Over the Weekend.

This weekend was a whirlwind and I can't believe that it's over.

Friday...
We spent the afternoon walking around the Boston Public Library, and a visit to the Prudential to try and find Scrabble. Finding Scrabble was a success! After walking around in the sunshine we hopped on the train to head home, we decided to stop at Shaw's to find a movie at Redbox, but didn't have much luck. We ended up grabbing two different kinds of Ben & Jerry's and headed back to our apartment. We decided it would be a good night to stay in, play some Scrabble, eat ice cream, and watch Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I am in the processes of re-reading the books and I just finished the fourth so I really wanted to watch the movie again. I do not remember being so disappointed in the movie when it came out, but man they left SO much out.

Saturday...

I'm not even sure where Saturday went. One minute we decided we were going to study a bit for finals and get some homework done, and then I looked at the clock again and it was already 4! We decided it would be a good time for a walk into Brookline just to get some fresh air. We went to our favorite bookstore where I found a book I have been looking for forever in the dollar section, total steal! Then we decided to pop in Trader Joes to pick up a few groceries. We came across a bottle of wine that sounded good and it was only $3.99, another steal. We made our way back to our apartment and decided to play another round of Scrabble before we studied some more. After that we decided to pop in a movie, The Bourne Identity, Aaron just finished the first book and is in the process of reading the second one so we thought it would be good to watch the movie, which was very different from the book. Aaron studied while we watched and I caught up on some blog reading, it was the perfect relaxing night!

Sunday...
We woke up with the intention of going to grab some donuts and then hitting the books, but friends were in town so we went to meet them at Panera for a late breakfast/early lunch. We spent some time catching up with them and walking around. We got back in the early afternoon and decided we had to study, so we popped in a season of Friends and did some work for a while. Of course I got side tracked and thought it was be fun to change the header on my blog, which led to me wanting to change everything else. Hope you like the new design! It was fun teaching myself some new tricks on photoshop, it was certainly a trial and error process. We decided around 9 that we wanted french fries, so we got some fresh air and walked to McDonald's to get some, I know I know so gross...I felt pretty bad after eating them, but their salty goodness hit the spot. When we got back we finished up studying, decided we wanted to battle in Mario Kart, and Aaron ended up beating me so he won a three minute back massage. We decided it was time to give up studying, so we got into bed, and read until we fell asleep.

It was a weekend of studying and relaxing, perfect before the start of finals. 

What did you do this weekend? See any good movies? Start any good books? 

Friday Favorites.

Longest. Week. Ever.
It's Friday though, and that makes me jump for joy! Pinterest was severely lacking this week, I barely pinned anything, which if you knew me, isn't like me. Here are a few of the things I've been loving this week...

Favorite DIY: Just need to get my hands on these cable wheels, and add some wooden rods!

 Favorite truth: Guys I need book suggestions!? Any recommendations?

 Favorite food: chocolate mousse eclairs, yes please.

 Favorite past time: missing it so much lately.

 Favorite quote: 

 Favorite wedding idea: loving this setup.

And now some lovely links for you...
I'm afraid of clowns but she makes me want to join the circus.
this post by Hannah- I could read her writing all day.
this video made me smile a lot.
loving this workout video to help me get in shape for summer and the wedding!

Also, I am accepting sponsor swaps for May!! Interested? Send me an emil if you would like to swap!
xoxo

Sponsor Swap for May!

I am looking for some lovely bloggers to swap buttons with for the month of May!! All I need from you is a 200 x 200 button, and a little blurb about yourself and your blog.

I promise to network your blog like crazy, and will feature you in a sponsor spotlight post during the month of May. You are also more than welcome to guest post at some point in the month, if you feel desired! 

Send me an email (simplisticlivinggirl@gmail.com) if you are interested!

xoxo

good food. good wine. good company.

As you could have probably determined from recent posts, last Friday Aaron and I celebrated 5 years. I think I still might be in shock from the fact that we have been together for 5 whole years. Its been incredibly amazing, but by no means easy, we are constantly working on our relationship and both put in our full effort almost every day.

Friday was perfect. We spent the afternoon walking around in the beautiful weather, I even managed to drag him into H&M for a little shopping, I worked my bargaining skills and snagged an entire outfit for just under 11 bucks! Jackpot!

After our jaunt around the city, we went back to the apartment and got ready for dinner. We booked reservations early in the week at Petit Robert Bistro, so we were both looking forward to it being 7! It was a little busy, our table was squished between two other tables, but it was still perfect. We enjoyed their delicious house wine, I enjoyed my chicken, and Aaron devoured his Salmon. We were hoping to split a dessert after, but we were way to full.

I am certainly NOT a fashion blogger, I can normally be found in leggings and a cardigan, but I made Aaron snap a picture of me because I was proud of the outfit I threw together.

The skirt was 25 cents from Forever21, I was not sure it was my style, but hey it was a steal and I ended up loving it.

It was a very successful day, and the best part was that I got to spend the entire day with Aaron .

What did you do this weekend?

blog cleanup

Notice anything new around here? No? Let me take you on a tour then...

I hunkered down at my computer for a few hours the other day and learned how to make social networking buttons. Seriously guys, I know nothing about html or anything in that realm...and I think I made the process way more difficult than it needed to be, but alas you will now find three lovely pink social networking buttons on your right hand said, so come follow me on Twitter and Pinterest, or perhaps send me a sweet little email!

Also, I am going to try doing a sponsor swap for the month of May! I promise it will be worth it and I will network your little old blog or shop like crazy. I am perfecting the art of making blog buttons, so if you need help I am your go to gal!

xox

Dream Big.

Today marks the end of my dream big series. I want to thank everyone who took part in it! Doing a series was something new and fun for me, but I am ready to wrap it up. I thought that I would end with mine, for all of you to read.

Age:23

My blog is simply my little piece of the web where I get to share everything I love with you. I never thought I would love blogging as much as I do, it started out as something little, a creative outlet for me, but it has turned into so much more. I love sharing stories from my life, city adventures, new recipes, and projects.

Top three personal dreams you have and how you hope to reach them?

 1. To be a successful pediatric occupational therapist. 

I am starting graduate school in August to get my masters in occupational therapy, so I think I am heading in the right direction for this dream!

2. To be a good wife and eventually mother

I am getting married in September and I am absolutely excited, but I hope that I can continue to make Aaron happy for the rest of our very long lives.

3. To help others

I would like to think that I do a little bit of this now, but I would like to really make an impact on the world and go volunteer somewhere that really needs it. 

What is the inspiration behind your dreams?

The inspiration behind my dreams is happiness, my family, and Aaron. We want nothing more than to be happy and so these dreams are part of making myself happy, and living a fulfilling life. They come from my family and Aaron as well, because they are the constants in my life always pushing me to do better, and dream bigger. 

Best advice for someone trying to reach his or her dreams.

My first piece of advice is to NEVER GIVE UP. My second piece of advice would be to make sure your dreams are  what make YOU happy and what YOU want, because if you are dreaming someone else's dreams, it will be a lot harder to reach them. Be authentic and stay true to you. 

Favorite Quote 

via

I hope everyone enjoyed the series!
xox

5 Wonderful Years.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY A. 

Today marks the day Aaron and I officially began dating, it has been 5 amazing, wonderful, crazy years. I never thought that I could possibly love someone so much, but Aaron proved me wrong. He has been by my side through everything and he is truly my best friend and absolute love of my life. Happy anniversary my soon to be hubby! Only  about 5 months until we get to become husband and wife, and I have never been more excited.

Friday Favorites

Hope you enjoyed my fairytale love story this week, I am sure there will be more posts in the future. This week was pretty laid back which was nice, I had the chance to catch up on some work I was behind on. It also left me time to catch up on some blog reading and find so many lovely things! Here are a few...

Favorite hair: I am going crazy with my hair and I am so ready for something fun, but I am making myself wait until after the wedding, only about 5 months to go!

 Favorite quote: 

 Favorite style: 

 Favorite DIY: using a map as the matting and match it to a place you have visited, so cute.

 Favorite wedding decoration:

 (second) Favorite DIY: Umm a hand made bathtub shelf...this looks incredible & relaxing.

This article on 10 books every girl in their twenties should read. 

14 mind blowing facts about sugar in this article. 

This post from Hannah, I seriously melt over her words. 

Loving this fashion blog

Constantly listening to this Pandora station

When I'm not listening to Pandora, this is on repeat. Yes, I sing loudly and rock out alone when I'm home.

Happy weekend! Hope you enjoyed my favorite things this week. I'd love for you to share yours!

xox

The Proposal: "he knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring"

Think of a moment in your life that you will always remember and know that no matter how much time passes you will hold that memory close to your heart. The weekend of December 11, 2010 will always be looked at as perfect in my eyes, I will never forget what we did, how I felt, or how magical the weekend was.

Aaron and I decided we really wanted to go back and visit NYC before we graduated from college, we decided that the weekend before finals would be the perfect time since we did not have finals until later the next week. We invited our close friends from home Stacey and Justin, and we set off for the big city December 10, 2010. I was so excited to be going around the holiday season, Christmas is my favorite and NYC has the most amazing decorations for it! We loaded the car and set off, the drive in was relaxing and we spent the time just catching up with everyones life. We arrived in the early afternoon, unloaded our bags, bundled up, and hit the road. We had no plans except for dinner reservations at a small Italian restaurant. We had all decided we really wanted to see a Broadway show, Aaron and I had good luck previously with getting day of tickets last time we were in a city, so we figured we would try again. Now I think I am down playing my love for Christmas, I am completely obsessed, and I start watching Christmas movies in like October...one of my favorites is Elf, I could probably recite every line. Well, I knew Elf was playing at one of the theaters so I did my best to convince the others that we should try to get tickets for that. My convincing didn't quite work at first, as we walked around going in and out of theaters with no luck, we finally decided to try Elf. Guess what? We got four tickets, for pretty cheap, and pretty decent seats right in front! SO EXCITED. We had a lot of time to kill before dinner and the show so we walked around and took in all the holiday decorations, and of course did some shopping! Aaron and I even got our picture taken with Santa (it was free with a purchase of any item  at Aeropostale).

It was finally time for dinner, the place we chose was family owned and very small. The food was incredible, the only down side was that our drinks were not free refills and we continued to order them (whoops!), this would probably not be a downfall if the four of us were not poor college kids. Overall, it was a great meal, I could barely contain my excitement for Elf though. After dinner we ventured over to the theater and took our seats. Well, the show did not disappoint. I mean sure they left out some of my favorite parts from the movie, but it was still really funny and entertaining. We decided we wanted to walk around for a little while longer after the show, just to take in all the scenery. We finally made it back to the apartment we were staying at a little after twelve-thirty. It was a LONG day, but we all had so much fun. When we got back I immediately put on my new PJ pants and my cozy sweatshirt, I was ready to pass out. Well Aaron had other plans, he begged me to go outside for a walk in the little park by the river that we always visit when we are there. Umm hello?! It's 1am in NYC...this does not sound safe to me, plus I'm exhausted. I gave him a big fat no. Well five minutes later we were out the door, PJ's and all. We walked down the little stone path and headed to our favorite part by the river, I was a nervous wreck, I honestly thought someone was going to attack us. I was constantly looking over my shoulder and being the paranoid freak that I am. Well Aaron started talking about how he knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me and then I looked over my shoulder again to make sure we were safe, and when I looked back, there he was on one knee! Holding the prettiest ring in the world!
First their was shock. Then there were tears. Then there was a YES! Then a quick glance behind me to make sure no one was in the woods. Then lots of hugs and kisses. Finally my paranoia got the best of me and I made him go back to the apartment. We walked in and I immediately stuck out my hand to Stacey, with a little confusion I manage to stumble the words Aaron proposed out of my mouth. Then there were more hugs and congratulations. I was so happy to share that moment with two of my best friends. I decided I would call my mom because I tell her everything and thats what you do right, call your mom? Well I scared her because it was now well after 1 in the morning and her immediate thought was that something was wrong. She was so confused and I don't think she realized what I was telling her at first. Then she caught on, gave her congratulations and started crying, so I said my goodbyes and told her to go back to bed. I would have immediately called my dad, but he was in Iraq so how I was going to tell him was a bit tricky. I was going to call the rest of my family, but decided I would let them have their beauty sleep and call them in the morning. Imagine trying to sleep after all of that, well I was exhausted so eventually I manage to drift off into a happy sleep.

We woke up the next morning, I checked my hand to make sure the ring was there and that I was not dreaming the whole thing, and it was surely there! Aaron and I spent the morning calling our family and friends. We were planning to leave the city in the late afternoon so we set off for some more site seeing (mainly shopping) and took in our last hours of the city.

The whole weekend was magical and perfect. The proposal was simple and sweet, just the way I had imagined it would be. I will never forget 12/11/10.

Check out the beginning of our love story and our college years.

Also online high five for anyone that actually read through this whole story, its long I know! 

xoxo

A & J, the college years.

Here is our love story continued! 

If you missed the high school years check it out here. 

As the summer of 2007 came to an end we went our separate ways to college. Aaron was studying sports medicine at Merrimack college in Massachusetts, and I was headed to Colby-Sawyer college in NH. I knew the first year was going to be rough not just for us as a couple but for me as an individual, I don't handle change well and I was scared to leave home. We tried to make it a point to talk each night on the phone, and visit each other on the weekends when we had free time. I was lucky enough to have a car at school so it allowed for me to visit Aaron at Merrimack more than he could visit me at school. The year slowly progressed, and it was certainly a year of change for us, but we some how managed to make the distance work. We both knew school was important and had to be our priority, but we also made it a point to keep our relationship a priority. I made a few close friends at school, but I never felt like being there was right for me. I couldn't stand my classes, I hated that there was nothing to do around the area, and it just didn't feel right. I made the decision at the end of my first year that I wanted to transfer, unfortunately I missed the deadline and knew I would have to do at least one more semester at Colby-Sawyer. Our first year was the biggest challenge, we were going through so much change not only with school but with our family life as well. 

That summer we both moved back home, and we were so excited to be living only 7 minutes away from each other again. We worked at the movie theater that summer, so we spent a lot of time together. It was back to our normal routine of hanging out with friends, dates to Friendly's, relaxing at the dock's, and making the most of the time we had left before school. Summer came to an end and I finally had decided to apply to Merrimack college and Simmons for their transfer program. I told myself that I would not pick Merrimack just because of Aaron, I wanted to make sure I made the decision that would best benefit my future. First semester started and I was starting to get more comfortable at Colby-Sawyer, it started making me a little sad that I would be leaving. I heard back from the schools and I was accepted into both, I had no idea what I was going to do. I did not want to regret my decision, so I spent a lot of time weighing my options. I make lists for everything, so I made a pro's and con's list for both schools. I ultimately decided on Merrimack because they had the best program for my future goals, and financially it was a MUCH better option. I packed up my dorm room at the end of fall semester, said my goodbyes, and moved my boxes home for winter break. Winter break was here and gone before I knew it and I was moving into my new dorm at Merrimack. 

The first few weeks were tough, but transferring was the best decision I have made. I was a much happier person than when I was at Colby. I joined a sorority a few weeks after being at school because I was determined to make my own friends, I didn't want to be glued to Aaron, I knew I needed to find my own niche. As I got comfortable with my classes, and made friends, I was loving my decision more and more each day. Plus now Aaron and I got to hang out in our free time, without having to drive two hours to see each other. Being apart at separate schools made our relationship stronger, but I'd be lying if I said being together again wasn't better. 

We got to go to sporting events together, we had some classes together, we ate lunch together, and it made me appreciate all of the little things we were not able to do before by being at different schools. He was my rock through college, pushing me when I needed it, and never giving up on me. Our senior year came and we enjoyed spending our time with friends, senior formal, 100 days until graduation, hockey games, and another graduation together. So many memories, so many unforgettable moments, I wouldn't change it for the world. 

 Stay tuned for the proposal story...

A &J, a love story.

In 4 days, Aaron and I will be celebrating 5 years together. It has been 5 years of some high highs, and low lows, but we grow stronger each day, and I find myself falling more in love each day. I figured since I have not talked much about our relationship on the blog (besides wedding posts), I would take the week to share some relationship posts.

Aaron and I are from a little town in NH, where we went to high school together. Our freshman year (at least according to Aaron) we were in the same intersession trip before April vacation, I however have no recollection of this, but he certainly knows all the details of that intersession so over the years I have come to believe him. It was not until senior year that we really began to talk and start dating. Our senior year we were both taking AP Biology, and so we spent a lot of time together in class working on labs. I remember a few months into the class, I wrote a little note to my friend next to me telling her that I thought Aaron was really cute, but of course being shy and awkward like I am, I never had the guts to do anything about it. About half way through the school year we were assigned to work on a group lab together, I was extremely happy about it, but tried to conceal my excitement for the time being. As the spring approached so did our senior prom, I had pretty much planned just to go with a bunch of friends, but of course I was secretly wishing for a different outcome. 

A few months before prom I was in AP Biology, sitting in my normal seat, diligently taking notes, just like every other day. When the bell rang I ventured off to AP literature, but before I made it to the classroom one of my friends stopped me and handed me a piece of paper. It had the most ADORABLE drawing and little note that said...Will you go to prom with me? The picture was us dancing and a disco ball hanging above. It was from Aaron and I was filled with joy! I barely knew him but I remember being so excited, it was the can't-eat-can't-sleep-over-the-moon kind of feeling. He left his number and told me to text him with my answer. Well I had an early dismissal note that day, so I was only in AP lit for about 15 minutes before I left for an appointment, as soon as I got to my car I whipped out my phone ready to text...but then I thought it was too soon, I didn't want to scare him with my eagerness, so I waited until after my appointment. 

After the initial awkwardness we decided it would be a good idea to hang out, in hopes to make prom not awkward and to get to know each other better. We went out with his friends to Cheer's and split some chicken fingers and fries, he picked me up at my house and we drove their just the two of us. I was full of nerves, but we managed to hold a steady conversation about school and about music. After out first date hang out session, we started hanging out almost every day after school, it normally consisted of me watching him play tennis for our high school team and some type of chicken, mostly from Friendly's. Prom was finally here and it was so much fun, it took everything in me to get him to dance, but we ended up dancing the night away. The first slow song we danced to was I'll Be by Edwin McCain, it was perfect. The only bad memory from prom was that Aaron decided to wear a white tux, and the background for out pictures was white, so his head is basically floating in our prom pictures, it's pretty funny to look back on though. 

After prom, we continued to hang out and finally decided to call it 'official', we were not sure which day we actually decided we were going to start dating, but we both agreed on April 20, 2007 because it seemed to be right around that time. We went on to finish our senior year together, and spend every free moment we had together. We graduated in June and we knew that we were heading off to different colleges in August, but we were determined to make it work. 

Stay tuned for the college years...

Dream Big.

Meet Kristen! And her blog, From Kristen, With Love. 

Age: 23

My blog, From Kristen, With Love is where I write what's currently on my heart. I have a passion for all things creative & inspiring. I'm a 20-something girl in her last year of college as an Education major. In my free time, I like to craft, run, try new recipes, and just kick back and relax. My boyfriend, C, and I are enjoying life as a young couple. And I can't forget about our fur babies Brutus and Tucker. 

Top three personal dreams you have and how you hope to reach them? 

1. Graduate college.

I've been pursuing this dream for what seems like an eternity! After five and a half hard years of working full time while going to school at night, I'll be graduating with my Bachelor's in December of this year. I went through a few moments of doubt early on in college..."is all of this hard work work it?" "Maybe I'll just take a semester off to relax..." and doubts of that sort. Right about when I started doubting myself, I met C. He, being a college graduate already, pushed me to pursue my dream and not give up. 

2. Open an online store.

This is something I've been wanting to do for a while now, but I know right now isn't the right time- I can't commit 100%, like I want to. I'm hoping that during the summer when I'm off from school that I can get the ball rolling on this. In order to reach this dream, I'll have to put aside self doubt and just do it. I am craft lover. Paint on my jeans and hot glue burns are what makes me happiest. So look out for an online shop from me in the near future. :)

3. Raise a family & have a successful marriage. 

This will always be a work in progress. I know I'm young and this kind of stuff shouldn't be on my brain just yet... but I know that this is what I want for myself in the distant future. 

What is the inspiration behind your dreams?

The main inspiration behind my dreams is happiness. I know that all of my dreams lead to happiness and personal growth. 

Best advice for someone trying to reach his or her dreams. 

Don't listen to the doubters. People will try and knock you down and tell you what you're pursuing isn't worth it or you're not good enough. Don't listen to them. If it's something you truly want, no one will get in your way. 

Favorite Quote

"Defeat is simply a signal to press onward." 

-Helen Keller

Thank you SO much Kristen for taking part in my dream big series, I can't wait to read your blog to see how pursing your dreams is going! XOXO

Make sure to go check out From Kristen, With Love and let her know how much you loved her post! :)

Friday Favorites.

I can't believe it is already Friday? It seems like each week is passing faster than the last, and this week was certainly a blur. Ever wish you could freeze time just for a little bit, slow everything down, and take it all in?
Here are  a few of my favorite finds from the week...

Favorite style: I might need to purchase this soon, I love the color blocking as well as the color combo.

 Favorite wedding idea:

 Favorite DIY: 

 Favorite recipe: pizza grilled cheese, my two favorite things in one!

 Favorite quote: 

I love post secret so I was very happy when this TED talk came out.

This blog on marriage and more has me sucked in. 

This article on rewiring the brain.

This scented candle- it smells so good I want to eat it.

This Pandora station has been constantly on for about a month now. 

Oh...and I have had this on repeat ALL week. So catchy. 

What did you love this week? Share with me in the comments!

xoxo

Don't forget that I am starting to do a sponsor swap, so if you are interested check more out here, or shoot me an email! simplisticlivinggirl(at)gmail(dot)com

insane courage.

I watched this movie when it came to theaters, and then again this weekend. I LOVE it. I love absolutely everything about it. And this was one of my favorite quotes. So do it. At some point today have 20 seconds of insane courage, and do something you have been waiting to do. Why wait?

xoxo

Sponsor Swap!

Hey Guys! So I have decided to start doing a sponsor swap, as a way to introduce you guys to some new bloggers! So here's the deal:
I will be accepting 5 sponsors max each month, and will allow you to do one guest post that month, only if you want to! Email me at simplisticlivinggirl(at)gmail(dot)com if you are interested or have any questions!

Now meet one of my sponsors for this month, Bree! I have been reading her blog for a little while now and she is so wonderful and full of life!

Hey readers! I'm Bree, and I blog over at "The Thing About Joy..." A life style blog where you'll find things like:

-a college student trying to become a graphic designer
-ups and downs of life and how to always be thankful, no matter what!
-fun & pretty easy tutorials! Usually for my new house I’m still decorating.

I like to learn new things. Probably too much. If you asked my family they would probably say I try to do do many things, and want to learn to many things.
But... that's what makes me, me!

So if you're interested, I would love to have you stop by my blog and read more! I love to get to know my readers, and since my blog is still pretty small, it makes it easier for me to do! :))

Blog | Twitter

Dream Big

Meet Ilene Joyce (aka illy), from Much Love, illy!

Age: 27

Much Love, illy, is a lifestyle/fashion blog where I record daily life, outfit posts, fashion inspiration, or random tid-bits. I’m pretty random, so that’s what you’ll find on my blog!

Top three personal dreams you have and how you hope to reach them?

1) to write a book- This is a dream I have been pursuing all of my life. Jo March from Little Women was my idol, and I have journals stacked in my closet from the 1st grade and on. I plan to pursue this dream by continuing to write. Who knows? Maybe you'll see my name on the NY bestseller's list one day.

2) to establish an organization using art, creativity, and writing to encourage and inspire people - I know this dream might sound super vague but I have always had the dream (it started running full force when I started my shop and on various mission trips to the Philippines) of using art and creativity to encourage and inspire people, whether that looks like teaching them how to run their own handmade business or how to write creatively. Honestly not sure the specifics of how this works, but this is a dream that I’ve thought about for a long time and I hope I’ll have the opportunity to pursue it further as doors open. 

3) have a Starbucks drink named after me - I honestly don’t know how I’ll get this to happen, but I can dream right?! *wink* 

Best advice for someone trying to reach his or her dreams. 

Sounds cliche but I’d tell them to never give up and to have fun in the process! Dreams don’t happen overnight. You have to work hard and take it a day at time. And make sure you really, truly love it or all of it was a waste of time and was never your dream in the first place.

Favorite quote...

Thank you SO much Ilene for taking part in this series, I look forward to finding your name on the bestseller's list one day and perhaps ordering a drink from Starbucks named after you!!

xoxo