kind of awesome

photos: Sudio Ve

and boy are we tired

Highlights include:

Three nights at Temple Square
Going to the Christmas Devotional with Chelsea
Meeting baby Sadie, baby Gianni, baby Bode, and baby Rose
Seeing Chelsea, Megan and Billie and everyone else!
Going to the temple with Alyson
Harlow being the BEST little traveler ever

ps – people are SO nice when you have a cute little doggie with you. Even the TSA were dying over Harlow. I am never not traveling with her again.

{photo of Harlow and Bruce (aka super stud)}

This post is late… but not because I’m not thankful.

I’m thankful for big things: for a Heavenly Father who loves me everyday, for the freedoms I enjoy a citizen of the United States, for good friends and my family, for a car that is paid off and runs, for my health, for a steady income, for the opportunities I’ve had to travel and for my faith.

And for the little things: for hot showers, contact lenses, flat irons, cell phones and cameras. For the fun people I’ve met through twitter and blogs (like Naomi, Rachel, Nicole, Helene… who are all amazingly talented. And the ones I’ll meet soon). For big down comforters and fluffy pillows and warm socks. For fresh pomegranates and figs and pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.

I am so thankful!

photo belongs to alicia bock

Have you seen Rue Magazine’s Issue #2?
Gorgeous.

A few weeks ago my best 5 yr old friend, Camryn, said, “Vanessa why don’t you wear colors?” When I ask what she meant she said that I always wear black and brown.

Haha… busted!

I like black. It’s easy and I think it looks good. Coco Chanel loved black so it can’t be that bad.

And I’m a big fan of charcoal grey.

But brown… I have a deep love for brown. I swear my heart does a little pitter patter when I see a certain shade of brown. It sort of a bloomed chocolate kind of color. Like this Chloé bag I got awhile ago. If you don’t know what bloomed chocolate is then you clearly didn’t spend many of your younger years working at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.

But Camryn is right. I’d been thinking it for awhile now. I. need. more. color.

My new favorite color (okay 2nd favorite, I still love brown) is yellow. That’s right, yellow. Well more of a mustard yellow. I know that’s a pretty big leap from all brown/black but I’m obsessed. And I’m not stopping there… red, blue, green, pink… !! And I might be throwing a print or two in the mix.

I don’t anticipate doing any outfit posts soon… while because it is a big deal to me, it’s kinda silly. And because I lack the courage. But I’ll tell you…

I snagged these Seychelles heels on sale at Nordstroms.

And this cardigan from Target.

A cute, girly top.

Green sunglasses! (baby steps here people)

A striped skirt… which I’m still working up the confidence to wear.

And a bright colored v neck or two.

Another pretty cardi.

A fun red coat … as soon as it goes on sale.

Not to mention a fun red lipstick

and all the colored tights you could want.

And here are some of my favorite bloggers who aren’t afraid to wear color (and look gorgeous doing it):

Erin of Design for Mankind

Naomi of the Rockstar Diaries

Stacey of Love & Photographs

Jessica of What I Wore

photo credit: Jen Gotch

I’ve been trying to get my Christmas shopping done but I’ve got a case of the “wants”…

These gold glittery Toms shoes.

Jen’s Polaroid calendar is stunning.

This leather pouch from Forest Bound. (I love everything in their shop!)

Colored tights heaven.

Nichole’s Paris poster calendar is going on my wall for sure.

You can’t have enough of Naomi’s pretty headbands.

This picture frame is beautiful.

Love this military tote.

Now that I have that out of my system I can get back to Christmas shopping.

photo: polaroid from my trip to Paris

i saw these prints somewhere over a year ago i was never able to find where they were from. but today i found them in Kari Herer’s shop. you know how i love magnolias. i definitely need these prints.

Dear pumpkin chocolate chip cookies,
You are just too delicious.

Dear Grandma,
I love that you refer to Pretty Woman as “that hooker movie you like so much.”

Dear Netflix,
Thanks for putting The Office on instant view. I haven’t gotten anything done in several hours.

Dear crazy girl at work,
No. No you are not allowed to hit people with your bible.

Dear iPhone,
If you could stay charged for more than 20 minutes I will be your best friend.

Dear California,
It’s November. This 90 degree weather is interfering with my scarf wearing plans.

Dear Harlow,
Thanks for being my dog. And thanks for letting me dress you up like a piggy for Halloween.

Love, me

photo credit: Jaime Monfort

Uncle Beefy posted some of his favorite Polly Wreford photos and it reminded me of some of my favorites I posted awhile ago. So here they are again with a few added.

More of Polly’s lovely photos can be found here.