Sunny Day, sweepin' the clouds away, on my way to where the air is sweet!

 Sweater: Old Navy// Dress: Old Navy// Tights: AE// Boots: Frye (eBay)// Watch: Target

So. There's lots going on lately; I don't want to jinx anything, but exciting things.

So enough with vague talk, this outfit is brought to you by the letters B and R (and by the fact we get to keep PBS!), it's cold here in Alabama and I have gone from "YES, it's finally getting cooler!" to "dammit, I don't want to carry my coat around everywhere."

I've been sick all week (my body hates changes in weather), but not sick enough to stay in bed, so I've been going to work. I feel a ton better today though... silver ling  amiright? I'm also starting to embrace my straight hair. I am such a curly hair fiend, I love jumbled locks and beachy waves, it's a ~grass is always greener~ thing, I suppose. 

Tuesday Milly and I embraced being sick (poor girl had a tummy ache) and we watched American Psycho. She definitely slept through most the movie. She really enjoys movies, actually. If my dog focuses she will actually watch a movie, it's so cute/funny.

Thursday means Thursdays things I [dis]like

I eat fast food. I am the last person to claim that I enjoy being/eating healthy when it comes to food. I'll follow it up with I LOVE TACO BELL. You guys have no idea the cravings I get for the ole TB, specifically the Chicken Quesadilla. Last craving: Nashville 10/20/12, 9pm. My friend Ashley and I were at a hockey game at Bridgestone Arena. It happened and I almost cried when we didn't immediately exit the building and bee line to the nearest Taco Bell. I was in Nashville, surrounded by 24 hours/7 days a week worth of amazing food and all I needed, all I craved, all I wanted at all was Taco Bell. I got it. Label me happy.

Here's the deal with Taco Bell(and I ONLY feel this about TB in general): the employees are so excited to give you your food. Honestly, they cannot wait for me to put my debit card in my purse, they want me... no they need me to have MY DRINK AND MY SAUCE AND MY BAG OF NONSENSE AND MY MEAL all in one swoop. They must know what that food means to me if I am there. They know their customers only come to them when it's a dire emergency and nothing else will satisfy. Do not get me wrong, between the lady mouthing something about taking a survey and me trying to find a place to put the old Taco Bell cup, I am just as excited to get this food in my grasp, but I have really small hands, you guys, it really complicates things when I find myself choosing what to take first (when we all know I merely want them to place the food directly in my mouth, cut out all mediums to my chewy, little piece of heaven).


Best-
Amber

True Story Bro: My Breakup Made Me Cooler

I just recently talked to a friend in the midst of a divorce, it brought back a lot of feels I had about breaking up, though I've never been divorced, married, engaged... I've been in love?

I went through a few break ups in my life, i've been the broken and breaker. This once I got broken up with and it was the hardest hit ever, and then I realized 2 years later how much better/smarter/more awesome a person I was because of it.

I will say my story isn't much different than most you hear. I was with this certain person for four years and it was a great love, don't get me wrong. I, in no way, wanted it to end, was convinced I'd be married with babies with this person, etc. This isn't an ode to exes, it's not praising, or condemning them, it's merely a success story, that I'm really, truly proud of.

Ahem, sorry, let me put on my brag cap rullllll quick.

1.) Friends; So. Many. Friends.
I had maybe 3 friends when my ex and I were together, now I've got more than I know what to do with and even if they are not close, and just the grab a beer on a Tuesday night types... they are great and I enjoy them and we have a damn good time on Tuesdays.

2.) It opened me up (but not before I thought it closed me down).
For a split second I put on my "closed forever" sign, weeded out the possibility of opening up to anyone and sulked. Then I got up and put on my bossy hat and decided that one person isn't going to determine how I am. I am more open to living now, to friendship, to whatever shit life brings, and even love and stuff. I have gone on dates with people I never thought I'd go on dates with, I've kissed best friends, and stop worrying so damn much.

3.) Confidence. 
I thought I was confident previously, but today I realize it was a masked confidence; my confidence was masked by the deep insecurities I felt in my relationship. I can't express how much I love my confidence now. I feel worthy, I feel wanted, I feel sexy, and just... confident, and best part is not needing a man to make me feel that.

4.) Independence. 
When you're planning for two, you forget about one. I had a life built with my ex. I had the curtains and the location and the plan. When you lose that, you realize how focused you were on the other person, when focus should be on you. I had to rethink my whole life, and it's the best time i've had so far.

There's more; there's always more good than bad, when it comes to this stuff (in my opinion)... but I want to say how thankful I am to have had my heartbroken (don't get me wrong, I was pissed, hurt, and just plain crazy when It happened). Hindsight is 20/20 and through all the craziness I know that the life I've got is not worthy of trading for what is past. I cried, I Let It Out, I talked to friends, considered therapy... blah blah. I went through the motions of being terrible, being scandalous, to craving love, to hating it, to loving myself, working on me, and therapy thoughts dwindled to retail therapy thoughts. I'm just... happy with my life.

I came, I conquered, it was still cold.

Well... it's cold.

           

Blazer and Scarf: H&M// Shirt: Urban// Pants: Gap// Wedges: Target

Fashion. Clothes. Whatever. Go Vote.

Row Tide!*

So, I love being outside. I love walking, hiking, just getting out, especially in the type weather we've (the South) had as of late. Sunny and 65-75! That's one of the things the South and I agree on: green stuff.

I've fessed up to my love of Nashville, TN, but I'm blanking on if I've mentioned Chattanooga, TN. I spent a good deal of time up there last fall, and this fall I was excited to get back and play. I stayed with a couple friends and made a weekend of what was suppose to be a day. Snapped a few shots, of course.

It was an amazing weekend to be in Chattanooga with great friends I hadn't seen in awhile. One of the many great things about Chattanooga is the drive; you hit TN and you get lost in a sea of trees, probably one of the easiest drives I make.

Signal Mtn. Hiked part of the Cumberland trail on Saturday.

My long legged tour guide through the trails, had a time trying to keep up.

Drank coffee to this view Sunday morning. I could get used to that.

Row Competition Saturday after the trails. Row Tide!* 

BWag and I putting our beer faces on before the races.

*Not an Roll Tide fan, I'm not opposed to Row Tide because well, gotta support the rowing team, y'all!

A Love Affair

Since I birth this baby blog i've had bangs. I'd like to make it known I'm not a regular ~bangs girl. I am very much a side bangs gal, really. Usually in the season of ye Autoom I go through the age old debate of getting bangs (it kind goes like when Mitten interrupts the mod and Obama- Bangs are Mittens). This year was like any other year, I was sitting home on a Saturday night (quiet time for the first Saturday in a while, I remember) talking to my friend Michael, who is killin' it at Harvard Med, bee tee dubya, and just as we got off the phone, I cut them. No freak out, I cut my own bangs every time, but I didn't really mean for the full on bang to happen, I JUST KEPT CUTTING.

The Beginning

Born were the 2012 Bangs. Though a possible oops, bangs and I got along well for a while, they were twerkin' it for pictures and accepting baby powder as a form of hygiene, it was great! They were even there and looking nice for my good friend Kacy's engagement.

Honestly, we were really happy for a while. Tons of selfies were taken during that first month of our bangship, just like any other hairship...

The Unnoticed Distance

The distance wasn't very noticeable at first. It was just a side part here and there, just pushing them behind my ear before bed, or on Sundays...

Then there was a week I didn't wear my bangs at all. Deep down somewhere, I knew then it'd be hard to trim them and maintain them after that week of ~bang freedom~ but I thought we just had a bad week, ya'know? That monday I even got up early, took a long shower and got out and decided to go with bangs. 

The Let's Try Again

That week we bonded. I even trimmed them. I felt like maybe, just maybe, our time apart made us happier... but sometimes it's just not enough. Sometimes distance can be a mere band aid on the situation and like all band aids the sticky, gross junk always fades away and soon after you're left with that exposed wound.

The Inevitable End

I like to think we ended on good terms. It's not like I hate my bangs, I wouldn't take back the time we had together, I mean my forehead was toasty and we complimented each other well at times, I think. I expected us to last a lot longer, not gonna lie, but we I started accepting the end a while ago, which does make this a lot easier. Over forever? I don't know honestly, I doubt it... but, I don't want to give them anymore false hope for right now, it's not right. 

OK. So really I couldn't figure out a way to keep that story going after I talked about about the band aid sticky junk. Gone are the days of the Bang'12. T'was a good run ole bang face and I will probably have second thoughts and think of running back to you because it's easier and comfortable, but I must resist... It's just part of the letting go process.