ZOO ADVENTURE, PART 1

So, last Friday (the 26th), Aaron and I went to the zoo for his anthropology class. Thankfully, as of a few days ago, I now have a laptop (my dad's old squad car laptop, which is from 2008 but works really well!) and can edit the 900+ pictures I took of the various animals (I am ashamed of how many photos I took, really). I downloaded a free version of photoshop from my college database and now can edit pictures... although I'm still rusty with this newer version of photoshop. 

Anyway, Aaron and I went to the zoo and had a blast! I have a bajillion pictures, but I'll just do a general outfit overview today and get into the animals next time!

GREETINGS FROM FINALS WEEK(S)

It's finals week! (Or, well, weeks, since I have finals this week and next week!) I just turned in my final English paper (which was about agriculture patent laws and how they are crummy -- yeeeeah) and I have two Philosophy and one Politics final next week. Then? I'm moving! Next Saturday, I'm packing up all my stuff and moving to my new college town. I'm super excited, a little nervous, kind of sad that I'll be leaving Aaron and his family -- but it'll be fun and I can't wait to see my three super-duper best friends that live in that town! On another note, my computer is still broken (i.e. why I don't have my photoshop program, so the pictures are so-so), but I decided to utilize my access to Aaron's laptop for the next two weeks and take some photos. These were taken during one of the warmer days this week and they're on my current campus. (If anyone can tell: tights-less season is here! Not. I'm just forcing the weather to feel warmer by not wearing tights. Oh well.)

RUNNING OUTTA LUCK

LESSONS FROM CRITTERS

One of the reasons I love being a pet owner so much

is because pets do a lot more than sit around and demand food --

They teach you lessons that you never realize you're learning!

And these lessons -- the ones I've learned from mine --

have been some of the best I could have hoped for.

So, today, I'd like to share with you some of the lessons I've learned

and I sincerely hope you enjoy them!

Although it'd be a great help in teaching them that licking burglars to death doesn't help.

WELCOME AT LAST, SPRING!

So, while I know everyone is sick and tired of hearing about the weather (and, I know, weather posts are like a bad fad that's been beaten and stretched till it can't take anymore -- ahem, like UGG's), you're going to have to bear with me for at least one more post (or a bazillion more, who knows?). Spring has finally sprung (lame phrase is lame) in my little corner of the Midwest, if only for a day. Sunday was a brilliantly warm day that didn't have a cloud in the sky -- unfortunately, I can't say the same for the following two days (think icy rain and an almost soaked camera -- you get the picture). But, still, Sunday was great -- we went for a walk, took some pictures, ate some hamburger helper, and I stayed up till two in the morning working on my Ethics presentation that I totally forgot was due the next day (someone is clearly neglecting the sticky note calender -- which took almost half an hour to make -- plastered over the computer wallpaper). Hey, at least I got the homework done eventually! Anyway, it was a super, awesome, fantabulous, marvelous day and I hope it won't be the last warm day for the week -- I really need more days like that one (as I'm sure we all do)!

JUST A LAZY SUNDAY

WEEKLY FINDS | WEEK #3

MONDAY, APRIL 8TH

I'm desperately searching for a swimsuit right now. I'd actually looking for a pin-up styled two-piece, but this retro blue and daisy-styled one piece on Thrifted & Modern totally caught my eye. Isn't it cute?

TUESDAY, APRIL 9TH

I am moving -- have I mentioned this before? (Sorry, it's going to keep coming up.) And this is the coolest bed set (from Ikea) ever. Moose! I'm having a thing for antlers lately, can you tell by this list? I NEED THIS BED SET.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10TH

Did I mention I love antlers? This is a necklace made by the Etsy shop Paperface Studio and it's absolutely adorable. They have gold and silver -- but I am more fond of silver than gold. 

THURSDAY, APRIL 11TH

I'm bathing suit searching, as I mentioned. This is more toward the style that I want, although I'm not sure I'm the florally, pink-styled person, but I love the pin-up, high-waisted look! I've been searching through tons of websites -- ASOS, Urban Outfitters, Delia's, etc. -- but still haven't found the style I want. Anyone have any store suggestions?

FRIDAY, APRIL 12TH

This Bonne Chance Collections dress is absolutely adorable, primarily because it seems to have cardinals on it (I'm assuming they're cardinals, but, whatever, they're red birds!). I love cardinals, primarily because I live in the cardinal state (well, that's not a dead giveaway). Cute, right? Love the style and the print! 

So, yeah, it's been a slow week, but here are my week's obsessions!

(Also, I'm crazy bruised -- outfit pictures will resume when I can move again.)

JUST ONE OF THOSE WEEKS

I've just had one of those weeks. You know the ones: where the world just seems to be out to get you and you become a paranoid mess that usually either is the first or the last one to die in a horror flick. That was me throughout the end of this week, primarily because I became vertically challenged. Literally. Let me tell two stories -- one long and one short. First, on Wednesday. I had a meeting with my English Professor (I'm an English minor) on the third floor of our tech building. I was about to go up the stairs, but wasn't sure how high they went up (I'd only been in the upper floors of the tech building once to change my major -- I'd taken the elevator), so I decided to take the elevator. So, I'm standing in this elevator by myself. And it's just going up and I'm watching the numbers change from 1st to 2nd... and then we got to 3rd. But the elevator didn't stop. It went up higher than the third floor and then... dropped down to the third floor level. It was, like, a foot drop at best, but I almost had a heart attack. Then the doors opened about an inch... and then the whole elevator turned off. None of the buttons worked. Not the emergency button, not the "doors open" button. Nothing. I was about to freak out when I saw a shadow pass by the opening and yelled for help. My Philosophy professor came and we pried open the doors and I was finally free. Most horrifying five minutes of my life. Ever. Period. Second, Thursday... I fell down a flight of stairs. From the very top. I bruised my wrist and my back. 

I have now decided I will never leave the first floor of a building. Ever again, if I can help it.

A NAUTICAL SPRING

Spring rain has been hammering down on the house for the past few days -- it's scattered, although heavy, and I'm not brave enough to risk my camera just to take a few pictures. Hence, I haven't gotten any outfit pictures in a few days, but -- alas -- Aaron is home from house sitting a family friend's house and can now take my pictures again (ain't he lucky!). Today was a warm day, don't know how warm, but it was warm enough for me not to have sleeves! I just got this Rue21 nautical shirt the other day (because I had a coupon... I mean, come on, how could I resist?) and I absolutely adore it. It's soft and long and I can totally tuck it into some skirts and stuff. So. Much. Potential. Along with the shirt, I got that necklace and earrings, because I realized I am lacking in the accessories department, especially with big necklaces. So, I got two big necklaces and a pack of cute little, stud-like earrings. And I got two dresses, which will surely be showing up in no time at all (as per usual)!

INSPIRATION: BEDROOM DECOR

I don't know if I've mentioned this yet -- or a million times -- but I'm moving come May... or, well, in 25 days. Yay! I'm super duper excited and nervous and all sorts of other things, even though I'm just moving into an apartment with my Mom (lame? na-aaaaa-ah, she's cool) and it's into a town that I lived in for two years in high school, before I made the decision to move back to my hometown by myself. I'm really super excited, but -- more than that -- I'm super excited to have my own bedroom and work space. Crazy, right? I've been living in someone else's cramped corridors for nearly three to four years, so it's hard to imagine that I will get to decorate and fill the space with stuff chosen by me! 

So, due to the fact that I wasn't up for much posting this weekend, here's some inspiring pictures for my future bedroom -- or, well, close enough! (Because I'm such a kid, the majority of these are children's bedrooms -- whoops!)

credit: home-designing

TOO SCARED TO LOOK!

As interesting days go, this Friday has been very interesting. Max, Aaron, and I went and picked up my brother, Lyphie, and went to the mall for a bit (I got an awesome bird-print dress, but more about that some other day) before going to see the new Evil Dead. Guys. Guys. I am a big fan of the original Evil Dead films. I grew up on them. In my family, they were more iconic and nostalgic than any Christmas film (other Sowka-family-Nostalgia-films: Labyrinth with David Bowie, Troll, Yellow Submarine, Night of the Living Dead, and any pre-90s zombie flick). The new one is awesome and I loved it. It's horrifying in the way that Campbell always wanted it, but quite funny in the spirit of the original three. It made us laugh, cringe, shake our heads, and cover our eyes. It was excellent as a horror flick! I would recommend it 100%, especially for the essential plot twist that makes this a stand-out compared to the originals (which is fine by me -- I didn't want a complete reboot!). Go see it! Seriously!

I CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU

My camera was having a love affair with the sparkle ball -- hence, the crummy focus!

Hey, guys, those of you that read this blog: You're awesome. I can't stop loving you. I also love these six stop signs on the way to my grandparent's house that someone vandalized in the most awesome way ever. They're too cool for school and all that 90's jazz. So, on Tuesday, Aaron and I went Goodwilling -- i.e. Goodwill shopping. It was awesome. Last time I went, I'd totally forgotten about the dress section! How sad. I couldn't believe it. I got so much stuff. Two items I need to sew -- a dress and a skirt that are crazy long. I got two shirts, three skirts, a bunch of dresses, and belts that are fantastic. Also, I saw this awesome light switch cover on a blog the other day and was obsessed. I posted it all over my personal facebook and couldn't stop talking about it. Guess what? I found two antler wall hangs at Goodwill for $3. Score! Now I can just make my own! So happy. When I move come May, someone needs to remind me to post pictures of it -- it's going to be swell! With that out of the way, on to the daily outfit!

ATOP THIS HILL, THE WIND DOTH BLOW

So, I kind of used my really, really Easter-y outfit on Saturday, hence, I had to come up with another colorful, Easter-egg like outfit for the next day! (Which, um... was actually Easter.) So, I picked my Rue21 dress (I can talk for hours about how awesome the colors and designs are on this dress, but I will refrain!) with a blushed bow belt, a yellow cardi, and heels! I really loved this outfit, but it wasn't particularly well suited for the terrain on our nature walk. My feet felt like they were going to fall off by the time we got back! Ye-owch! But it was fun anyway!

EASTER DAY RECAP

Multiple days of Easter for me -- well, Saturday and Sunday. Happens every year. On Easter Sunday, anyway, I was at Aaron's grandparent's Easter celebration and then later spent it at my own grandmother's. Here's a little recap of the afternoon at Aaron's grandparents (which was pretty gosh darn fun -- wish I didn't wear heels!).