I found this in The Daily Mail and was incredibly touched by this little girl’s story.

When Elena was only 5 years old she was diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer. During the 9 months that she fought the cancer she hid notes, hundreds of them, throught her parents home in Wyoming. She left them in cupboards, between the pages of books, in drawers, bags … everywhere.

Elena passed away in the summer of 2007, but her parents and her little sister Gracie have been finding the notes she left for them ever since. They currently have 3 large boxes full of them. She even left love notes for her favorite dog, Sally.

Some of the notes simply say, “I love you” and some have pictures. Many of the notes are for her little sister, Gracie, one of them reads, “I love you Gracie, Go Go.”

Her parents said that they don’t ever want to find the last note and so they each carry one unopened note from Elena in their briefcases.

I couldn’t read this story all the way through without my eyes filling with tears. Maybe because my own little sister is named Elena. Maybe just because no 5 year old (or anyone) should have to die from cancer.

Her parents have compiled a book, Notes Left Behind which is available at Amazon and all of the proceeds are going to the Cure Starts Now Cancer Foundation.

You can read more about Elena and her family at Notes Left Behind

all photos credited to Keith & Brooke Desserich

Dear Future Husband (in case you’re reading this),

I just thought I should let you know in advance that I really, really hate making beds. This probably doesn’t seem like a big deal but it is to me. But I really, really love clean sheets. So, the chances are you will hear me complaining about making beds a lot. I’m sorry. I hope can forgive me in advance and that we’ll still be friends.

Also I hope you love Polaroids, because I really, really do. Oh, and macarons. I love macarons too.

Love,

Your future wife

photo credit

I wanted to show you my faves from this week’s {Pola}roid week but there are just too many. So here are a few and I’ll post some more later.

I really, really love this first one. Cupcakes + Polaroids = LOVE

Rebecca Pepperell

Tony Soko

Keksofant

Polaroid Mandy

Erin

Lilie Melo

P.J. Taylor

Instant Satisfaction

Mironabside

Okay, so maybe that was more than a few.

Didi: Stu, what are you doing?

Stu: Making chocolate pudding.

Didi: It’s four o’clock in the morning! Why on earth are you making chocolate pudding?

Stu: Because I’ve lost control of my life.

The last few days have been stressful and a little silly. But I haven’t reached the making-chocolate-pudding-at-4am stage.

TGIF!

Lately I am obsessed with any and all dance shows. I’m not going to lie – I’ve got a thing for male dancers. They all looks so manly and strong and graceful. Okay, so maybe they don’t all look manly but still. Anyway I was watching DWTS the other night and I think Derek Hough was dancing and all of sudden I realized why I was so obsessed with dancing boys. When I was little I love (and I mean loved Disney’s Sleeping Beauty… and now I realize that it was because Aurora’s prince (Prince Phillip) could dance!

Okay, I think Cinderella danced with her prince too but I’m pretty positive there was more dancing in Sleeping Beauty.

Hmm I need to find my own dancing prince.

One of the best things I’ve seen in the last few days is little Ike’s 3rd birthday party by the lovely Suann Song. Be prepared for some major cuteness.

Ike is one lucky little boy to have such a sweet, fun, and thoughtful Momma to create such a special day for him. You can read about (and see more photos) over at Real Simple. What I really want to know is how she got Ike to keep the bow tie on.

All photos from Simple Song and Real Simple

I posted this on one of my Friday posts but I thought it was worthy of a post of its own.

“July 22 1941. The girl next door is getting married. Anne Frank is leaning out of the window of her house in Amsterdam to get a good look at the bride and groom. It is the only time Anne Frank has ever been captured on film. At the time of her wedding, the bride lived on the second floor at Merwedeplein 39. The Frank family lived at number 37, also on the second floor. The Anne Frank House can offer you this film footage thanks to the cooperation of the couple.”

“Many people think that if they were only in some other place, or had some other job, they would be happy. Well, that is doubtful. So get as much happiness out of what you are doing as you can and don’t put off being happy until some future date.”
Dale Carnegie

photo credit

Liu Bolin paints himself and disappears. No fancy photography, no photoshop. Just paint.
The last photo is pretty amazing. I had a hard time seeing him.

Wow, right?

spotted on Mark Sudack’s twitterfeed