rearrange, refresh, revive.

I've been going through an intense rejuvenation spell... do you ever go through those? The kind where you have the sudden urge to get rid of all of your worldly possessions and move into a tipi in the desert? Ok, maybe its not that drastic - but I have been packing-away, sorting, getting rid of, reorganizing, and generally rearranging all of the little bits that make up my life. Its a good thing! Its very refreshing to change things up every once in a while, right?

De-cluttering my blog seemed like the next logical step. I've been thinking about doing it for a while... it just didn't feel like me anymore. And also, I wanted to be able to use 'extra-large' pictures, which I wasn't able to do in my previous layout. ;-)

Here's my past few days, in pictures:

First row: I spent the day at home (I've been house-sitting and haven't been home in what feels like ages) and picked some pretty flowers from the garden, picked about a gazillion raspberries and mulberries from around the yard (bird-planted!), have been eating [vegan] berry parfaits almost every day!

Second row: I've forced myself to go to the gym more regularly, saw a horse-and-buggy in the gym's parking lot (totally normal thing around here, I just wanted to share because I know other people will think that's funny :-), framed and hung my new Charmaine Olivia print (via Society6 for U.O.), and hung with my favorite kitty Cosmo

Third row: Watered the plants until after 9:00 p.m. (its too hot before that!), took pictures of my piles of makeup, some of my favorite jewelry, and listened to some jamz in the car.

Fourth row: Bought a daypack for my upcoming travels (did I mention that I leave for a month, starting July 5? More on that later.), did a late-night "what's in my bag" picture last night because I realized I carry around a LOT of stuff, bought a new journal at Borders yesterday (to chronicle my upcoming travels), and drank this yummy cappuccino protein drink instead of coffee this morning.

So...I guess I should tell a bit about my upcoming travels? I think I'll do a separate post about it in a little while...

iPhone Photo Dump #2

So, here's what I've been up to over the past few weeks:

I spent about a week visiting my bestie in Maryland....

we took a day-trip to Baltimore...

I bought this awesome headband at Urban Outfitters...

We spent some time in downtown Annapolis...

...spent a day in Ocean City, MD...

This store window display in downtown

Annapolis was made entirely out of food!!

After I came back home to PA, I worked on my tan a little more... hehe

I took Chase, who was getting pretty grubby, to get groomed!

Oh, and I got a new hat. :)

Chase looked (and felt!) much better after getting groomed.

Look at that smile!

I made friendship bracelets!

I got these wicked shoes on sale at Kohl's the other day for only $8!

Since getting contacts, I have acquired many, many pairs of sunglasses...

My newest shades....leopard print!!

Daisy and I have been rockin' out to some new jams...

And this is what happens when I take everything off of my bed to change the linens...

the animals think I'm telling them to create a blanket fort!

Umm...what else?

Oh! Lani and I saw Alexander & the Magnetic Zeros a couple of weeks back! It was awesome because it was sort-of an amalgamation of Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros and lead-man Alexander Ebert... many of the band members played some of their own personal songs that they've been working on, as well as some brand new material that had never been played for an audience before that show! It was amaaaazing!

Some of the images in the collage above are of the opening band, He's My Brother She's My Sister. They were fantastic! I sort of love them.

I had never heard of HMBSMS, but I fell instantly in love with them. I mean, they have an official tap-dancer, and she wore a sequin dress and was probably the cutest human being alive. I want to be her bff. It made me want to find a sequin dress of my own...oh wait, that's nothing new.

via

via

Instagram = Addicting.

Yep, I'm definitely addicted to this app.

I'm being so lazy today. Actually, I don't feel very good...I feel like I'm coming down with a cold. Bleh. Runny nose, body aches, and feeling really drowsy = NO FUN. I had plans to exercise some today (one of my goals for 2011!), and to maybe hit the thrift shop this afternoon (directly related to another goal - to get my shop re-stocked!) but.... looks like those things are not going to happen today. I barely have enough energy to sit upright in my chair right now, let alone walk around an actual store. Ha!

Its supposed to start snowing here in a little while.... I've heard we're expecting anywhere from 1 to 4 inches... hopefully its not too much! I've been driving 40 minutes to pick up and take the kids I babysit to school every morning this week, while their dad (my advisor) is out of the country on a field trip. So.... I'd be just fine without any snow, OK? Thanks.

*******

P.S. - On a sort-of related note: I'm so excited to hear that Verizon is going to carry iPhone starting on my birthday!! Sounds like a good birthday present, don't you think?? ;-)

Curacao pictures!

Well, I'm finally home. I've actually been home for 1 week now, but its been insane with the first week of classes and everything. I'm still trying to unpack and sort all of my stuff. Yeah.
Curacao was amazing. Words can't even express. The island itself was, eh, I don't know.... it was OK; but the trip in general was awesome. I had good company, too, which helps. ;)

I have to work today, so I don't have time to provide commentation for the pictures, but at least there will be something to look at until I get that chance!

This was our hotel:

"Infinity" pool where I spent a lot of time:See that mountain off in the distance? Yeah, we totally climbed that.
Here's the view from the top:

Shete Boka:

There were tidal pools with little creatures in them.We went snorkeling. That's my dive partner Teddy, and Prof. Cornell behind him.

Fort Beekenberg:

I have a total of 413 photos, so....there will be more to come!