Sponsor Spotlight: Dutch.British.Love

Hello! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! Mine was pretty crazy busy and I'm still recovering and hoping for a nap soon.

Today I wanted to introduce you to one of my favorite bloggers and featured sponsors for this month, Jadyn from Dutch. British. Love. Um, first of all, is she not gorgeous?! Model status right there.

She describes her blog as a lifestyle blog with an emphasis on interiors. Her decorating taste is superb! Her house is beautiful and she even has a yellow chair so she's totally legit in my book.


To get you started:

• She shares some pretty sweet recipes. I've been meaning to try out this amazing sounding mango coconut smoothie.
• I'm always swooning over her 5 lovely things and 5 lovely links roundups.
• And, of course, you must check out her adorable home tour.

Go! Now! And let her know I sent you! Happy reading!

Friday's Letters

Dear Rain, contrary to popular opinion, I actually think you're pretty neat and don't mind that it rains so much here. (Okay, I might be alright with you cutting back a little bit). Dear Maxi Skirts, suddenly I can't help but buy one of you every time I see you. This is either a problem or a very, very good thing. Either way, I love your comfortableness and hope you never go out of style. And even if you do, I'll still don you proudly. Dear Husband, I knew I married the right man when I overheard you having a conversation with another man regarding both of your opinions on past contestants of the Bachelor/Bachelorette and your enthusiasm for the next season to start. I'm glad you are both secure enough to even enter in to that conversation in the first place. Dear Foreign Friends, we sincerely apologize for introducing you to the Jersey Shore last weekend, but it had to be done. You live in America now and therefore needed to be made aware of our greatest reality television achievement. We're also sorry for making you watch that other strange show. We're pretty sure we always make you watch weird things and we understand if we never hear from you again. Wait, but actually, don't hate us, we're not actually as crazy as our television choices would indicate. We'll let you pick next time.

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Jack

For those of you who are fans of Jack (my parent's goldendoodle who frequently makes appearances on the blog), my mom has a post up about a day in his life I thought you might enjoy! Check it out here.

Things I Read

Be warned. This post is all about books. So if you don't like books, you won't like this post. But I like books so here goes it.

I'm a bookworm at heart, but the last few years have been a reading fail on my part. Too busy, too many distractions. But lately I've been forcing myself to get back into the habit of reading and man is it ever good for the soul. For me, reading can be a form of escape into another world. It can produce new knowledge of cultures, ideas or events. Reading can transport you to another place or time or inspire you to be a better a better person or to do greater things. It's powerful stuff.

I am all over the map when it comes to what I enjoy reading. It really depends on my mood.

Ever since I discovered Nancy Drew as a little girl, my rainy day go-to reads are mysteries. 

Then there are days when I want learn from what I'm reading and will choose something philosophical, sociological or historical.

Other times when I just need to zone out I'll pick up something fun, lighthearted and fictional.

And some days, when I need a pick-me-up, I'll read something inspirational.

In no particular order, these are some of my favorite books from over the years. I definitely am looking for some new books to read, so let me know if you have any suggestions in the comments!

1. Blood Done Sign My Name is a true story that took place in the early '70s and paints a riveting and unforgettable portrait of the devastating effects of racial inequality. Seriously, I couldn't put it down!

2. Crazy Love is an empowering call for lukewarm Christians to step up in awareness of the overwhelming awesomeness that is God. It's written for people who are tired of modern Christianity and feel that there is something more radical than is typically being offered in churches today. If you're a Christian, I'd definitely recommend it!

3. Okay, so The Hunger Games might be cliche but it was a pretty fantastic story.

4. I think every American should read A People's History of the United States. It's definitely not the history we learned in school.

5. Ender's Game may not be for every one. I've read it many times, but not since I was a tween. I remember it involving battles against aliens and being pretty amazing.

6. 1984 is a grim portrayal of a totalitarian future where no privacy exists. If you like The Hunger Games and its political implications, you just might enjoy it!

Happy reading!

Sponsor Spotlight: Cassie from Come What May

 I'm so excited to introduce you today to one of my featured sponsors, Cassie from Come What May! Her and her hubby are just the cutest and her blog isn't too shabby either ;). She's here today discussing her awesome girly-girlness! After reading, be sure to stop be her blog and introduce yourself! xo


Hey lovelies, I am so excited to be here on beautiful Kylee's blog! She is one of my daily reads and very favorites. I describe her blog as classy and cozy and always look forward to reading her posts! 

This is my very first guest post, so thanks so much to Kylee for hosting with me and I hope you guys will come stop by my blog!

This is Me and my husband Ben

I was getting ready one day last week and I knew what I wanted to write about! Let me preface by saying I am by no means a feminist, and actually love when my husband calls me "woman" and tells me "to make him some meat loaf" just kidding he would ask for a sandwich.  I do love being a girl though, I say girl because just like Ms. B. Spears, "I'm not a girl, not yet a woman". I still don't quite feel like a woman because I cry during old episodes of One Tree Hill and I don't really know what a mortgage is. So girl it is.

Isn't is so great to be female though!  I have these days sometimes, I call them my "legally blonde days".  You know in the first movie when Elle is getting ready for her big date where she thinks Warner is going to propose?  The song "It's a perfect day" is playing and she is primping and priming every detail to get ready.  Painting her toes ever so slowly, shaving her legs carefully, curlers in her hair, eyelashes curled.  I love that part of the movie, and some days I wake up feeling like that, whether I am prepping for a special night with husband (Ben) or just getting ready for class I love to make myself feel beautiful and take that extra time like we girls should sometimes.

Girls have so many options we can completely define our style, we can feel gorgeous in that perfect dress we found, we smell nice all of the time because of our favorite shampoo and we know when we take that extra 10 minutes curling our hair we hope to run into people we know.  And yet, all make up and glamour aside, we can get home from a work-out and look fresh and beautiful then too.  Although guys give us a hard time because of all the "time we take" I think they secretly like all the primping, plucking, applying, moisturizing, straightening and lining we do.  

So girls, wake up, put on the song "Perfect Day", dance in the shower and take some serious time on yourself to make yourself feel beautiful for no reason and know you are going to have a sexy day!

Put on that face mask that has been underneath your sink for months, completely exfoliate your entire body, do a Biore nose strip, paint your nails, put your favorite perfume in all the right places, put on your favorite bra, smack on that bright red lipstick and enjoy being a girl!

Me primping on my ultimate "Legally Blonde Day", my wedding day!

I hope that didn't make me sound shallow I just am full of girl power today or something!

Thanks again for having me Kylee!  

I hope you ladies (ladies? In between girl and woman? maybe) come visit me at my small but aspiring blog "Come What May".  Can't wait to meet you!

xo Cassie

i heart weddings.

nick+maria • england wedding from Paperback Weddings  

I die every time I watch a wedding video from Paperback Weddings. Their work is fantastic! And what a wonderful memory for the couple and their families! The one above is my favorite and I've watched it more times than I care to admit. This one is amazing too (but really, I think you need to watch all of them).

 

And now I really want to go to a wedding! Last summer was the ultimate summer of weddings for us and this year I don't think we know anyone who is getting married. Lame.

photos from the weekend

ferry rides//chillin with my man//polka dots and pink pants//foamy goodness//jack kisses and smiles//pretty skies

The Seattle weather the past two days? Divine. Hope you all had wonderful weekends and that your Monday was as gorgeous where you are as it was here!

Welcome to My Life.

This has been one crazy week! So please excuse my blog-slacking... Here's what we've been up to (we may have to dub this the week of food):

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M  O  N  D  A  Y:

Monday was errand day with stops for food along the way! First, we went to Roy Street Coffee & Tea for some breakfast and coffee. We had heard good things but never visited and we are so glad we did! Their pastry selection was divine, the coffee delish and atmosphere superb. Pretty sure that's going to be a regular for our coffee dates from now on...

After our errands we went for a walk along the water in Fremont and tried another place that we've been meaning to go to for forever, Blue C Sushi. Apparently we should have gone sooner, as even our waiter thought that it was weird we have lived here for so long and never been. We are slow to branch out and try new things, but Monday pretty much proved we need to break out from our tried and trues. We were even adventurous and went for the eel. It was totally worth the risk!

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T  U  E  S  D  A  Y:

Tuesday pretty much came down to: working, gross grapefruit, and THE HUNGER GAMES!

Worked from 8-5:30, during which I excitedly dove into what I expected to be a delicious grapefruit. Nope... Dry. Sour. Nasty. I was pissed. ANYWAY DID I MENTION THE HUNGER GAMES? Old news, I know. But I've been waiting and waiting to see it with hubster (since we read them together) and he FINALLY took me! And we were definitely not disappointed. SO glad we read the books first though. I seriously can't imagine seeing it without knowledge of the details that the book provides.

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W  E  D  N  E  S  D  A  Y:

Wednesday was all about work, work, work, and dessert! After all the work we went out to dessert and caught up with a friend who we hadn't seen in awhile. That cookie? Looks better than it tasted. 

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T  H  U  R  S  D  A  Y:

My mom came over Thursday afternoon to have a work meeting and do some Seattle shopping with me and my sister. Don't mind Wolfey's (remember Wolfey?!) photobombing. We treat ourselves right when we hang out. No messing around with the meals. Dessert and drinks? Yep, 'cause we deserve it. 

....and that pretty much sums it up! Happy Friday!

Sponsor Spotlight: Taylor from Louder Than Words

I'd like to welcome Taylor from Louder Than Words to the blog today! She is a great blog friend and one of my featured sponsors this month! This girl has some seriously amazing style. I would kill for her closet. I'm sure you'll love her as much as I do! I'll just go ahead and let her tell you a bit about herself...

Hey there!  

My name is Taylor and I am from the Louder Than Words blog.  I am so excited to be posting here today!  We all love Kylee, so this is truly an honor to be saying hello and sharing a little bit of myself with you lovely readers.  Blogging is such a fun outlet for my creative side, a great family journal and my hope is to connect with other people and share our lives and loves and weirdness together.  Louder Than Words is a blog about our little life and personal style and all things in between.  Here are a few things you may want to know about me and the husband:

Him:  handsome-all-around-amazing-person.  fast eater.  fantasy baseball addict.  cautious driver.  beer maker. words with friends champ. health-freak in disguise. obsessive chewer of Trident original. confetti cake connoisseur.  loves her. 

Her: firm believer in mascara.  a nurse who will care the crazy outta you.  doesn't wear jewelry except the rare bracelet and wedding rings.  bread and olive oil is the other true love.  uses hands way to much while speaking.  laughs at own jokes.  horrible story teller.  middle child syndrome.  loves him.

Stop by, say hello and let's be friends!  We are great friend material if I do say.

xo! Taylor

what my weekends look like...

Pretty much every weekend my sister and I take a ferry to my parents house because we work for their church/concert house. And this is the view I see. Every. Single. Weekend. Sometimes I forget how awesome that is.

I also get to hang out with this furball, who brings joy (and maybe a bit of over-energized chaos) to each weekend.  

In between the multiple events we put on each weekend, we make sure to treat ourselves to things like delicious drinks and french fries and snap plenty of pictures for the blogs. I may not get the weekends off from work, but I am lucky to work alongside family, not to mention the work itself is pretty cool.
Since lately Lance's work has prohibited him from joining me on the weekends (yes, we're sadly apart a couple of days each week...), we've been making it to church together Sunday evenings and usually end the night out with friends.

Soooo....that's what my weekends look like! Busy, but not too shabby!

Friday's Letters

Dear last weekend, you were grand and I hope this weekend is just as wonderful as you were. Dear new milk frother, I would love to froth some milk with you, but unfortunately cannot find a stupid battery to make you work. Why did you not come with instructions?! Dear gas, my heart is filled with sadness every time I fill up my tank. $60 is just uncalled for.  Dear Seattle, I would appreciate it if you made up your mind regarding the weather. Is it sun or is it rain? None of this half day one thing and half day the other nonsense. Dear husband, I love you, but I don't like to take you grocery shopping. If you're with me all our food money for the week goes to chips, ice cream, and juice. I think I'll go by myself from now on so that we will actually have some meals!

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bffs

Why did no one tell me that there was a national sibling day this week?! I may have missed the day, but sibs, you are in my heart every day. I truly do have the two best little siblings in the world! I love you both!

Yellow Chair Love.

So lately everything in our apartment has been falling apart. Curtains only half hanging on, picture frames coming off the wall and other annoying things. I haven't been bothering to fix them because I am hoping to move. Fixing them would make it seem like I'm planning on staying in the cave forever or something.

Instead, I've been dreaming of starting over and nesting somewhere new. Someplace cheerier and brighter. You know, maybe with some sunlight streaming in every now and again. These happy dreams led me to some Pinterest searches for the happiest color of them all: yellow. And lo and behold I found myself irresistibly drawn to countless photos of joyously sunny yellow chairs! All shapes, sizes and kinds of these glorious chairs just calling my name! I think I need a yellow chair in my life. Any of these will do.

 ...in fact, maybe I will take one for every room.

1. Anthropologie // 2. House Beautiful // 3. Pottery Barn via Home-Designing // 4. Anthropologie // 5. My Scandinavian Home // 6. Bright.Bazaar

Brunch

If you judged our life solely by this here blog, I suppose it looks like we live a fairly do-nothing-of-importance kind of life. Dining out, leisurely walks, beautiful scenery, knitting, and other chill things. And while we obviously do do these things, a lot of our life is quite the balancing act of all our jobs and responsibilities. It gets a little overwhelming sometimes, so we like to get out and use our free time to chill out. Balance is good right? 

That being said, our busyness usually doesn't go away on the weekends and since circumstances prevented us from being together Easter morning we decided to have an early Easter brunch out last Thursday. It was one of the first truly nice days of the spring.