what if we took all the energy we spent faking and used that energy to enjoy the lord instead?

gummy frogs.
beautiful friends i miss being constants in my life.
really good mashed potatoes.
classic red lipstick.
cicadas.

Meredith and Skylar's wedding this past weekend was just so happy.
And really, what more could you ask for from a wedding?

spin.

I adore bike subculture.

the fourth.

First Place: Meg, Buttermilk Pie with Strawberry Mint Compote
Second Place: Kate, Chocolate Pie with Cinnamon Whipped Cream
Third Place: Casey, Blackberry Lemon Tart

Favorite Firework: Snakes!

Also spent the long weekend at Kori's family's beautiful new lake house on Eufala where I ate a ton of good food, successfully got up on the wakeboard, spent the majority of the time in a swimsuit with crunchy lake hair, went on a covert nighttime peach picking expedition, watched fireworks over the lake and came home sunburnt. Pretty much perfect.

my dream house has floor-to-ceiling white book shelves.

...turns out it already exists. I am totally in love.

i prefer this song to the term 'bitch.' more nuanced.

She can ask for the truth
But she'll never believe you
And she'll take what you give her, as long as it's free
Yeah, she steals like a thief
But she's always a woman to me
- Always A Woman, Billy Joel.




(My favorite part is when he hums at the end, mhmmm)

pie in the sky.

It's 4th of July tradition that my sisters and I each compete in a pie making contest with our parents (who are way too partial to offer any real criticism) as judges, rating the pies according to crust, filling and overall presentation.
I always choke on the overwhelming what-to-make decision, because the possibilities are endless:

mint chocolate pie.

rhubarb pie.

traditional, can't-go-wrong with apple pie.

lemon meringue pie.

chocolate cream pie.

peach. my favorite and a past winner. but you really aren't supposed to repeat.

top with chocolate cinnamon whipped cream.

key lime pie.

my blackberry cobbler. a recipe i've been trying to perfect lately.

sweet potato pie.

lemon buttermilk pie. i think i attempted this before and failed.


(Call it cheating if you must, but I always get the pre-made pie crust instead of making it from scratch as it is always far superior to anything I attempt. Seriously, really good pie crust in an art form unto itself).



Hopefully my 4th will also include a national anthem, a rootbeer float, sparklers, fried okra and a Bruce Springsteen background.

bleachingyourteethsmilingflashtalkingtrashunderyourbreath.

Yup. This is Canadian perfection and a summer night.