. It's why we're still married. House divided, anyone?)

Oh, and then of course there's the one team that unites us all:

THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY!

I'm sorry, have you seen our trophy?

We are serious about our BUCKEYES. O-H!

And a shout out to my alma mater! Go Flashes!

Actually, my favorite thing about the football season is how it brings my family together every Saturday and Sunday. Traditions are made, fun is had, craziness is a given. I love it. I love it all.


**Annnnddd.... in no particular order, you can find my other favorite things here, and here, and here, and there! Ooops, there's one here, too. And a little half over here.

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

What I'm Reading {Five Favorites}

Since I took a winded break during the summer, I'd like to share with you all my top favorites from the books I devoured the past few months. And when I say devoured...clearly the understatement of the year. And when I say my top favorites...clearly a very hard decision, which left me second-guessing myself for a week as I prepared this post.

For my adult book, HANDS DOWN, I'm choosing Go Set a Watchman. Harper Lee's second novel.... I don't even know where to begin with my feelings for this one. Two and a half stars is what I wanted, desperately, to give this at first. OH MY GOODNESS. The last 20 pages were the book's saving grace. I was about to throw it in the front yard.

So much to say, this could be a post in itself, I don't know where to start. Viewing this book apart from To Kill a Mockingbird, I completely understand why the publisher asked Lee to write a beginning/background, per se, to Go Set a Watchman, which, in case you didn't know, was actually written prior to Mockingbird. WOW. I went through quite a roller coaster of emotions while reading this (I can see why Lee never wanted it to see the light of day). There was one point I was so upset I had decided to read it, afraid it would forever ruin my beloved Mockingbird. BUT, as I said, those last 20 pages.... I can understand it. I can understand what happened and why. Not saying anything more, as to not give anything away, I UNDERSTAND. My advice to those considering reading Watchman, keep going. Don't put it down. Finish it, and then sit back and think on it for a while. Think on the time period it's about, the time it should have been published.... Reading or re-reading Lee's first work is a must, I suggest, before reading this one. I might even go back and re-read To Kill a Mockingbird again for the second time this year. But then maybe...no, I'll just think on this one a little more. And that's the best thing about this novel. You want to see someone get fired up? You want to see an intense debate? You want to see a room divided? Bring up this book! I love hearing and having discussions centered around Harper Lee and her second work.

One more thought: I think Go Set a Watchman might have had it's own success if it had been released on the heels of the acclaimed To Kill a Mockingbird. It could've started another civil war. It could've been the South's saving grace. Who knows.... WOW.

Candace Cameron Bure's (aka D.J. Tanner) book, Balancing It All, is my recommended title for my beloved Christian genre. As the title implies, it digs into God's Word in relation to our chaotic lives, how to balance it all in a godly way. I like how Bure mentions, and often, how when things get a little too hectic, unbalanced and overwhelming, we need to take a moment and reconnect with God. To make sure we are following His plans for our lives and not our own. She delivers this message in an encouraging and non-condescending way, which makes it a great book to pick up.

For my audio book, I have to say my favorite listening experience belongs to The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. It was definitely a five-stars audio. I didn't expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. I'd been putting it off, but I don't know why. I have the movie at home and haven't watched it because I wanted to get through the book first. And, yes, there were tears...many, many tears. Yet, here's the best part: the whole time I was reading with my ears, I kept thinking my friend Jessica would enjoy it, and I should recommend it to her. Well, I had just finished it and was ready to give her my full suggestion and opinion the next time we phoned each other. Lo and behold, she had a book to recommend to me; it was The Time Traveler's Wife. We are two peas in a pod, I tell ya! And this isn't the first time something like this happened. Way back in college, during summer break, I called to tell her I just bought a new car. Before I could get it out she blurted out she had just purchased a new car. Like I said, two peas in a pod. It's why we're best friends, ya know? So anywhooo...the phone conversation turned into a small book discussion. And I just LOVE when that happens.

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson is my pick for my recent young adult favorite. Actually, I just finished this one not too long ago and I spent most of the book reading through tear-filled eyes. Even though some of the story lines were a bit predictable, I couldn't wait to get to them to feel what the characters were feeling. The plot made sense, felt realistic, broke my heart, and had me smiling through the tears. It was beautifully done, and I really, really enjoyed it. In a nutshell, Taylor's summer plans are cancelled when her dad gets some devastating news, and her parents decide the family will spent one last summer at their old lake house. However, five years ago, the last time Taylor was there, Taylor didn't really leave things on good terms and is distraught about returning to face the consequences. As you can guess, it's all about second chances and desperately battling a ticking clock.

And of course, my guilty pleasure over the last few months has been the Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning. And when I say over the last few months...clearly I mean over the course of a few weeks, because that is how quickly I DEVOURED this series. It came as a complete surprise. To me. To my coworkers, who know me oh-so-well. (There were actually comments along the lines of "Brindi?! Wait. Brindi is reading that?") A little background on this and why I was so shocked I couldn't put it down: I don't read books like this or this paranormal romance genre, at least not usually (and any I have fall under the category of young adult, mainly). Secondly, it wasn't really my choice to read this. For one of my *many* reading challenges, I was to use the Good Reads recommendations tool and add a genre that I didn't normally read (i.e. paranormal). Then I had to select a book from that particular listopia. I didn't like any of the titles, or story lines, but this one was a little more appealing than the others. I began it, reluctantly. Within 24 hours, I DEVOURED it. I couldn't put it down. And before I knew it August was known as my Fever month (I made it to book five, plus the graphic novel, but I had to put them down or I was never going to read anything else. Oh, and book five is a great stopping point, in case you're wondering. Also, I had no idea how BIG this series was/is). WHO KNEW? It's crazy the good reads one can stumble upon when giving a book a chance. And while I would love to divulge more of the story line, this post is long enough. So if it's piqued your interest, check it out! With that, I'll leave you with two words: JERICHO BARRONS.

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Eight Things I'm Loving Right Now

1.  Everyone is all about the Pumpkin Spice Lattes. All about the PSLs. However, I'm all about the Pumpkin Spice Americanos. I'm all about the #PSAs. I'm starting a movement. Jump on that bandwagon, people! It's delicious.

2. A bandwagon I have jumped on is Shakeology. But I don't like it. I wish I did because so many do. However, it's expensive so Mr. B is glad I don't. I'm trying my hardest to mix the protein packets with whatever fruit, coffee, nut butter, and milk I can find. A few mixtures I can tolerate, others... not so much. BUT, I am loving the CIZE workout program I signed up for with the Shakeology. It's cardio. It's moving. It's dancing. I am having a blast! LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. Now, I'm looking for another program I might want for Christmas....

3.This breakfast obsession has now turned into a quick dinner love affair. I ate this pear, egg, and cheese combo for five meals straight before I actually realized I'd been eating it for five meals straight. Although I'm currently not eating it for every meal, I am returning to it about every other day. I can't help it, these pears are so juicy right now!

4. Now that school is back in session, kids are overtaking the library. I can't help but love searching the stacks and asking question after question until I find a child or parent the book they're looking for. I love going on these little treasure hunts, whether it's for a school assignment or a book to share at bed time, I love finding something the patron will enjoy.

5.It's fall so that means TV shows are back in full swing. And that actually means nothing to me because we don't have cable, but we have some hi-tech bunny ears that give us access to the local channels. And that means I am loving my Hawaii Five-O and Blue Bloods. The only shows I watch. And last seasons' episodes are now on Netflix!! Woot. Woot. I am a big, huge fan of McGarrett. Mr. B is well aware ;)

6. With the weather changing and all, I'm getting back into the routine of using my doterra difuser at night. I'm obsessed with the Cassia; it's cinnamon fragrance is wonderful and calming, which actually helps Mr. Darcy relax more quickly around bed time. It's fantastic.

7. Trader Joe's Pumpkin Spice Rooibos Herbal Tea. In love. I must have a cup in the afternoon at work. I must have a cup in the evening after dinner. I must say, it is fall in a cup.

8. Oh, and do I need to mention FALL. And FOOTBALL. And chilly weather. And the BEAUTIFUL outside scenery. And APPLES, PUMPKINS, and CIDER! I am so blessed to be living in such a lovely state to experience THE best season. Gosh, I cannot tell you all how much it it my favorite.


With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

A Year of Reading Challenges {Part One}

Sooooo.....

Let me tell y'all about these reading challenges I've been obsessed with consumed with doing.

I know I mentioned them a few times in past posts. I hinted to them here and there, but I don't think y'all understand how FANTASTIC these reading challenges are. As if you need another reason to read, or another reason to make reading fun, these are THAT reason. I promise.

Honestly, I can't remember who started them or who found them, but my co-worker and I are in the midst of dozens of these challenges. Last spring, we found a few BINGO challenges on the Internet, which were the beginnings of our madness. One was an audio book challenge, the other full of random fun.

Soon the "BINGO!" texts were flying back and forth, and since we share an office, it was quite easy discussing which squares we had yet to mark off, how many BINGOS we had, and what books fit what criteria. For example, I read Labor Day for my "a book that became a movie" square and Seraphina for "a book with non-human characters." A few of my audio books were Doll Bones for "an audio book that scared me" and Hokey Pokey for "listened while cooking." For both of these BINGO challenges, we gave ourselves the full year to complete the card. It was so much fun, and for a few squares, like "a book with a one-word title" (for that I chose Fangirl), I had to dig into my TBR lists to find a book that would fit. It encouraged me to read books I'd been putting off or ones that have been on my list for months.

A BINGO card like this would be great for book clubs, especially when you're not sure what to read next. Once everyone has agreed on a square, for example "a book based on a true story" (for that I read Wild), then the group can vote on a title that fits the criteria. This is something I've been meaning to bring up to my own book club. They are all fully aware of my love for these reading challenges. However, I'm sure they are not aware my love has turned into an addiction. One I'm slightly embarrassed by. But not really.

These cards were quite fun. It was our new thing. And then we found a group on Good Reads which featured their own reading challenges. Ummm, a couple groups, actually. (Not that we were searching for them, ahem.) My co-worker and I were like kids in a candy store. 

One group we found, A Million More Pages, has a monthly "Scavenger Hunt" where you have 20 words you need to find while reading. You can't find them all in one book, the most for one title is five words. Once you find your 20 words, "congrats!" you finished. I've been participating since last August and including this month (May) I have finished a month's entire list TWICE. Any words you can't find rollover to next month's list and so on. Seven months later and I'm still searching for that bloody "hayride."

On the discussion boards, once the group moderator posts the word list (and you can bet we're checking as soon as we get up on the first of the month), members then re-post a copy and cross off the words as they find them. I could glance at what books other participants read for that word, but to me that takes the fun out of stumbling across the needed word while reading and shouting out (to no one in particular) "FOUND ONE!!!" For example, in the book I finished on Monday, Dancing with Fireflies, I found FOUR words from this month's list: lampshade, mother, five, and butterfly. (FYI. I was super stoked to find lampshade. I thought for sure I was going to have to rollover that one.)

This makes reading so much fun.

Other reading challenges I participated in recently consisted of spelling out words using a book's title or author first/last name, a few book cover challenges (like, the number of books you can read in a four-month period with an actual book on the cover), and monthly mini challenges. For instance, the group Wacky Reading Challenges' mini May reading assignment was to read one book that fit each of the four criteria: read a book whose title begins with "M"; read a book that is #2 in a series; read a book in which the main character is a mother; read a book with a red, white, or blue cover. As of today, I have four of the four tasks completed. Yay! Go me! Finished! (It's those Christian romances...I devour those.)

And there are so many more reading challenges!

But, I see this post is a tad long already, so I'll share a few other reading challenges in another post.

I hope this gives you an insight as to what I mean when I mention reading challenges, and if you love to read, or read a lot or read a little, or need a reason to read, definitely check out a few of these fun challenges.

It's perfectly okay to do just one challenge at a time. Or just do the monthly scavenger hunt. You don't have to become obsessed like me. I think I have about 30 different challenges going on right now....

Good thing I'm so organized.

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Eight Things I'm Loving Right Now

1. Poached eggs. Oh.My.Goodness.Oh.My.Goodness. Why did it take me almost 29 years to give these a try?! Why didn't anybody tell me about these??! (Mama, you're excused, but everybody else.... I'm looking at you.)

2. My latest guilty pleasure readings seem to be Christian Romance. I am such a sap. Such a romantic at heart. The Dandelion Field. A Marriage in Middlebury. I just finished Barefoot Summer by Denise Hunter and am starting Once Upon a Prince by Rachel Hauck. It's fluff. It's all lovey-dovey. It's fairy-tale-ish. It makes me cry. It's my current kick.

3. And speaking of... My new Vera Bradley reading glasses in Slate Blooms. And I'm not sure I even need these. But they were only $3.99. And they were cute. It's been almost a decade since I last went to the eye doctor. Mama took me and the doctor said my eyesight was fine, but with all the reading I was expected to do in college I might want some reading glasses. So we purchased some really cute, stylish red ones, which I wore mainly to coordinate with a red outfit every once in a while. Actually, I haven't wore them since unmarried life?? Maybe. I feel like my eyes are fine. Always have been. But these glasses are super cute! Maybe I should schedule an exam....

4. Polka dots and dresses. After the 70 degree-weather tease a few weeks ago, then the 40 degree-drop last week, spring seems to be poking it's head out today. We're in the 60s, people! Time to celebrate with all things spring! And let's hope it stays longer than three days. My dresses are growing impatient in the closet, and boots and tights just don't look as pretty or make them happy like sandals and heels.

5. So, through my Robeks app, I was notified about their new FITNESS SMOOTHIES made with maple water. As soon as I saw the peanut butter one I knew I had to have it. Last weekend I drove to the nearest location for a taste test. Honestly, it tastes like Teddy Grahams (the original, y'all) with a bit of peanut butter. Teddy Grahams! I loved those as a snack in my college days childhood. Yet, I could do with more peanut butter. Shocker, I know. I can always do with more peanut butter. Fitness fuel, my friends.

6. Grinding my coffee beans. Since my new coffee pot purchase a few months ago, now I wake up to the smell of coffee beans. Programmable coffee pots are the best thing since sliced bread, you know? I know. And my additional grinders are perfect for those days I want French pressed coffee. Like this past Tuesday. French pressed and Cabela's. Yep. That's my thoughts on Tuesdays in a nutshell. Time to be productive, but I'm not happy about it.

7. These Raspberry Chocolate Chip Muffins. Made with oat flour, dark chocolate, halved sugar, fresh raspberries, protein powder, and Greek yogurt. Healthy. Tasty. Breakfast-pleasing. Snack-pleasing. Dessert-pleasing. I had more than one, definitely. Check out Katie's book for the recipe!

8. This ballet core workout on DVD I borrowed from my library. I was at another branch killing time before a program, and while walking around I spotted it. It's pretty basic, but leaves you with a great burn. I'm really, really liking it. And it's something different. (Also, something I'm in need of if I keep eating muffins.)


With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

6. Vera Bradley

Vera Bradley, how I love thee.

Love might not be the word I'm looking for.

Obsessed. Devoted. Addicted. Huge fan. Avid collector. Yes. All of these, yes.

I can't help it. It's so beautiful. Whenever I walk into a store I want to BUY ALL THE THINGS. Pattern after pattern. Style after style. Item after item.

Multiple patterns of the same style. Multiple styles of the same item. Yes. ALL THE THINGS. My coworkers laugh at me. On an average day, I come to work with a dozen patterns between all my things...purse, tote bag, lunch bag, tumbler, lanyard, sunglasses, wallet, and the list goes on.... Hey, we all collect and like something. Right after all things coffee and all things Starbucks, I collect Vera Bradley.

But last Monday was special.

Last Monday, I walked through the door with a record 21 patterns. Grant it one pattern was a gift for my coworker, and my new pack of pencils, which contained four different patterns.

The other 16 patterns?

Guilty.

BUTTTTTT(!) in my defense, I had just come back from my annual trip to the Vera Bradley Outlet Sale. And this year it was killer. I adore everything I purchased. I adored my time with Jessica (it was just the two of us this year). I adored our traditional Cheddar's vegetable platter and drinks dinner and our Jimmy John's lunch. I adored our multiple trips to Starbucks and sleeping in a bed all of my own. I adored the hundreds of dollars I saved. Which is why I go. I go so our bank account can breathe.

This is what I tell myself. And my husband agrees. He'd rather I spend only $20 on a purse instead of closer to $100. We are all winners here.

Hello, VBOS 2015!!!!

This year was a blast as usual. We are all about the Vera. We hopped on that bandwagon years ago.

And my haul this year!!! So happy to see VB makes more patterns available for the weekend sessions. We we get back to the hotel room, I like laying out all my new purchases just as much as I like shopping the actual Sale.

My first-day haul.

SOME of Jessica's haul ;)

Apparently, our hotel room wasn't full enough. We realized we were short a few things. Like the small spinner I had my eye on the entire time we were there. It's originally $299, but when we walked in it was only $169. As we headed to the registers, the price dropped to $139.

Oh my stars! Think what it could drop to on the last day? On Sunday?! I promise, y'all, another $30-drop and I was walking out of there with a brand new, beautiful carry-on.

Yes, we went back Sunday morning....

....just out of curiosity.

While we were there, from 10-11 a.m. the price did not drop. The session did run until 8 p.m. though. Imagine the final cost come Sunday evening....???!!! Unfortunately, we both had to work Monday and could.not.stay.

I was bummed. But I snatched up another $118 purse for 20 bucks, and another $40 purse for 5 bucks. A successful trip indeed, my friends.

And since I'm sharing with you all my love for VB, check out these mash-ups of our previous trips these last four years.

This huge love affair all started with Java Blue. I fell in love with this pattern. I just had to have it. But at the time, a college student's budget is not Vera Bradley friendly. It was tough. The struggle was real. For my birthday, Jessica bought me my this lunch bag in Java Blue. I finally owned a piece of VB!!! Eventually, I bought a purse, wallet, and a curling iron holder all in Java Blue. <--- That was back when I wanted everything to match. Now, I'm all about equal pattern love. I'm all about ALL THE THINGS.

I still own my first piece of Vera. I don't use it, but I can't bring myself to toss it. It's sentimental to me.

Once I decided I was writing a post just about my obsession, I figured I might as well rummage through the entire house in search of anything and everything VB I owned. As displayed in the very first picture of this post, there is a lot. And by a lot I mean A LOT.

I counted 40 different patterns in my possession.

Oh, and that picture doesn't count the few VB things in my office or are currently on loan. (Cough, like my Kindle cover, Mama, cough.)

Yikes.

I'll admit, I have a problem. It's a beautiful and fashionable problem. But I might need help. I need VB Addicts Anonymous. We can compare our purses, talk about our deals, and I can pass out homemade VB cozy sleeves for our coffee.

Gahhhhh. She's a beauty!


With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Lately

1. The Vera Bradley Outlet Sale 2015 came and went. I was there. I bought all the things. My list for next year has already begun. Y'all, the joy I have for this annual trip with my best girlfriend.... I.CAN'T.EVEN.

I'm planning an entire post on this, but this year's haul has been my favorite yet. I am obsessed with ADORE my new purses and bags! I was so happy to see many patterns were still available during the weekend sessions. And since we went back on Sunday, it was exciting to discover different patterns had been brought out that weren't available on Saturday. ANNNNDDD, VB finally makes phone cases for Samsung! And the heavens opened. The angels sang. If you love Vera and have never been, I promise you, this is something you should not miss. Mark your calendars.

Next year it's April 6th-10th, 2016

You know, just so you know.

2. Five years ago tomorrow,  Mr. B and I signed some pretty serious paperwork.

FIVE YEARS!!! Oh my stars, where did the years go??! This is a big one. We might have to do something special. Although, we booked a mini vacation to Hocking Hills for next month as a sort of belated anniversary celebration....and if you refer back to the above, I spent a tiny bit of money this weekend...but, it's FIVE YEARS, right? We must celebrate. We must go crazy.

3. And speaking of cabins in the woods, vacations, and summer, I should probably start my Yogalosophy program again. Dig deeper into clean eating. It's boat and bikini season again. Yikes. Wasn't I just devouring cookie platters??!

4. It's National Library Week!!!! Woot. Woot. To celebrate, enjoy these.

5. I'm a mess. I have all of these plans to organize, organize, ORGANIZE! But instead I find myself on the couch watching Netflix. Me <--- in desperate need of motivation.

6. And one more. Because I can.

Happy FIVE years, Mr. B, you stud.

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Lately

1. [Wo]man down. These instant temperature changes have me down. Allergies have me down. I missed three days of work... but hey, I caught up on sleep. Go me.

2. And during those three days I parked myself, quite comfortably, on the couch with nonstop episodes of Hawaii Five-O. Re-watching all my favorite episodes. <--- read: all of the episodes. Oh, Steve McGarrett. :)

3. Every day for my afternoon snack I have a La Croix and a rice cake smeared with light cream cheese and all natural almond butter. I. CAN'T. STOP. It's my daily power fix. My guilty pleasure. The day is perfect for 10 minutes. Y'all should try it.

4. Mr. B has been quite the busy bee. He's painting doors, building chicken coops, taking me to Lowe's almost every day (with promises of swinging by Target --- side story, while I was sick he actually asked if I wanted to go to Target to restock my La Croix supply and to get me Starbucks to make me feel better...he's sweet.) where I promptly wanted to buy every piece of deck furniture I laid eyes on. Can you tell we're excited for spring?

5. And the heavens opened up. The angels sang. And I got my new coffee pot. Wait. You mean coffee pots don't take a half an hour to brew six cups? I feel spoiled. Stop it.

And it's programmable! Hello, to waking up to the smells of tall, dark, and strong.

(Oh, and a mug of steaming coffee. ....Of course, I meant Mr. B.)

6. Ummm, this pup will be ONE next week. What?!

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi