Well, hello spring!

In case it happened to slip by you unnoticed, spring is here. And thankfully, it's brought us warm weather and sunny skies too.

Springtime means some of my favorite things are blooming back into my life, some new favorites and some old. Here are a few things I'm loving this week as winter leaves us for it's sweeter, more optimistic relative.

1. Aiden's new found love for my Mac & the wonderful world of YouTube. (He'll be the next Rebecca Black, I swear!)



2. The boots have been retired and replaced by my favorites: a new pair of Sperrys. I mourned the loss of my many pairs of shoes to smoke but I rejoiced in the opportunity to pick these up today. After all, turqouise and brown plaid does not sing spring. (Besides, I've bought three pairs of shoes in three days...)

3. Chalk, bike rides, and time at the park. All in the same day. (Plus, I just love my girls - no matter the season.)

"Lets swing! Jen!! WHY are there words on the swings?! Who would write on swings with markers? I don't want to sit on the words!" (I don't love graffiti so much)

4. This camera strap is next on my list of "must haves." A few months ago, I purchased a new strap from Sassy Strap (complete with adorable ruffles). I accidently ran into it on her etsy shop today. 40% of proceeds from the sale of this strap goes to benefit Band of Parents - a group of parents who raise money for the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), an institution that treats more cases of neuroblastoma than any other hospital in the world. The strap was inspired by her little friend Morgan who was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma at the age of 5 and has been battling for two years. Keep it up, Morgan! Want to purchase your own? Click the pic.

6. Seeing my best friends who spend nine months of the year scattered geographically from New York City to Washington D.C. Blog, meet Mark. The best friend I could ask for.. except that he lives in over three hours away. (not counting DC traffic...) 

Sorry for the blurry photo but I couldn't stop laughing long enough to hold my camera still.

I love going out to eat with them all even more at cozy little places. Even if our waiter sounded like an astronaut, overused the word "confirmed", spelled his name Karl (yes, with a K) and poisoned me with wheat/soy/both. He was sweet, none the less.

7. The plethora of Immi filling my iTunes playlist and the memories of summer that come with it. 

8. Weekend get-aways with Ryan that include nothing but laying in bed and going to the mall for a Chinese food feast. Too bad I poisoned myself with the wheat coating on my oh-so-delicious Black Pepper Chicken. To be quite honest, I shouldn't have been eating food drenched in soy sauce to begin with.. but it was worth the fortune. Not worth the sore throat, though.

I also really love writing random blog posts on Sunday nights to distract myself from a two page paper and the three exams I should really be studying for. Hopefully you were enlighted a little bit but if not, you can look forward to a week full of great pictures and stories about things like dinner at the Blue Heron since my God Momma's coming to town, trying to assemble my Ikea furniture, pictures of the house in progress and whatever else this sun-shiney week may have in store. Until then, get out and soak it up. (Rain or sun, that is. Apprarently sun-shiney is only half of the forecast for central PA.)