Because while you all may have hipster iPhones with instagram, I’ve got a 1998 Blackberry. Even cooler. Vintage, I believe.

p.s. just call me the comeback kid. hooray? hooray!!

My life is a circus right now and I am obsessed. A 3-ring one with elephant rides, rainbow cotton candy, juggling clowns and a trapeze artist in a sequin leotard. (I’ll have you know my fingers typed leopard instead of leotard.)

Here’s documentation: 

Starting at my aunt’s house in Dallas, Texas where I discovered long forgotten nuggets. Like when my mom thought she was a hat designer:

And 20 years later, she still gets a kick out of this skill.

Moving on, my adorable cousin in Austin just with a little Shiner. Texas to the bone.

And this is what happens when you travel 17 days a month:

As a pure miracle, I’ve been blessed with a new babysitting family in Nashville. One where the little ones pray for me before bed (I nearly melt) and we play truth or dare - hence the toilet paper.

On to Chicago, windmills are real. Did you know?

And then you find this.

Don’t feed the models. Or the Exhibitors. Lunch at Coterie.

Elizabeth & James bringing out the sunshine for their booth.

Squeals ensued.

On a whim, my sweet friend Carolyn (whose blog you must read) made the day trip with me to St. Louis. It was magic.

And then we casually stumbled into the Cathedral Basicilla of St. Louis. To which we stood and marveled, mouth ajar, necks craned, heads tilted and hearts just overflowing. It is beauty and worship in such a magnificent form.

Frequently my view. 

The Lord has chosen to color the most charming, melting sunsets and sunrises for me lately. Hysterically, every single one I’ve had the fortune of catching has been a variation of pink. He’s intentional alright.

For a brief moment, I moseyed on down to Georgia with my 7 best friends and was able to love on Mace.

Is she not just breathtaking? Macy scored that gorgeous number at the one and only Tibi Outlet on St. Simons Island. We both had a mild freak out.

And naturally, post-wedding we made pizza and danced in the kitchen.

Directly from Georgia, I found my way to Denver and this welcomed me:

I do believe I exclaimed, rejoiced and shouted loudly my entire trip. I pinched myself many times while in Colorado.

And can we pause of one moment for Aspen?

Oh my goodness, oh.my.goodness. There are no words for the beauty of this place. I sit with a heart ready to pour out the details of the glory, but my tongue is wrapped up in a knot for there just is no adequate way to describe how magnificent it is - truly no words.

Vintage Louis.

Aspen’s J.Crew; the prettiest in the entire universe. Oy vey, I believe I spoke aloud declarations of love to those green trunks and the antlers on the back wall. 

True Life: I Travel Alone And Live In Hotels. However, this meal tops all meals. Little Annie’s in Aspen. Vegetable lasagna and shiitake mushroom soup - oh.dear.

Peach’s Pumpkin Spice Latte. Maybe it was the altitude, but I dare believe that this was hands down (brace yourself) the greatest pumpkin spice latte of all-time. And with a name like Peaches, you can do no wrong in my life.

And I mean…

If you ever, I mean ever, have the opportunity to drive from Boulder or Denver up to Aspen, do yourself the greatest joy of taking Independence Pass. 

Still there are no words. I pinch myself on the regular.

Then remind myself that life is real, this is a blessing and while some days, l travel through snow blanketed mountains, some days I’m also a babysitter:

That, my sweetest ones, is life as of late.

It sure is good to be back with you! xx

Well my life couldn’t get more bizarre.

A rolling rack and about 77 pieces of clothing have become my best friends.

A steamer is my worst enemy.

And this story that the Lord is writing is blowing me away.

Swoon-me states, adorable people, winding solo trips through this country’s gorgeous back roads and interstates, time to wrestle and to think, time to be alone and figure it out.

The French Quarter. Louisiana Bayous. The Alamo. Food trucks in Austin. The Houston heat. Sailboats in Dallas. Windmills & cornfields of Illinois. Chicago city blocks. New York, New York. Arkansas hills. Oklahoma wind. Colorado in all of it’s splendor.

And it’s just beginning. I’m finding that this adventure, this end of my rope that I’ve found, is teaching me that I can float. 

And I’m not forgotten. Because when I found myself alone in an abandoned gas station parking lot in Lonoke, Arkansas with a flat tire and AAA an estimated 55 minutes away - I open my glovebox to discover a hidden bag of Skittles. A reminder of the promise He made a while back as I drove from Tennessee back to Georgia last Spring:

“I’ve got you baby girl.” 

He is life’s adventure - and one heck of an amazing travel buddy. 

xx

O M G. O M G. O M G. O M G. O M G. O M G. O M G. O M G.

Overboard was her middle name. I’m-rewarding-myself was her last. 

And her first? She’ll never tell.

It’s nearly October (can someone tell me where September went?) and I am ready to usher in my absolute favorite month of the entire year with a schedule so jam-packed that I think I need to pencil in time to breathe. 

Beginning this week, October is carrying me off to:

(eek! Sarah’s getting married!)

Yep so that’s the round up: (St. Louis) Missouri, (Fayetteville & Jonesboro) Arkansas, (Tulsa, Norman, OKC) Oklahoma, St. Simons Island, GEORGIA (!!!), (Boulder, Denver) Colorado, (Dallas) Texas, and ending skirting around all of California.

If you read my dearest Ainsley’s blog, you may have seen a quote from a recent conversation during my trip to NYC and following hers (while she was glamming it up at a photoshoot in Alys Beach.)

Post-several glasses of wine at a perfect dinner in New York, I tapped out a message reminding the both of us that our lives are everything we’d envisioned. 

So even though I find myself regularly wishing the sun would hang just a few more hours up in that bright blue sky and I’m on the hunt for a second to breathe and call my mom for a catch-up, this life is quite alright for now.

In fact, it’s pretty darn amazing. Adventure stories to come soon (and believe you me, there are many)

Well we just returned from a fantastic Coterie and my deepest and most true wishes were entirely met and exceeded:

LEOPARD is EVERYWHERE.

Everywhere. You know the feeling of your football team losing for season after season (um, yes. this feeling is not too far from me) and the universe gives you such grief for hanging on, but you’re most certain that they’ll make a triumphant comeback, Gameday will begin picking them to win and then all of a sudden - National Championship baby.

That’s the feeling that is perculating within my leopard drenched soul.

It’s glorious on every level.

‘Tis no surprise that I sprinted across the hall to the Callula Lillibelle booth when their intern waltzed in wearing these divine creations:

Zalo needlepoint leopard loafers.

I mean. 

Filing these away under: “Shoes I Will Do Illegal Things In Order To Own.” 

Back in my heart’s home. New York, you’ve never looked better darling.

This is fun. So much to report back to you on.

Oh because did I tell you who I saw in concert last week?

Our favorite girl.

And I swung through this windy town:

Did you know that windmills and corn fields are real? And gorgeous?

Life is a madhouse in the best kind of way. Stay tuned and in the meantime never forget:

You is kind

You is smart

You is important.

And so special to me. xx

My apologies for that bizarre “I made a ton of money here.” post. It seems we got spammed! Deleted & password changed. 

THIS JUST IN: I’m obsessed with Texas. 

Top to bottom side to side, I’m in love with that grand ol’ state. Slightly incredibly jealous of all you mockingbirds that call it home. The people, the food, the history - oy vey, I could ramble on for days about how much I relished my time there.

However we’ll start with this : the blog friends that I met while there. I’ve known for quite sometime that this blog has a little following in Texas. And seriously I think I nearly died when I realized I’d have the chance to meet a few of them. 

So in Houston, Lindsey & Melissa welcomed me with bells on. These two are ador-a-ble. Lindsey even let this creepy blogger stay with her for two days and welcomed me with polish from the OPI Texas Collection. I mean really? What a gem. 

Say hello:

Is she not the most precious thing? Linds works for YES Prep, an incredible school that offers low-income students in Houston an enriched college prep education. Hop on over and learn more - Linds is constantly on the lookout for passionate candidates for their teaching program :)

And Melissa, this blog’s first follower and the source of so many referrals. She is one of those people that knows absolutely everyone (Am I right or am I right? If you’re reading this, you probably count yourself blessed to know her as well.) In the most epic tragedy, we didn’t snap a picture together, oh but I found one on her Facebook:

You’re welcome adorable Mel:

Mel & her best friend Carter run The Glitter Collective - which is every bit as sparkly and joy ridden as it sounds. Hop over! 

Next was San Antonio:

Meadow in San Antonio is now carrying Leona and can we just [pause] for a moment for this breathtaking architecture?

Flanked with gorgeous ceiling-to-floor windows and flooded with natural light, the entire appointment I just gawked. If ever in the area, swing in and tell sweet Susanna, the owner, that I sent you over. It’s a piece of heaven, I tell ya.

Also, I popped in the Alamo for a brief second. How can you pass through San An and not see the place where Davy Crockett died? It was magnificent.

On to Austin (!!!) - I.am.in.love.with.ATX.

The food. The culture. The unique people. The shops. The style. The music. That entire town just swept me clear off my feet and sent me into a lovely tailspin. Per the recommendations of Mary Caroline & my new friend Elizabeth (more on her soon), I saw only the greatest spots in my short 48 hours there. 

Also, my sweet family that lives in Austin housed me for a night and having the chance to visit with them for the first time in 3+ years was more refreshing than I can wrap words around. Love you Sue & Katie Ann :) 

Jo’s Coffee: Iced Turbo saved.my.life. in that blazing 112 degree heat. 

love graffiti on the side of Jo’s. just too much to handle.

Yes please, South Congress Cafe:

And then I spent most of my day working at Spiderhouse (per Mary Caroline’s recommendation) To say that I am not hipster enough for that place is a grand UNDERSTATEMENT, but they welcomed me in - glittery pink shorts and all. 

Favorite stops:

New Bohemia: incredible vintage finds. Scored a gorgeous gold cuff bracelet.

And brace yourselves for this one. Elizabeth, a blog reader, and I began emailing several months ago. When I came through town, I knew I just had to meet her. Not only is she adorable, but she owns, yep owns her very own sno-cone truck.

Sno-Beach.

Living the dream. Mid-20s, loving life in Austin, running this infamous sno-cone company, employing 35+ girls and making people smile every single day. She’s quite possibly one of the coolest people I know. 

Meet her:

Yes that sno-cone is wearing sunglasses. And yes that is my awkward pageant stance.

Austin friends, lovers, visitors- go to Sno-Beach, tell Elizabeth I sent you and order the blackberry & cream. 

Rocking my Sno-Beach shirt all day too: 

And as if that wasn’t enough, onto Dallas: 

Loved on/was loved on by Libs who now works for Kate Spade. Her store is gorgeous:

And I ate alot. 

And my sweet family flew in to meet me for the weekend. We sailed, we drank wine, we ate more, we spent time with our Texas family. It was beautiful and much needed.

Oh and I swung through SMU. obsessed. 

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, if I ever cheated on Nashville, it would be with the entire state of Texas.

Hello lova. 

Next? A post on my new love for The Windy City. Did you know windmills are real? 

And we’re NYC bound tomorrow. Stay tuned for news, gushes and stories from my heart’s home.

(via etsy)

This baby would be mine.

But lucky for the people in my world, I’ve overspent on leopard and this will have to wait.

le sigh. I’ll be back for you soon my dear.