Life via Instagram, Lately.

1. Ellaphant drives a car. // 2. Liquid fuel. // 3. Ironic view while running... someone is very clever! // 

4. Cuddling chihuahuas. // 5. Newest addition to my arm.... half sleeve will be finished in a few short weeks!! Hopefully before school starts.... // 6. Makinzie being a creep. Or me being a creep. // 7. iPhone got new clothes! Jonathan Adler is a colorful genius. // 8. Ellaphant is always cute. // 9. Makinzie had a very busy day sometime last week. // 10. Boyfriend made breakfast! // 11. So many boxes. Have been officially moved out of my first apartment for about two weeks. I'll miss it!! // 12. We lost this pretty lady on July 6th. Probably the hardest thing, ever. Miss her so, so much!! // 13. It took a while, but I finally got back into the swing of reading beginning with John Green's The Fault in Our Stars. I highly recommend this book. Sad, but SO good. // 14. I don't know a handsomer person/dog than Guillermo Garcia. // 15. So. Many. Baseball. Games. <3 // 16. Self portrait.

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Hope you all are having a fantastic summer! I have about 6 weeks of it left (I can't believe it went so fast) and I intend on using every second of it to continue the things listed above.... Things I am looking forward to:

* Moving into the new house this coming week, finally!

* Reading more books. Lots more. 

* Death Cab show this Sunday!

* Family vacation to Disney and Universal (see: Harry Potter Land) in two weeks!

* Recently quit Petsmart (long, sad story) and starting at The Fresh Market ASAP.

Happy Friday!

Stephanie

Currently.

Loving: Summer, puppies, all-the-time dates with the boyfriend, cable, running, electricity, air conditioning, rain, chai teas, scarves, Guillermo's cuddles, mango eos lip balm, magenta, little brother growing up, greek yogurt and granola, ice water, girlfriends, Pinterest. <3

Reading: Not reading anything right now, but I am planning to start John Green's new book The Fault in Our Stars. He is one of my favorite young adult authors, and this is his latest book. Looking for Alaska was one of my favorites in high school, so I am really excited to see what he has come up with now!

Watching: I have been watching The Killing on Netflix. I believe there is only one season of it. It's pretty morbid, and was a total last resort when looking for something to watch online, but it turned out to be pretty entertaining and it's held my attention enough to watch at least 4 episodes. It is about a family who's oldest daughter is found dead in the trunk of a mayor candidate's campaign car at the bottom of a lake and the investigators' quest to find her murderer. Basically, it's just to tide me over until Breaking Bad, Big Brother, and Weeds are back in full swing. I <3 summer TV.

Anticipating: Moving into the new house! Bret [hopefully] will be closing on the new house at the end of this week or next. I am so excited to be living with him in a new area of town. And in a house, with a huge backyard for the pups. Also anticipating Bunbury music festival. Cincinnati is finally getting their act together and putting on a decent festival and Sunday night's headliner is Death Cab for Cutie. Bret's birthday present to me is tickets to see them and I CANNOT WAIT. (Best boyfriend, ever). ALSO anticipating getting tattooed on Friday. FINALLY finishing the front part of my upper arm underneath the matryoshka. Can't wait to show off pictures (which will totally be happening real-time via Instagram! Femmenamala if you want to follow along! Lastly, getting Lego Harry Potter Years 4-7 out of storage so I can finally finish it!

Listening to: iPhone on shuffle, all the time. Bluetooth in the Mazda is the best thing since sliced bread and Chihuahuas.

Planning: New house deco! Bret and I have been constant brainstorming about furniture (we get to completely re-do the living room) and kitchen renovations on the new place. IKEA is going to be very happy with us.

Working on: I am currently working on getting myself on a gym/running schedule. This won't really be completely possible until we are moved into the new place, but I am excited to start holding myself to going to the gym a set number of times a week and no more eating out. 


Wishing: That summer lasted forever.

Summer Bucket List

It's the first official day of summer break.... that means I have 12 whole weeks to do whatever I want, whenever I want. Since it's raining and I can't be outside reading, running, walking the dogs, or lounging by Kim's parents' pool, I decided to sit on this couch and make a Summer Bucket List. It might be a bit ambitious, but I plan to cross every single thing off.

1. Learn to use my grandmother's sewing machine. I have had it since February. It's been a very nice addition to my bedroom. So far, it's been used as a cat perch, a computer table, a night stand, and storage space. There are so many dresses in my closet that I can't wear because they don't fit anymore, and I am fairly certain I am smart enough to learn how to take in a seam or two so I don't have to donate three quarters of my wardrobe.

2. Finish a few books. I don't already have a list of books I want to read because whenever I see one that looks interesting, I just send the sample to my Kindle, read it, and decide if I want to buy it from there. But I want to read a lot more than I did last summer, and definitely throughout the school year.

3. Crochet... something. I learned to crochet around Christmas time, and have a huge box filled with yarn that was my grandmother's. I would love to make something out of it for the new place.... which still has not been decided upon!

4. Continue watching too much Mad Men. It's really all I have been doing lately, and am slightly obsessed. I want to catch up to the season that's currently on television because I keep hearing that it's excellent!

5. Purge! I have TONS of stuff that I haven't used or looked at since I moved into this apartment last summer (lots of things still in boxes) and I can't wait to go through it all as I move at the end of this month and get rid of everything that doesn't have a purpose. I have never been much of a packrat, and hate clutter. That being said, there's too much of it around here! Things I brought with me from my parents' house that haven't been touched since.

6. Run at least three times a week. Considering I have almost no other obligations this summer (save for working at Petsmart a few times a week), there is really no reason that this goal should not be ticked off my list. This summer is a long one, 12 weeks instead of the normal 10.... no reason not to get into better shape!

7. Go on tons of trips. Bret and I are already planning to visit Chicago or Pittsburgh (maybe both?) and I have very premature plans to drive myself to Buffalo to see Nicole and Columbus to see Chelsey and her new apartment. And in August, Disneyworld and Universal (for Harry Potter, duh) with my parents, brother and sister. I need to make at least half of these happen! I have a bad habit of planning trips and not taking them. Time to follow through!

8. Get more tattoos. I have a million ideas and talk them up a lot, but rarely do anything about it. I want to AT LEAST get my half sleeve finished... and maybe one or two other ideas....


9. Go to at least three more Reds games. I have already been to two, the last one was sofun and part of Bret's birthday present from me was two tickets to next week's game, right behind first base (oh, hey, Votto. Sup?) We need to make this a habit.

What is on your summer bucket list?! 

Happy summer break :)

-Stephanie

Onto the new....

So, lots of changes around here.... The blog is going private... In probably about a week. For no other reason other than it's kind of MY thing, and while I have never (and will never) post anything inappropriate or that I wouldn't want any of you to read, my students have "stumbled upon" my page slash googled me and found it! They can be so sneaky. It's a little weird for me, so that being said, I still want YOU all to stick around. I would love for you to leave your email in the comments that will let you know when I update and will allow you to login to my page. Or you can email me here and I will be happy to add you to the list!

Happy Wednesday! <3
Stephanie

Currently.

Picked up this idea from Danielle from Sometimes Sweet!

my view on the way to work yesterday morning. <3

Reading: The Single Girl's To-Do List by Lindsey Kelk. I have read each of her other books in the I Heart... series, and this one is just as good. It's a little slower moving, but just what I need for the last few stressful weeks of the school year. It's a very easy, light, girly read about a girl who is newly out of a 5-year relationship and the things she plans on doing to establish her single life. Fun! 

Watching: Also, on Danielle's recommendation, Gossip Girl. It's along the same lines as the book I'm reading.... easy, fun and funny, and doesn't take much concentration. I'm halfway through the third season and am starting to lose interest a little bit. I tried to watch it when its first came on TV about 5 years ago since I read the series in high school, but couldn't get into it. It's a pretty good guilty pleasure that I've gotten my friend Christa hooked on, as well. :)

Thinking About: Getting ready for summer. Just being able to relax and go to my friends' weddings (FIVE to be exact, two of which I'm in!) and vacation with my family. Ready for a long break!!

Loving: Working out and eating well. Nothing like reinventions to motivate more! Down only two more pounds since the last update, but still at my lowest ever, EVER (128) and working towards just getting into shape/toning at this point. Or rather working towards working on. Since the gym we/I joined is pretty far from my apartment, it's difficult to do regularly now, but I plan to once summer gets here for SURE.

Anticipating: Seriously, seriously, seriously, the end of school. Only 15 more school days (10 of them instruction) and the end is in sight!! Also moving to Sharonville. Lease is up soon and boyfriend is buying a home as we speak. This means a fenced in yard for the pups (also a new sister/friend), being closer to the gym, and more boyfriend time. DUH.

Ella's idol, Makinzie :)

Listening To: Lots of Mates of State. I have always been a fan (thanks, Nicole) but I have been feeling pretty nostalgic lately and Can't get enough of Rearrange Us and Bring it Back a lot lately. SO GOOD.

Eating: Peanut butter. On everything. Everyday. I eat so much peanut butter. I should buy stock. Srsly.

Feeling Thankful For: My job, my puppies, my parents, sister and brother, Bret, good books, the Mazda, and my iPhone.

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