Happy Easter!

HAPPY EASTER!

Every Easter I love watching the wonderful musical Easter Parade. 

(Since I originally posted this back in 2012 the video I had shared has been removed here is another great scene)

When ever holidays come around it is funny what you remember, things I remember from Easter...

1. I am not sure if we watched it on Easter or not but I remember watching the movie Easter Parade at my Nana and Grandpa's house and now every Easter I want to watch it.

2. Easter dresses- I remember every year having to wear white tights and patent leather shoes, at least until I was in my teens and the first year I did not wear those items I felt so grown up.

Some Examples of my Easter Dresses:

My sister, Granddad and I

My dad and I. 

3. Bunnies -I remember every year my mom got us a stuffed bunny for Easter, one of them was rose colored and I named her Felicity. We put all our bunnies on top of our fireplace mantel and we called it bunnies on parade.

4. Easter Brunch- When we were at my mom's house we always went out for a special brunch, they were probably the nicest meals we ate growing up.

5. New York City- when I was in 6th grade my mom took my sister and I to New York City and we stayed in the Plaza Hotel.Sad to say I don't remember much about that trip. I went to the Disney store near time square and I begged my mom that instead of my Easter bunny to buy a vintage looking Eeyore. I know it might be silly but it is still the stuff animal I sleep with.

6. Easter egg hunts- I remember when my Grandma would put bible verses in little eggs... when you are kid you look forward to the candy so I always felt chipped getting Easter eggs with verses. Now I am glad that she tried to keep Easter still close to God, when so many people make it about the Easter bunny. Also I remember my younger cousin, who is at least seven years younger than me, enjoyed Easter egg hunts much longer than we did but I felt bad she didn't have some one to play with so I pretended to be excited about Easter egg hunts even when I was fourteen.

7. Peeps- I know a lot of people find peeps disgusting. But I love them. One year in college I put on Facebook about how I didn't get any Peeps that year and she sent me boxes of Peeps. But I am a traditionalist I only eat Peeps at Easter time.

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Hope you have a wonderful Easter!

The Finale

Birthday Weekend Away Part 2

staring out at the ocean at The Breakers
it was a bit cold

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In my Birthday Weekend Away I wrote about my mom and I going to Newport for my birthday and I must say I loved my time away. Not only as a time to relax but as a time to live a bit in the past or at least explore past a bit. I must say as much as I was looking forward to seeing the Marble House, I fell in love with The Breakers. I found the whole weekend inspiring, most of the houses provided great detail for the Gilded Age and I wanted to take note of all the details. Fortunately my mom spoiled with buying me some new books so I can study more about this time period. 

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Sadly we cannot take pictures inside the house so I don't have any pictures of my own of the beautiful interiors but I do have some that my mom has posted.

my mom and I on the patio of The Breakers...
I have my head phones on for the  guided tour. 

At The Elms on a sunny warmer day

A posed picture of me outside The Elms

I feel quite inspired and now that school is out I can get some real writing done. Some of you know that I have to hand write my stories and then I type them up. Right now I am catching up on some of my typing. Will keep you posted on the work.

Happy Opening Day!

Hello Boston Red Sox Fans!

Happy Opening Day!

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I am not a big sports fan but I do enjoy a good baseball game. I am not a Red Sox nation kind of person, I have changed loyalties from where I live from the Mariners to the Giants... but I will never root for the Yankees! (I promise).

Red Sox Fans will understand

Me at my first Red Sox Game

One of these things just doesn't belong... can you spot it?

My first Red Sox game and it was Lester's no hitter 5/19/2008

Us celebrating the win. 

A hopeful traveler

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This semester I have an internship where I have been cataloging letters written to the Academy. Most of them are from people in Boston, or other places in the U.S. but some are from France,Italy, Vienna, or even Russia. When I get these letters I go on Google to find out where these places are. I must admit I get sucked into my Google Image search as I explore the world beyond my little desk and imagine what these places must be like.

I can't complain too much. I have had my fair share of traveling for being only 25 years old. After my freshman year of college my mom, step-dad and I went on a Mediterranean cruise where I got to see southern France, Florence, Rome, Athens, Mykonos (a little island in Greece), Istanbul, and Ephesus. Then during my Junior year of college my mom and I went to London and Bath on my Spring Break and we frequently talk about our next trip over to Europe. We have decided it will be Paris and Versailles. And I will be travelling down to Honduras with Living Water International this August.

In Ephesus

At the Trevi Fountain 

In the Aegean Sea

At the Jane Austen Center

At Windsor Castle

At Big Ben 

I am not complaining I have loved all that I have seen and done. But there is still so much I want to see out in this big world. So when I read these letters from all over the world I long for times of traveling. I told my supervisor today that maybe one day I can trace a source back to its original place, she looked at me very idealistically.  But as a current grad student it is only right for me to dream.

Here are some places I want to see...

Paris

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Vienna

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Israel 

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Maybe one day I can see all these places... until then I will have Wanderlust. 

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Buttons and books

Today's photo challenge was a picture of a button. I thought to myself, everything I use is a zipper but then I thought of my coat, it has buttons. And yes it is from a winter coat but it is from a lighter coat which is a good thing here in Boston. Usually at this time of year I have to wear my big puffy coat and ugly winter boots. But this winter I have gotten to wear my lighter winter coat more than I thought I would. I bought this coat in January because of the sales. But I thought I would wear a little until early spring but this winter has been very mild so I have been able to wear my new coat a lot. So this button is not only a button it represents a mild winter. A mild winter, that I hope sticks around.

Full view of coat

Also the book store is still dangerous place for me. While I am on a tighter budget, I still spend too much money on books. I went to the book store to pick up two books for my archiving class and while I was there I saw two books on writing. One is The Writing Life: writers on how they think and work, it seems to be a collections of essays from contemporary literature. The back of the book says "A dazzling collection of essays in which today's most celebrated writers explore their personal relationships literary life. While I love to write I will admit I know little about the craft of writing. Then next to it was Wounds of Passion: a writing life by bell hook (her name is not capitalized on cover so I am copying that). It is more of a personal narrative about her life as a writer.

Back drop provided by my bed comforter. 

When I am came home from class a book I had ordered off Amazon was waiting for me, fortunately that was provided by a gift card from Christmas or else I really would be broke.

Any way I have the next four books I am going to read planed out. Of course in grad school that could take me well into the summer, so I will keep you posted on my readings. First, I have to finish my current book The American Heiress, I am almost done 60 or so more pages to read.

Speaking of books, and more on my countdown to Valentine's day  I have discovered another band... Mr. Hudson & the Library. It is amazing what you can find on Spotify when you do a random search. I did a search for library and found this band.... Hope you enjoy.

Here is there version of  "On the street where you live"

Monday Musings

Before I forget here is my dinner photo from the day 5 photo challenge.

Left over Chinese food...loveliness for a grad student &

a mug of Orange, Pineapple and Banana juice 

(the cups are in the back cabinet and I was too lazy). 

I might have some Greek yogurt later.

Today my office smelled of lilies.

My boss is gone for most of the week so she left these out in the common area. 

It was really nice. 

I love pink lilies.

But I noticed this lily had a little droplet coming from its stem that didn't move.

So I wanted to capture photos of it. 

Then I was walking home I saw the moon (it is the little circle in the trees). 

It looked full and I tried to capture it with the Prudential tower in the shot as well. 

I thought it was a nice photo of Boston. 

I love this city. 

Also I want to wish my dear friend a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

It will be alright

First let me say I am not a big football fan but I do watch the Superbowl almost every year. Sadly tonight the Patriots lost tonight. As much as I am not a football fan it would have been great to win. (If you are Giants fans please don't leave any mean comments.) However I came home turned on Spotify and this was the first song that came on. So I wanted to share it with all my Patriot rooting fans. Hang on. 

Photo challenge wise... I totally missed 10 AM so I don't have a photo. But my blogging friend at Girl plus everything else took a photo of the scripture her church was reading. I liked that idea but I don't want to be a total copy cat. I hope you check out her blog. 

Strangers all around us.

I found today's challenge of taking a picture strangers very awkward.

 I thought as was going out tonight I could take a photo of group with out people with out being to awkward. 

Nope it was just awkward. 

But here is the T on a Saturday night as we all head out to hit the town.

The song "City" by Sarah Bareilles it seems appropriate because even when you have friends sometimes it is easy to get lost in the city. Lost with little connection to people even if they are standing next to you. I take the T every day and besides saying hi to the T driver I don't interact with any one. I pull out my book and hardly look at anyone and besides excusing myself if I bump into some one.  I thought the song was appropriate for how I feel on the T. 

Hands and handwriting

I missed the first day of the February photo challenge so I am combining two photo themes.

The photos of hands and hand writing. 

The top photo is me writing my story. I thought it was appropriate as I want to be a writer but I have to write everything out in hand before I can type it up because I don't get inspired looking at a blank computer screne. 

Though I am right handed I wanted to take a picture of my left hand. 

The ring on on my ring finger is not a wedding ring as some people think, it is a purity ring. 

I like the funny reactions people have to me wearing a purity ring.

One time some one backed away like it was a disease he didn't want to catch.

Another person asked me if it was bad for the dating scene.

The reactions are funny and it makes me love my purity ring even more. 

I found this picture at a new blog I am following Girl plus everything else. 

It follows my blogging goals so I thought I would give it a try. 

Don't judge me by my pin boards

Okay you can judge by my Pinterest board... 

I mean after all I have "planned" my whole wedding via Pinterest and I am single. 

Best to make fun of myself

And yes I have planned out my entire imaginary wardrobe and I never go clothes shopping

 and designed my future dream home. 

But I have used it mostly to find pretty and funny pictures to use for my blog.

But I have also found great songs and videos on it. 

And my obsession for Downton Abbey, Gilmore Girls, Jane Austen, Coffee and Chocolate, 

and all things pink are quite obvious.

But yes I do collect recipes I hope to one day have to have the skills to make. 

And yes I do have pin boards dedicated to being a hopeful romantic and to flowers I like. 

And I have a board dedicated to all the places I want to see. 

I even have a board dedicated to men I have Hollywood crushes on 

(there are too many to show pictures of).

And for my rebellious side I have a wall dedicated to the tattoos I would get if I was to ever get a tattoo. 

(Don't worry mom... I am not getting a tattoo) 

But seriously if your not on Pinterest what are you waiting for.

Here is a little tutorial.

If you want an invitation you can contact me and I will be happy to send you one.