that's what's up.

• Taking out the trash and washing muffin tins are in the running for worst house chores eva...
• House/Apartment hunting is a very time consuming, frustrating {and sometimes creepy} burden...but I'm totally obsessing over it lately.
• I attended the most fun Junior League event to date this weekend. It may sound like bragging if I tell you I hung out with Dhani Jones...but I got to hang out with Dhani Jones. {We won't talk about how I didn't know he was a player for the Cincinnati Bengals before this evening, but whatevs...that doesn't make him "un-famous" just because I'm not a huge football fan :) }

• I ran 4 miles this weekend {longest run of my lifetime} and it felt good! I'm well on my way to the 10K race I signed up for!
• My weekends are not complete without episodes of Brothers & Sisters. There wasn't a new episode this week because of the Oscars. Boo. I'm generally not a humongous awards show fan. So kill me.
• I cannot wait to go home this weekendddddd.....hoping the week flies by!

coupon queen

...dollar diva...stellar saver...

ok, dork status again.

Anyway, let's talk grocery shopping and how to save money.

I've heard a lot of hype around coupon clipping lately, and frankly I could use a few pointers.

This weekend I opened my own Kroger Plus card {broke free from my parent's card} in hopes of receiving these fabulous customized coupons that everyone always raves about.

I came home and promptly registered my card with an email address.

Spent almost an hour piddling around the Kroger website and loading coupons {that I knew I would use, not things that I would buy only because I had a coupon for it}.


Total Savings: $1.35

HELP! I'm pretty sure I could find that much money in our couch cushions - and in under an hour at that!

happy hump day

At the wise young age of 24, I have a feeling I'm on to something good: 

The key to happiness.

For me {at least for right now} it lies in just three simple steps...

Laugh Often,

 A good laugh really is the best medicine. Even in stressful or moody times, I think it helps to find the humor in life. I especially love laughing at my embarrassing, clumsy, day-to-day awkwardness.

Be Kind to Others, 

Simply put, when I help others I am actually helping myself feel better as well. Happiness is contagious. Spread the love.

and Appreciate the small stuff. 

I feel so content this week. I've taken time to appreciate a good workout, to get excited about hearing my favorite song on the way to work, to "sleep in" and catch a glimpse of the Today Show as I'm getting ready, and to stroll into the office at 8:15. I hope that even as I get older and my life changes, I can still appreciate these simple things...while still also balancing a love for the "finer" things, of course! ha ;)

Sorry for vomiting rainbows and butterflies in this post. While I try to focus on these happy things, I also realize that on a bad day positivity is the most annoying message to hear! Hopefully you are having a good day instead of the latter!

valentine "happys"

I didn't have high expectations for this year's Valentine's Day.

In fact, I may have been quoted saying we should get this holiday over with so that we can focus more on stocking Cadburry Cream Eggs in all the local grocery stores.

However, my day turned out to be pretty nice! Any holiday centered around chocolate & sweets can't be too bad I guess...

...And my day certainly consisted of sweets. In fact, I'm pretty sure the only things I ate today were holiday treats...cookies, hugs&kisses, dove chocolates...you name it.

The highlight of my day, surprisingly, was not food. I came home to a special care package from my very first Valentine. Thanks, mom, for making me feel special and loved today! :)

 

And yes, those are Cadburry Cream Eggs you see. Literally my favorite types of candy mixed together in one bag of deliciousness {just so happens I had chocolate for dinner, too}!

 

Plus a new perfume I've been lusting over!

 

Who knew I'd become the type of girl that gets all excited over new perfume!? But I am! 

Hope your Valentine's Day was just as happy!

mid-february already?

So after being absent for over a month, I feel the need to explain myself.

This can really be done in one word: Work.

I've been working. Working. A. Lot.

But this week was better, and hopefully upcoming weeks will be just as fine.

Now onto the present.

Not to be confused with the presents I will not be receiving for Valentine's Day. It's overrated anyway. Well, at least until I actually have a Valentine. :)

Anyway, the things that are currently consuming my life since work has calmed down are the following:

1. Completely and utterly obsessing over finding a new place to live. And then mentally moving myself in. Imagining new furniture and decorating. Feeling heartbroken when it doesn't work out. And then repeating the cycle.

2. "Training" for a 10K run. I don't exactly have a race to run yet, but I've been "training" for a week now. I ran 3 miles outside today and loved the sunny weather! I'm following Hal Higdon's 10K for the Novice Runner.

3. Thinking about the two aforementioned topics in varying quantities.