Garden and Gold Color Palette

Dance

I sort of wish I hadn't quit dancing as a kid.

Print

Muted Earth Color Palette

Nike

Winged Victory of Samothrace (Nike of Samothrace), Marble, c. 200 BCE

Sunshine on Roses color palette

Army Men, for girls

I found these on a blog with no source listed... Does anyone know where you can get them?

Neon Octopus

more to the point

Since I started doing zumba, I am more in awe of dancers than ever.

Don't look down

Whew. That's a long way down.

That's a cool combination of colors though...

Dark and Daper, like Mad Men Color Palette

{here}

Choose Wisely

Valentine Sugar Cookie

Elegant Earthy Color Palette

{here}

Boston Puppies

Can't get enough of these guys.

The magic button

This will instantly make you feel better.

Late Summer Citrus Color Palette

Positive Steps for Mental Health

Uses of Sorrow

I think this is beautiful.

And I also believe that, with time, painful experiences are consecrated for our good.

Found here.

Neon & Neutral Color Palette

{here}

The Modern (Non)Marriage Phenomenon

Have you noticed that our generation is totally messing with traditional marriage? And not just marriage but adulthood. 

This concern is being voiced everywhere I turn...

Wall Street Journal: "Where have the good men gone?"
The Atlantic: "All the single ladies"
The Atlantic: "The End of Men"
The New York Times: "What is it with all the 20-somethings?"
The Washington Post: "Do you need a new marriage?"
The Washington Post: "How's your friendship with your spouse?"
And my favorite:
The Washington Post:  "Why men need marriage"

There was also a very good article on a similar topic in the Los Angeles Times about a year ago, but I initially read it in print and couldn't find a link to it. If you know where to find it please leave the link in the comments section.

I'm worried that we are loosing something of incalculable value, and that once it is gone we won't be able to get it back. I don't know what else to do to fight the rising tide, so I'm just voicing the thought here and sending it out into the aether.

say thank you

"When life is sweet, say thank you and celebrate. And when life is bitter, say thank you and grow." ~ Shauna Niequist

Muted Melon Color Palette

{here}

Brunette over Blonde

{here}

Significant

Totally found this on the Banana Republic Tumblr.

Major retailers quoting apostles?! Awesome.

100 Layer Cake Colorboards

The wedding blog 100 Layer Cake puts together the most beautiful colorboards that I want to use as guides for everything: Planning parties, decorating my house, shopping for outfits, cooking meals... Sometimes I wish the world were as beautiful as it looks in wedding blogs.

Here is my most recent favorite: 

Confession: I have about 26 favorites, so I'll dole them slowly over the next few weeks so we can savor them together.

Grandeur

Peach & Smoke

{here}

Gold & Glitter

Now and Later

Dowton Abbey

The cast of Dowton Abbey photographed for the January Vogue.

I've heard Downton Abbey is good, what have you heard?

Love the Gatsby dresses.

Scarf Necklace

Someday I will own an Hermes.

SLC Temple

So beautiful.

Southwestern Winter

Wow, I love this look...

Eccentric

This is the kind of thing I would put on in the morning and then before I left the house I would chicken out and change something.

I swear the first two or three times I put on red lipstick it didn't make it out of the house. I have since overcome that particular twinge, but I still lack to courage to publicly sport some of my more daring fashion preferences. In New York I could be a little more bold, because pushing the envelope is generally celebrated there. In Orem, Utah? NOT so much.

Someday I'll live in California again, and while they are less averse to the eccentric, they are super laid back, and sometimes when I fashion-ify myself there I feel over-dressed.

Part of me says: "I do what I want!"

The other part of me squeamishly says, "But people will think I'm weird!"

I need opinions on this... Being taken seriously is pretty important to me. Can I indulge some of my more quirky fashion tendencies without completely undermining my credibility?

Hybrid China

How fun!

Father & Son

I'm excited for this to be a part of our lives one day.

Sheeeep!

Seeing herds of sheep still makes me really excited. I have no explanation for this.

Small and Simple

I've been mulling over my personal philosophies on food lately.

It started with this whole cheese snobbery thing... Husband and I decided to educate ourselves about cheese and the more we learned the easier it became to discern and appreciate quality and artistry in food making... And the less tolerant we became of cheap tactics and shoddy workmanship.

We also realized quickly that well made food was something to sit and savor, rather than gulp down in three bites at a stop light on the way to work. (Guilty.) As we tried to create opportunities to sit and savor and enjoy our new hobby as cheese enthusiasts, we also realized that when it comes to quality food, a little goes a long way.

High quality food can be expensive and the time to sit and savor is hard to come by. There is a part of me that would like to more thoroughly dedicate my time to seeking out, preparing and enjoying the art of great food. There is also a part of me that finds such a pursuit utterly impractical, grabs a cliff bar and a diet dr pepper and walks out the door with keys in hand.

Can you imagine though? Growing your own basil and tomatoes, buying fantastic, fresh mozzarella from your local cheese market, and assembling the perfectly proportioned, completely satisfying, epicurean experience like the one pictured above?

Where can I go to live this dream? I need a ranch house in a rural-ish area with access to charming local markets.

I've got it: We're going to Napa.

You Can Go

A map of Manhattan and some Journey lyrics?! SOLD.

Hidden Mother?

This is just creepy.

Ok children, let's take a picture with DEATH.

InSANE

Looking at this makes me a little queasy.

{Found it here.}

Ribbon Bookshelf

I would like one of these in my kitchen, full of pretty cookbooks.

found it here.

Passport

Catalina

Avalon Bay...

We had such a fun trip to Catalina last week with my family. If you ever go, I recommend the following:

1) Wear lots of warm clothes. Layer it up people. Layer.
2) El Galleon is right on the boardwalk. They have super yummy pub food. Skip the entres and just order every appetizer on the menu and go at it tapas style.
3) Golf cart tour. This is most fun if you have more than one golf cart and there is a disagreement about who should be leading the expedition. Also, if you follow the road out past the casino and go up the canyon, keep your eyes open for the largest herd of wild cats known to man.
4) On the crossing back, watch for dolphins surfing your wake in the sunset. It's magical.
5) Chocolate sandwhich cookies and doritos are appropriate boat food, pack accordingly.
6) Once you are back on the main land, you'll be needing some fresh tortillas and chicken enchiladas. Go to El Torito Grill at Fashion Island.

Light Bulb Vases

I have a feeling this will make an appearance at some young women's activity that I'm in charge of someday.

A perfect holiday

Hello all!

Sometimes I get so busy posting beautiful things that I forget to say hi.

Husband and I just returned from the most wonderful week at home with our families in California. It was the perfect combination of relaxing, socializing and adventuring. We feel very fortunate to be surrounded by so much love.

My favorite parts of the week included painting with my sisters in law, holding and feeding cheerios to my nieces and nephews, riding bikes with my family, hanging with my mom, going on an ocean adventure to Catalina and baking to my hearts content.

See what I mean? Perfect week.

I hope you all had a perfect holiday as well. I wish you a new year full of triumphs, joys and celebrations.

Much love.
 
xoxo,
Sara

Happy New Year 2012

“Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every New Year find you a better man.”

-Benjamin Franklin