friday's letters 11.0

linking up with miss ashley today again...

she is driving from Cali to MI this weekend. Safe travels lady! 

this is going to be a short one today, this girl is ty ty! 

dearest self, 

you are not 21, why did you go out every single night this week?

dearest olympics, 

i am so excited for you! let the games begin!! 

dearest readers,

hi :) do i welcome an old friend even though i have feelings for him or keep him at a distance? i need some advice here! and i wish you all the very best in bethany's giveaway if you did it! 

have a fabulous weekend sweets! best to you all <3

29 in 29!

Linking up with Erin over at Living in Yellow (one of my favorite blogs)

isn't she such a crazy cat?!?

she wrote a post for 26 things to do in the year she is 26 and asked people to link up so why not?!?

well this year I am 29 and so here are my 29 things to be done this year:

1. Get some fresh ink, this seriously needs to happen! I need some endorphins! :) 

2. Have a pinterest party (Erin will totally think I copied her on this but I think it's something that all us ladies dream about!)

3. Take a serious vacation. Like actual vacation time dedicated to me. I often take vacation time to coach. I think it's time to have one for myself and just relax. 

4. Date a lot more than I am currently. I need to branch out and get back on the horse I fell off of. 

5. Make friends with my one great love that got away and be at peace with it. This is about halfway there. We are friends. Am I okay with it just yet? Probably not but I am hoping to get there because having him as a friend is proving to be much better than not having him at all. 

6. Clean out my closet and host a clothing drive for the Boys and Girls Club. Maybe ask Erin from LIY for some advice. She is a big time blogger, not sure she'll be able to help but worth the try! 

7. Run a race. This is happening on Saturday! And holy moly I am NOT ready. Haven't ran in a few weeks and it's probably going to kick my butt but I am so excited for The Color Run I can barely stand it. 

8. Get to 50 followers and devote some time to this blog. It's completely a work in progress and I don't get to work on it as much as possible but I'd like to make it something meaningful.

9. Work on a business plan for opening up my own business. Really must get this started so that I have something in the works. I'm not getting any younger here!

10. Go to the grocery store at least once every 2 weeks. I need to make a lifestyle change of my eating habits

11. Try lobster. I did this already. And it was half bad! I thought it was kind of chewy in lobster roll form with little to no mayo (I despise mayo) but I think it's worth trying from the shell with some butter next :)

12. Make everyone I come into contact with feel special because they are. 

13. Go zip lining

14. Read tons more. I said I would read 50 books in 2012 and I did really well in January (4 books read) and have been struggling to read ever since

15. Start a girl's night where we go to a different restaurant once a month

16. Have drinks with coworkers more often. They really crack me up

17. Be more confident in life. I am a good person! 

18. I haven't jumped in the ocean yet this year...gotta get on that!

19. Volunteer somewhere, anywhere

20. Go kayaking, haven't been in many many years

21. Take a day off and do NOTHING, not one thing. Stay in bed all day! 

22. Write every time I feel like writing something down. All emotions should be captured

23. Take some of the Spartan children out for ice cream when they get back

24. Go out on school nights more often. Have been this whole week and will continue to do so :) 

25. Vote in November

26. Hang out with my Great Auntie Gail more often

27. Host a game night! 

28. Go to Paint Bar with some lovely ladies

29. Relax more often! Take the time to enjoy life and basque in the sun's rays

these all sound completely feasible right?!?! If I think it's possibe, I'm more than halfway there! 

Won't you link up with Miss Erin?!?!????

friday's letters 10.0

wow! 10 weeks of letters....i must say, i'm kind of proud of myself! 

link up! you know you want to :) 

dearest the dark knight rises, 

you were a good movie but can your midnight showings be at 10pm instead? i am tired today!

dearest victims from the CO shooting,

you are in my (and i'm sure many others) prayers

dearest week,

you were jam packed! something every night but monday. this makes me sound so cool but really i just teach most nights

dearest work,

you are getting busier, you're officially freaking me out!

dearest renewed friendship, 

while you are oh so wonderful and i am enjoying you so very much. i think i may be enjoying you a little too much. especially with the reminiscing. you were too easy to fall back into and way too easy remembering how it was with no hope for more in the future. do i keep the friendship or sever it before i get too deep?

dearest self,

you can do it. whatever your heart desires. live the life you imagined 

dearest followers, old & new,

hi :) and thank you for following, it makes me so happy to get any sort of comments and i love checking out your blogs! 

now go, link up! dooooooooooo it. you know you want to :) 

all the cool kids are doing it! 

sometimes & always

today i am linking up with megan over at mackey madness

sometimes: i listen to music at my desk at work

always: i always find myself humming and singing really softly

sometimes: i realize i need to save money and make an investment in a condo/house

always: i get nervous buying something so big and with such a huge commitment by myself

sometimes: i'm not sure i'll ever be able to be with someone again

always: i remind myself that my time will come and i'll know when i'm ready

sometimes: i get frustrated that i commit to so many things and make myself run around like a crazy gal

always: once i'm there, i have so much fun and can't picture my life without all of these things

sometimes: i think i have no clothes

always: i have clothes all over my bedroom, in every single drawer, stuffed in my closet and folded on my bed...woops

sometimes: i get adventurous with my outfit choices because i think i'm fashion blogger

always: i get compliments from strangers that they like my outfits and i am genuinely shocked out of my mind (thank you blog world for giving me the confidence to wear such lovely things) 

sometimes: i think i'm going to get up early to go for a run

always: i end up just laying in bed for an hour before i actually get up and end up having to rush out the door! why don't i just get up when my eyes open?!? 

friday's letters 9.0

and we're baaaaaaaaack! 

dearest nails, 

you were so pretty. why'd you have to go and chip?

dearest espn and other press of the like,

leave bob kraft alone. he was just helping out a friend! he's 71 and he's still got it and a sense of humor. i'm sure he still loves and misses myra and we all must move on!

dearest lobster, 

for a first, you weren't so bad! i may have to try you again :) 

dearest salt, 

your hanger steak was bangin'! and the mashed potatoes...yumyumyum. btw, you are completely right

dearest anthropologie dress,

you were a huge hit! so glad i finally got to wear you. now to get my dollar's worth. you will be worn many times, my friend! get readyyyy

dearest college friends,

you guys are truly the best! we always have such a blast! happy 10 years of knowing ya! 

i'm the tiny one in the back middle...should've been in the front...woops

dearest all of you,

you are beautiful inside and out. keep on truckin' 

join us over on ashley's blog, adventures of newlyweds

so what! wednesday

today i am linking up with shannon over at life after i do 'cause why not?
so what...

• if my nails are bubble gum pink and sparkly at work
• if i walk around work barefoot, it feels nice!
• if my iphone screen has been cracked for months, i just don't have time to get it fixed
• if i've been eating like a banshee, i'm hungry for the first time in a while!
• if i wave my arms in the car like i'm celine dion giving a concert

well that was fun! i'll think i'll do these from now on :) 

won't you join me?

tuesday tunes

i'm sure we all looooooooooove carly rae's song call me maybe by now....

we've seen justin, selena & friends rocking to this song

and then we watched our fave bloggers rock it!

the dream team

and the harvard baseball team

but NOW...

cookie monster's cover of call me maybe called share it maybe! 

don't you just loooooooove him!?

i'm sharing because cookie monster says to! :) 

problem

ok i need serious help! 

i just bought these from barney's

like i need another pair of wellies but aren't these just delish? and from barney's? 

all of a sudden i think i'm loaded #inmydreams

the laces and the color! come to me, my pretties!! 

(and at an EXTREMELY decent price, i should add)

friday's letters 8.0

let's get our dearest la dee da on....

dearest week,

you've been a dear with only 2 days of work. i love you! 

dearest next week,

on that note, i am not looking forward to you! :oP

dearest high-waisted shorts,

i've been rocking the heck out of you this week. i hope you don't mind! i wasn't too sure about you when i bought you back in april but i'm so glad i did. this relationship is a beautiful one and will last a loooooong time! 

dearest dad, 

i'm sorry someone stole the raybans that you gave me. but how great are you for getting me a new pair!? #bestdadintheworld #spoiledrotten

dearest spartans,

i will miss you this weekend. be good cherubs!

dearest car insurance,

the car was a total loss before you deemed it a total loss and you just saved me from the headache of having to deal with getting rid of that car. so thank you thank you thank you! now, please work on getting my deductible back. :) 

dearest otl, 

where the heck are you? are you already here and i just don't know? can you please get your fanny here asap if you aren't! geeeeeeezzzz

dearest new readers,

hi. :) if you don't already link up with ashley, you should!

dearest friday's letters,

even though sometimes you are silly, it's easy to write you and you are therapeutic. 

have a wonderful weekend sweets. it's gonna be a beaut! 

you look like the fourth of julyyyyy

makes me want a hot dog reaaaal bad!

(love this movie)

this 4th of july was busy and fun-filled for sure.

the week started off heading to make meaning. it's like adult arts and crafts time and TOTALLY worth it (more to come on this in a later post, too many pictures)

on tuesday, my kiddies had a band show in Bristol, RI, the 4th of july celebration capital and it was fun! afterwards i had drinks with some old friends that were in the area and it was a blast. i laughed and giggled and it was pure bliss and the owner even bought us some champagne to kick off the birthday celebration for america!

wednesday started slow, it was raining here and i got to sleep in (thank goodness!)

headed to the pool with some chicks and some cool dudes

then we headed out on the boat for some fireworks. obviously i was having too much fun and didn't snap many picture but here are a few anyway!

      

pictures from either side of the boat at the exact same time (okay maybe a minute apart) 

how cool that it looks like two completely different times of day!

some beautiful fireworks to finish the night off; however, it only rained when the fireworks were going off, it was dry up until the first one in the sky and stopped right after the last one, figures mother nature! 

and quite honestly, i'm still in the mood for some red, white, and blue so i'm decked in it today! 

no white just yet, but i brought my sweater along just in case i feel a chill :) 

hope all you sweets had a lovely mid week holiday! here's to one day of work then a long weekend with a wedding! :) 

weekending

this weekend was a busy one that is for sure

teaching all weekend and seeing friends in between were the greatest (&only) parts! :) 

this weekend i came to realize a few things:

1.) i still love the boy who broke my heart but that's okay. he has a wonderful personality and we get along well when we interact. we haven't really been around each other for 5 years and now we teach together and i remember all the things i loved about him that i had forgotten. to love is the greatest even if we aren't loved back. there were always good time but sometimes you just aren't meant to be with someone even if you love them with all your heart

2.) my friends are the very very best. i'm sure you think yours are the best and they probably are. but mine....they are purely wonderful. it doesn't matter if it's been 2 days or 2 months since we've chatted last, it always feels like we're never apart for very long and i am thankful for that. i will always be there for them and them for me, this i know

3.) some of these people i teach with are a ton of fun and we have a lot in common. i mean really besides one person, i like them all

4.) i really like cheeseburgers, hot dogs and beer. there is nothing better than those 3 things on a hot summer day

5.) i don't like to eat a lot when it's hot outside. something about being outside and eating just doesn't sit well with me. now, this totally contradicts #4 but it is what it is! i just can't eat a lot outside when it is very hot, and i really love to eat a lot of summer foods

6.) now eating and drinking outside? these two go hand-in-hand for me! i never want to be outside if there isn't a beer/drink in my hand

7.) i've never been tanning in my entire life. i've only ever gotten dark from the sun and i believe somehow being tan makes me look and feel skinny but somehow i think i'm too tan...does that even make sense? i don't feel too skinny (i wish) but sometimes i look in the mirror and think i'm too dark

i'm a weirdo huh? that was just a lil bit of insight into the psyche of mine...scary huh? 

figure this is a pretty random post and i'll end it with a little pic of an outfit with my beautiful lace shorts! 

love love love these shorts. honestly, they were a great buy. only thing about them was they got a little big during the wear which is fine if they weren't already a bit big to start with but the next size down was just a little too snug, ya know?

but regardless, they will be worn many times! that mint top there, it's from h&m. i was told it was Blanch-y (like from golden girls)...ummmm WHAT?

do you think it is? do i have old lady clothes? a little self conscious over here...

help a sister out! 

friday's letters 7.0

welcome back for another session of friday's letters (favorite day of the week, obvs)

dearest new glasses, 

you are the greatest! you make everything brighter for everyone around. thanks for the smiles on all the faces i see :)

dearest little dino, 

you are the perfect addition to our little zoo we have going on in our living room. although, you do look really tiny next to your giraffe friend!

dearest week, 

so glad you are over

dearest friday, 

usually i like you but today you are stressing me out! i know it's not you, it's other people being anxious but i don't like it! tell them to chill out and relax 'cause you are here! 

dearest 4th of july, 

i am SO ready for you. couple days off to spend with family and friends. thank you very much!

dearest girlfriends, 

can't wait to drive 6 hours in a car with 5 people...this should be interesting. and all to see one of our friends get hitched. woot road trip!

have a wonderful weekend sweets! :)

case of the mondays

the beginning of this week, i struggled...monday, tuesday, and wednesday!

you could say i've had a case of the mondays for 3 days now...boooooo

"ari, how is that different from every other week" you ask?

welp, on monday my lips are burnt and i am over abusing my chapstick because of it

my hair was unwashed until yesterday morning from a particularly hot and curly day on sunday #thankgoodnessforbraids #imlazy

no idea it was supposed to rain monday, i was wearing white and didn't bring a jacket

i just wasn't feeling tuesday

really last night turned it all around for me. i went to a last minute dinner with some lovely ladies and it really let me sit back and say "wow, i really enjoy this life when i basque in it's joys" (i didn't literally say this out loud, though i kind of wish i did) 

this week i've dressed for how i want to feel (i try to do this everyday) but this week it helped to feel nice in what i was wearing. just realized that i wore white everyday this week so far

i just love white on a summer day. white and summer go hand in hand for me. 

i really have to learn to use the self timer on my camera....i guess i should find my camera first...#ihatemirrorpics

have a lovely thursday sweets! 

friday's letters 6.0

hello again :) if you don't already, you should go link up with ashley! 

but i think most of you came from there anyway! :)

dearest dad, 

i hope you appreciated the amount of effort it took to get my sister to help with that table. blood.sweat.tears(oflaughter)

dearest hair,

sometimes you are frizzier and poofier than you need to be, especially with this heat. knock it off.

dearest car insurance,

i'm not paying the $500.00 deductible. the little old lady side swiped my sister and pushed her into the guardrail. it is her fault. yes i feel bad but i don't want my wallet to feel the pain as well.

dearest friends,
thank you for asking me for styling advice. you make me feel so cool :)


dearest boy that i used to know,
we see each other every weekend but we don't look at each other, we don't speak and you don't deserve me, but i miss you anyway


dearest spartans,
i am excited for your opening weekend with our friends & family <3 you've all worked so hard, but keep on truckin' :) 


dearest life,
i am so thankful for all you bring, although i don't express that all the time. you are good to me. forgive me for focusing on the troublesome bits and pieces. i will do my best to refocus my attention


dearest self,
refocus your energies. sometimes you waste it. enjoy this life and all it has to offer! you are a good person, start to believe it! 


have a wonderful weekend sweets :)

clothes

it's no secret around my family and friends that i am obsessed with clothes and shoes
so i guess i'm coming out to the blog world?

seriously, i have a problem but i embrace it rather than shun it

i mean, clothes can make you feel beautiful, they can comfort you when you don't feel good, make you warm when you are cold. they do a lot! 

i've sort of been having a style debate

i'm not sure i stick to one style. actually, i know i don't

but here's my question...

why should we? 

i used to be a tom boy until my early twenties

and then i had a big breakup (duh), lost some weight and decided i would embrace some new clothes and explore some fashion sense (my sister was thrilled)

and i haven't look back since!

wearing my much love illy headband :)

same pose everytime...boring

i mean, i'm definitely no fashionista or style blogger

i just like to have fun with it! shouldn't we all? :)

weekending

oh monday...

you are just a total buzzkill sometimes! 

this weekend was spent teaching (like always), dancing, day dreaming, nightmaring, parading, father's daying...

it definitely had it's ups and downs but i like to concentrate on the ups :) 

warmth of the sun - my favorite

new lace shorts from urban <3

a family of turkeys crossing the street in brookline made my heart happy :) 

putting together this gem with my sister for father's day, quite eventful

my sister so happy that it is finally done and she can sit in the shade

putting together this table with her was quite the trip. she had me giggling so hard, i was snorting, tears streaming down my cheeks and belly aching. 

we are complete opposites, her and i

i love nature, the sun, being outside, laying in the grass...

she had a vitamin d deficiency from lack of sun exposure, hates the heat, despises bugs...

but she toughed it out and put together this table with me and enjoyed a little family dinner outside, all while making me pee my pants!

overall, this weekend was a keeper...hope yours was too sweets! 

friday's letters 5.0

here we are again! 

dearest work, 

you are about to get REAL busy on me....boo

dearest anxiety, 

you aren't too kind when work gets busy. ease up, okay?

dearest friends, 

haven't seen any of you this week, let's be friends again. honestly, this being busy thing is not sitting well with me!

dearest body, 

the time is coming to get some new ink. be prepared! 

dearest urban outfitters dress, 

you make me feel skinny and tan. mucho thanks! :) 

dearest sun, 

i think i proposed in a previous letter. what do you think? let's get married..mmmmkay? :)

dearest ashley, 

i received my much love illy headbands that i won through her giveaway on your blog. i am in loooooooooove <3

happy friday sweets! make it a good one :)