MEET AGNES

July 24, Nate and I adopted a tiny little gray kitten and named her Agnes. She's now 3.5 months old, has gained about a pound and is really fun to take pictures of.I'm taking a digital photography class and Agnes is the perfect subject.

BABY, YOU ROCK!

Subtitle: Happy Day Rockstar























It's Nate's birthday today. He's 33. This morning I wanted to slow down just a bit and spend some time with him; I will be late for work for anyone who is looking for me.
Last night I made dark chocolate cupcakes and added semi-sweet chocolate chunks for extra rich chocolatey flavor. Topped off with vanilla icing, I think the cakes-on-the-go will be perfect for our hectic lifestyle. After Nate went to bed I hung up the birthday garland that Dayna made for me, wrapped his presents, and tidied up the living room. {sorry, my camera is still broken so you'll have to use your imagination}
This morning Nate opened his presents. BBQ accessories from his family, and a music-themed birthday from me. He got tickets to see Franz Ferdinand tonight at The Great Saltair {one of his favorite live shows}, a double guitar stand to accommodate his acoustic and electric guitars, a custom designed, earth friendly guitar strap {looks like this} from Souldier Straps {check out her Etsy store} for his new Fender Jaguar, music magazines for pleasure reading, and a London Moleskin journal for our trip there in July to see Blur. I also found a nearby guitar shop that gives reasonably priced guitar lessons so it's just a matter of finding an open slot in his busy calendar.
Happy birthday to the music-lovin' birthday dood. Baby, you ROCK!

HAPPY DAY HUGO!

It's Hugo's birthday today. He's lucky to share his birthday with the Rockstar {pictured together on their birthday in 2008}! Hugs and kisses to Hugo...hope your day is full of trucks, trucks, and trucks!

Love, Aunt Tonia

AND I LOVE HIM

Nate and I had a great day today. We had a nice morning, gave one another modest Easter basket goodies, spent a few hours in church, took a long nap, and snuggled on the couch. Tonight he spent about 30 minutes practicing Anarchy in the UK {Sex Pistols} on his new Fender and he's now listening to the new Depeche Mode album.
I'm very lucky. He's brilliant to look at, his mind intrigues me, he's one of the silliest people I know and he shares his grand laugh with everyone. With Nate, I know life will challenge and bless me. I'm glad I have someone so perfectly suited to me; finding him has been a perfectly timed discovery. And I love him.

BOOK OF US

Our romance in 150 questions. I bought a similar book that I'm planning to fill out for Nate and give it to him on Valentine's Day. We'll be somewhere in Mexico celebrating the sunshine and our free right to snorkel ten times a day. I'm sure he'll be sun drunk and he'll absolutely love it. Here are a few of the questions included in the book.

If this had not happened, we never would have met....
My very first impression of you and what attracted me to you was...
This is how I remember the first time we met...
The traits I most admire about you are...

If you had time and creative energy, I think it would be fun to custom write your own questions in a personal design and then hand write the answers. I have to go with the pre-made book with my busy schedule.

SHOW BLISTERS TO THE DOOR

I had HUGE blisters on my feet from walking around CES in inappropriate footwear. These are the only thing I've ever found that simply make blisters feel like they never happened. I vow to keep a few in my purse in case of emergencies.

TOMS: ONE TO ONE

My friend Julie {thanks Jules!} tipped me off on Toms Shoes. You've probably heard of them and know what they are doing. I remember looking into them a few years ago when their selection was much smaller. I'm glad Julie reminded me of their tremendous and generous idea.
When I was in Africa about six years ago I saw so many small little feet wearing men's size 10 flip flops. It was good they had shoes at all but they sure didn't fit properly. They would run like champs and play football {soccer} with them but I don't know quite how they managed it.
Luckily Toms is generously donating one pair to a child in need for every pair you buy. Read their story here. I wish I was doing something this meaningful!
Would love to know if you end up buying a pair.

MY DOPPLEGANGER

I have two distinct personalities. One likes to wear pretty, feminine things; read classic literature; eat at nice restaurants; sleep plenty; and get pedicures. The other likes rock and roll, concerts, going days without makeup, energy drinks, and spending time outside. Guess which one wants these shoes for Christmas?



















They are sold out at converse.com but you can find them at kiqzoo.com. If you want them, they are called Jack Purcell Black Sabbath {rock on!}

CHRISTMAS LOUNGEWEAR

How many of us have grown up with the same tradition? The one where you get a new set of pretty pajamas on Christmas eve. It was one of my favorite things and whether it was a nightgown with Barbie or ET, I always slept better that night. There's just nothing like new pajamas.
I'm posting this in hopes that Nate will get desperate for Christmas ideas, read this, and get me one of these cute items. I need a good night's sleep! All these beauties are from Anthro.

IF $425 WAS A SWEATER...

It would look like this. Her name is Astrid. Isn't she lovely and perfectly unattainable?

PRETTY FROCKS FROM BANANA REPUBLIC

I love all of them!

I AM A ONE-OF-A-KIND

I'm officially the only girl with my name in the U.S. Imagine that. Just one person with my name and it's me! There are eight guys with Nate's name; lucky me, I found just the right one in my 34 year search.

CABINET OF FAVORITE THINGS

I went looking for my book of Whitman poetry this morning. Specifically, I was looking for the poem Nacho quoted in a meeting this week. I pulled open the cabinet in my living room and it occurred to me right then how many of my favorite things are in there.


{Jane Austen and Shannon Hale}























{Milan Kundera and our box of curious rocks gathered in Nice, France}























{a watercolor I did called "blue chair"}























{Kerouak and C. S. Lewis}























{Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet, and James Joyce's The Dead}























{The old books I found in Chicago}























{Canterbery Tales, and Tom Sawyer}























{The one mis-matched book called The Razor's Edge}























{wedding pictures. Me and Nate, my mom and dad}























{The owl Holly made, my harmonica, watercolor "old chair", and a candlestick my parents brought from Nauvoo}























{The Power of One, My Beat Reader, and Tristram Shandy}























{The tiny book of love poems my brother Andrew gave for Christmas one year}























{one of our engagement photos, a shell Nate brought from the Philippines, a pola from Kauai}

1+1=RAD

I'm loving:

This pretty bike via emilystyle




















This marvelous and clever bike helmet via a cup of joe.

2009 CALENDAR

This pretty letterpress calendar is on pre-order right now. Only 300 will be produced. I am considering it seriously.
Pre-order yours now. Here.

I WAS LIKE

I was like, "look Nate, we need this poster." And he was all, "eh, I'm not really into that."
























You can get one here.

MY DECO FILE

If you are like me you have dozens of folders on your C drive or your desktop labeled "inspiration" or "pretty things" and they are chock full of images that move or inspire you. But how do you access them or stay organized in any way when they are scattered EVERYWHERE?

Domino put some thought to it and just launched My Deco File. It's a one-stop-shop for storing all your images, no matter where they come from, with a simple way to organize them into whatever makes sense for you. I wanted to sample the tool and created a folder containing some of my favorite images from the Domino gallery. Check it out here.

JCREW *SIGH*

I'm basically in love with everything on the J.crew slide show right now. You wouldn't know it for the flip flops and hoodie I wore to work today; in my dreams I'd dress like this all the time. Except for the days I hike around in the mountains.

*How cute is the Praha video?