I'm A LOVER.

It's not easy for me to tackle a taxing task such as narrowing down my love interests.
But, for you lovely readers, I will do do my best!


*Coffee-

Do I even need to say anything more?
Just check out this video, for more than ample proof.

*This dog-

[see how he can trick you?

doesn't he look deceptively cute?!]

He bites me.
It hurts.
BAD.
He makes me yell.
Then he looks oh so cute after.
I forgive him.
We cuddle.
Then the cycle repeats.
Times infinity...

*This dude-

He's cute. And smart.
And for some crazy reason he likes me too.
I know- how wild!

*Road Trips with Coffee, This Dog and This Dude-

Again- view the video.


*And, of course- these girls!

Law school would be bland and dull without them.
[Not saying that sometimes it still can't be! ;) ]

XOXO, Jessica from Crafting Happiness

I love my...

continuing cole's shoe-trend--

Sperry's!

I love these babies:)

I "borrowed" these ones from a friend a couple summers ago:

{I never returned them...oops!}

Momma bought me these for Christmas: 

I pretty much wear them every single day, rain or shine.

 And if anyone wants to "lend" me these ones, I'd gladly take you up on the offer.

{who doesn't need cute yellow top-siders??}

I'm also a fan of my brand new- Kindle!

I <3 to read and there is just something so conveniently FUN about this gizmo.



just wish i had a little more time to read it :(

 and for my last favorite of the day, I choose---

my husband :)

ok, I know it's cheesy-- but it's SO TRUE.

When we were dating people would always say, "Oh, just wait till you're married!"

Now they say, "Oh, just wait till you've been married for 5 years!" or "Just wait till you have kids!"

But you know what??

We've had a BLAST.

I am married to my very best friend and to anyone who said I should have waited till I was older or until I finished law school, poo to you.



marriage rocks.



My Favorite Things....Cole's picks

There are a few things that I have found in my life to be somewhat essential...

First, my water bottle. This happens to be a camelbak -- I retired my 10 year old nalgene bottle last year in favor of this sleeker, strawed model. It helps me drink an appropriate amount of water per day, and cuts down on the cost/use of plastic bottles.

Second, TOMS. As usual, I did not discover TOMS, I was not a pioneer when they first came out. But I love them. I am wearing them right now! The pair featured here today should be on my doorstep by early next week. I think they are super fun for spring time!! And they say "Journey is the Destination" which is wonderfully fitting.

Third, my newest obsession/can't live without/enjoy daily... Maple Brown Sugar Life Cereal. I love cereal. Since Corey and I upped our food budget, I have been getting yummy cereal. I used to be obsessed with Quacker Oatmeal Squares, but then I discovered this new Life. YUM! It makes a great breakfast or late night snack.

Fourth, I have this bag that I keep with me at all times that houses a ton of essentials for me. I keep chapstick (Burt's Bees), lip gloss (a couple of clinique colors and a sheer Luscious blue colada), a nail file, hand sanitizer (Bath&Body cucumber melon), lotion (Hempz), travel perfume (clinique Simply).

Finally, I have a long list of what ELSE I couldn't live without--including, but limited to, my family, coffee, Jesus, good music, bourbon, skinny jeans, Colin Firth movies, V-neck T-shirts, books, cute flats....

Can't wait to see what Chelsy's favorite things are--she's up tomorrow!

Diet Mt. Dew and Friday Night Lights

Our THEME this week is:

"FAVORITES"

 ~Or~

Things You Can't Live Without

The first thing that I cannot live without is:

Diet Mountain Dew!!

I have a serious, serious problem.  I CANNOT live without this stuff.  I have tried many, many times to give it up.  Usually, at least once a week, I say to myself: "NO MORE!!!" But I go back again and again!  My whole mood shifts if I am unable to get to a diet mt. dew.  

It has honestly taught me to be more sympathetic towards people with drug or alcohol addictions, because how can I expect them to just get over an addiction that strong, when I can't give up this one drink!?!?  

I happen to be ones of those people who completely believes that the food industry is corrupt and is causing us to be addicted to their food 

(Watch Food Inc., Supersize Me, or read Skinny Bitch)

and, unfortunately, the Pepsi company has got me!

My second favorite thing that I cannot live without is BOWS:

I grew up loving frilly, ruffly, lacy, feminine things.  I never directly identified my love of bows until I began watching "Gossip Girl" and was introduced to Blair Waldorf.  

Blair quickly became my fashion role model.  She is an icon.  And she LOVES bows.  For the first couple of seasons, she wore a bow headband everyday.  I loved the look and began collecting bow headbands, which grew to bow socks, bow earrings, bow necklaces, bow rings, bow tights, bow printed dresses, etc.  The collection has come to have a much more sentimental meaning to me throughout the years, and I make it a point to wear at least one bow piece everyday!

(SIDENOTE:  Bows are MUCH better than my high school obsession, Zebra Print.  In high school and most of undergrad, my room was decorated completely in zebra print and every thing anyone ever bought me was zebra print.  I am very happy that I have moved on to bows!)

Finally, the last and most important thing I can't live without is my friends.  They are amazing, inspiring, beautiful, kind, giving, understanding, I could go one forever.  I feel that as I get older, I am reminded more and more everyday that what most makes me "ME" is all the wonderful people I get to share my life with!

 (Tommy)

 (Miss Potter)

 (Krystle)

 (Jess Poole)

 (Lovely ladies of the law!)

 (Molly Anne AKA Sister Wife)

Spring Break is an Evil Mistress . . .

For 10 glorious days, there are NO obligations . . .

No time you have to be up everyday. . . 

No mandatory reading, only reading for  pleasure . . .

No fear that you might get called on in class and made to look like a complete moron who is absolutely insane for believing they will actually ever accomplish ANYTHING after law school!!!!!!

I say Spring Break is an evil mistress, because it gives us a taste of a life that we never truly get to have.

I want my whole life to be sleeping in, reading for pleasure, spending days with my friends, watching good movies, shopping, taking long walks outside on the first days of spring . . .

THIS is what I did on Spring Break.

Now, I just want to do this everyday!!!!!!!

Now, for a serious rundown of the ol' break:

Friday - drove to Huntington, my hometown. The place of my birth.

Saturday - Family Day!  My Mom, sister and step-dad came in from South Carolina.  We had all had birthdays (except my sis) since the last time we saw each other, so we had a dinner (our favorite local pizza place, very one of a kind) and birthday cake.  My mom got me a Kindle for my b-day, which I was really excited about!

Sunday - Church with my best friends, dinner with the family.  After dinner, I drove up to Charleston to spend some time with the Poole family and go to Mountain Stage to see Ra Ra Riot!!!  They are one of my favorite bands.  I saw them a few years ago when they had just released their first album.  They opened for Death Cab and we talked to them after the show.  When we saw them this time, we got to chat with them again after the show.  They are such a cute and stylish band!

Monday - Wednesay:  These were my favorite days!!!!!  I have two best friends in my hometown who I love like family.  When I am in Huntington, I always stay at my bff Krystle's house, and it is just about my favorite place on earth.  It is where I feel most at home.  So, I relaxed!  I slept in.  When I would get up, I would go over to my other bff, Jess Poole's house, and spend time with her and my newest best friend, her 5 1/2 month old daughter, Piper.  Piper is the happiest baby that I have ever met!  She smiles and laughs and plays all day! We would grab the stroller and go walk around the cute little Barboursville neighborhood where she lives.  We took Piper on her first Target trip! 

(Yes, I cut myself out of this photo.  Trust, you would have to if you were me!!!!)

 In the evenings, I would get dinner with Krystle, her husband Jamie, and their 7 month old, Malakai.  Malakai is the most active little boy I have ever seen, I am so proud of him!  On the day he turned 6 months, he started crawling all over.  Now, at 7 months, he can pull himself up till he is standing, but he is not strong enough yet to stand on his own once he gets there!  After Malakai went to bed, we watched great movies, such as the Fighter.  

Thursday-Sunday were spent catching up on work, cleaning my apartment, and getting rested up to face the rest of the semester! Overall, quite an enjoyable week!

My Spring Break was...

ballin. (is that still cool to say?)
well- regardless- it was:)
I kept referring to it as "the christmas break we didn't have"
Christmas Break was fine-- but we packed it sooo tight with trips and visits that we never rested. We had car troubles and first-christmas-married troubles and on top of it all- you still have the stress of an enitre semester looming not so far ahead of you.
ick.
but SPRING break, mmmm:) much better.

i wish I had pictures to share with you but, lo, my camera was out of order until very recently. so words will have to do :)

march 18- last minute dinner with very dear friends- such fun!

march19- My birthday, but MUCH more importantly- Jason and Becca's wedding day!!

I literally forgot it was my birthday til Mom called to wish me a happy one. 24 must be old :) Jason is in Jonathan's 1L class and we have grown very close to them over the psat year. We felt so honored to be a part of theit big day. Their wedding was in Amhurst, VA, so we had a looong drive. But things worked out perfectly- I have family in Beckly, WV which served as a half way point. After the wedding, we headed to Beckley and were finally able to spend some quality time with them. We even got to meet their little girl Bella for the first time! We couldn't have had nicer weather to drive in and we spent the entire 700 miles just talking and laughing. It was such a beautiful reminder that I am married to me best friend. We never even got around to turning on the radio:)

march 20- we headed home from Beckley and went out for my Birthday dinner at Olive Garden. I got to open my presents from my darling husband and share a lovely evening at home with him.

march 21-march 24- we slept in every day and reveled in our empty schedule. We had dinner with the Smith's on Tuesday, lunch with Cole and home group on Wednesday, dinner with Bogroff's on Thursdays. see? I didn't even have to cook!

march 25-27- we spent the last weekend of break with my family. Dad cooked 4 turkey's on the spit (2 of which are still in our fridge--whole.) I got to spend saturday with my 2 best friends from home, one of whom is getting married in October! we went to look at wedding venues and had a lovely time. Then the fam went out for yummy wings at DJ's- these wings are the only thing  that Weirton is famous for :)

ok...i know it doesn't sound relaxed- but it WAS. it was perfect. I felt like I really needed to get away from school and work for a little while. I feel like spring break gave me the jolt I need to get through the rest of this semster, and then, before we know it-

it'll be SUMMER again!!!

VIVA MEXICO!

I spent my spring break in Riviera Maya, Mexico. It was a gorgeous and fun filled trip. During it I...

Sun bathed by the crystal blue waters,

Visited a near-by fishing village, Puerto Morelos,

Went snorkeling,

Ate some delicious Mexican food,

Enjoyed a fair share of yummy beverages,

Hugged on this guy a lot ;)

Watched a blues concert,

and danced the night away.

I had a wonder few days in Mexico and I already want to go back. The below freezing temperatures and law books were less than pleasing to return to. Oh well, it will be summer soon!!

Thanks for reading,
Lauren, aka LuxLucy :)