good advice

"To have true class, is to have the ability to make the others around you feel comfortable...."

~Luann DeLesseps, "Mrs. Manners"

book review...and club?

i just finished reading, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows...(ashley, this sparks my co-writing book interest even more)...and I adored it. it was an easy, light-hearted read that left me anxious for more and wanting to be the novel's main character, juliet.  she was so delightful and witty and her penpals were so smart, polite and lovely that i kept forgetting that they were not my own friends...and i really wanted them to be. in addition to wanting to move to the island of guernsey and living the "simple life," it also makes me want to get back to hand-writing letters. what is more fun than receiving a nice little note in the mail from your loved one? don't be surprised if you start getting random mail from me. i can't recommend this book enough. it's the perfect read while relaxing in a bubble bath, so treat yourself.

on another note, i've been pushing around the idea of starting an online book club. i figure everything else is done online now-a-days and until i live by my nearest and dearest, i thought this would do. it would basically be more or less, all reading the same book and sharing comments about it. easy stuff. let me know if you are interested. for the next month, i will be reading: The Whistling Season, by Ivan Doig and bird by bird: some instructions on writing and life, by Anne Lamott. 

p.s. i love book suggestions.

luck of the irish

digging into my scottish roots, i can't help but feel somewhat like st. patrick's day is my own personal holiday. i have a deep love for all things irish, including riverdance, the color green, liam neeson, and enya. it is my personal goal to make it to ireland on st. patrick's day...someday. but just for now, i'm going to be perfectly happy spending the day with my most favorite irish-thing of all....redheads.

  

so, from my bleeding green heart to yours...happy st. patrick's day.

"may your blessings outnumber

the shamrocks that grow,

and may trouble avoid you

wherever you go."

{irish blessing}

we can't all look this good in a swimsuit...

i stole this little gem off the sisters' blog and couldn't help but admire the sweet figure i liked to show off in my younger years. i hit the big 2-6 today and was overwhelmed by the lovely birthday wishes and am so thankful for the wonderful family and friends that i am so incredibly lucky to have. those were the days...wrinkle free and not terrified of the camera. i can't say that it is the same today. still, as i am now closer to 30 than i am to 20, i can only hope the next 26 years of my life are as great as the first. 

and yes carlee, i'm wearing a sweatshirt over my swimsuit. some things never change.

xo.

love and grace

i had to steal these pictures off bryan and amanda's blog because I can't believe how cute little gracie is. i get to meet the little wee this weekend and my heart pounds harder and grows bigger every time i think about it. i can't decide who i think she looks like more. either way, she scored... xoxo

gracie jean campbell

auntie lala and uncle coco have another reason to miss utah as we welcomed our 4th niece this weekend. little gracie just made my world a better place....