Reckless Bliss: August 2012

It’s about a million degrees outside and we’ve been spending this long weekend digging a trench around our house but more on that later. In case you’re curious, the spunky kitten above is named Krumb. My mom is currently fostering him and his three equally cute siblings. He is certainly one of my favorite things but that’s wildly obvious. I haven’t done a “favorite things” post in about 9 months even though they’re one of my favorite things to write about. If you want a quick way to make you smile then keep a list of your favorite things (have I said “favorite things” enough times yet?) and randomly add to it when you think of something new. Then when you’re feeling crummy, read over the list and it will perk you up. Here goes my latest:

1. Catching an old episode of a show you loved as a kid on T.V. Ahhh, nostalgia!

2. Fashion (I bet you thought I was going to say the lovely Kate Middleton) Whether or not you can afford, pull it off, or your tastes just run to the extreme, I think most people can appreciate the beauty in a well dressed person.

3. Stories of love and redemption against the odds. Easiest way to make me cry is a real life happy ending to any life on this earth that has struggled. (P.S. This is Oogy, if you would like to hear his story click here)

4. Hand written letters. I only ever see my Mom writing these because she’s the last person on earth not to own a computer but whenever I do see it it always kind of makes me wish I sent and received more of them. It’s a nice personal touch. I’ve heard of some people sending out a hand written letter to a random address and seeing if they write back. It’s sort of a fun idea to try out, or maybe just back and forth to a friend or relative. Either way, I wish we wrote more of them.

5. The anticipation you feel before starting a book you’ve wanted to read for a long time. For me it’s like reuniting with a lover. You’ve spent so much time thinking about it and finally you can be together! Sometimes it ends badly and you’re disappointed but if you’re lucky, it’s a long lasting love affair. (The Bell Jar is on my list of books I want/need to read)

6. A piece of art that actually makes you feel something. I find it really hard to choose artwork because I’m so picky and I get bored easily so when I find something I love it’s very exciting.

7. Checking off an item on your bucket list no matter how small. It’s a great feeling!

8. Fresh flowers. We always say not to do it, it’s a waste of money, it’s not worth it, yadda yadda, but let’s be honest, (unless you're deathly allergic) everyone secretly loves getting a beautiful bouquet of flowers for any reason because it feels like a wonderful luxury. Accept the appreciation and smell those flowers at every chance!

9. Planning your fake wedding on Pinterest. I know it isn’t just me, there are more of you out there! If you would like to attend my fake wedding click here, no rsvp required.

10. Farm animals. I think it’s fairly obvious I am an animal lover by now but there’s something about farm animals that I find so beautiful and majestic when they're allowed to be. I would absolutely love to have a little farm one day just so I could spend more time around the personalities of these creatures.

11. DIY crafts that are low on time and big on WOW. Some of the DIY crafts I see are so intricate and time consuming that I’d rather just buy the real deal so it’s nice to come by a craft that is actually simple and fun. This one is a knock off from Pottery Barn and is so cool for Halloween. Check it out here.