Happy August!

Today marks the beginning of my favorite month of the year!

Happy August, everyone!

I love August because...

I'm like that obnoxiously peppy cheerleader in Grease.

"I just love the first day of school, don't you?"

Seriously. I like the first day of school almost as much as I like Christmas.

Back to school shopping means new clothes! And shoes. And school supplies.

The organization I volunteer for always has its summer camp in the beginning of August. I'm headed there next week!

The sun is still shining, I'm rockin' tan lines and freckles on my nose, and I can still feel that hopeful feeling that is typical of summer. This year, I'm going to make sure it extends beyond August. Senior year is just going to be a 10 month long summer.

oh and the best part of August...

My birthday!

I turn the big 2-1 tomorrow. I'm as obsessed as can be with my birthday and I am so excited to begin the celebration in 17 hours and continue on for the following 24.

(That photo is Riley the party animal on my birthday last year!)

So so much to look forward to this month!

My mom and I are going shopping and getting mani/pedis today in celebration of the 21 year anniversary of her going into labor (I certainly took my sweet time coming out!)

Hope your Augusts are off to a fabulous start!

She's a good girl, loves her mama, loves Jesus...

and America too.

I'm home! After more than 24 hours of waiting in airports, standing in long lines, and luxuriating in a 4-star Paris hotel, I survived and made it back to the States!

Regularly scheduled programming on the ol' blog from here on out.

Things I'm looking forward to now that I'm stateside:

fruits and vegetables!

my 21st birthday

Las Vegas

cuddling with Riley

exercise

Cannot wait to share all my memories! I'll be starting a new series next week so that I can share things one at a time.

JK, Paris. We're not over yet.

Remember when I said I was leaving Paris today?

Yeah, me too.

Well, the Air France pilots had other plans for me

and decided to strike.

My flight got cancelled (naturally)

so I got stuck in Paris another night.

Though I suppose maybe stuck isn't the right word

considering the fact that it's Paris.

There are far worse places to have to spend an extra night.

So for now, I'm lounging in a bathrobe, laying on my uber comfy bed, eating a Kinder Bueno (try one immediately) and trying to stay awake late so that I can sleep on the plane tomorrow.

Paris, it's okay if you don't want to see me go. I'll be back again very soon.

photo above is just a little teaser for all the fab photos i'm about to send your way :)

Goodbye.

If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.

I can't believe this month is over. I feel so different but so the same. Paris is a place that moves you. It's nearly impossible not to fall in love--with the sights, the history, the food, the people on the streets. Paris is inside me, an inextricable part of my heart and soul. Wherever I go from now on, I carry a little piece of Paris with me.

Au revoir, Paris. Until next time.

why?

why does blogger hate me?

it has taken away my ability to post photos and edit font.
how can i go on?

Spotted in Amsterdam: Leopard Print Scarves

via

I saw a lot in Amsterdam. Things I will never forget. But the one thing that stuck out were the leopard print scarves that literally almost every woman was wearing. Business suits, casual outfits, and sundresses were all topped off with a chic leopard scarf.

Am I behind the fashion times? I didn't realize how popular this was.

I want one! My mission for today is to find a cheap, cute one in Paris that I can rock for the rest of my trip.

It so perfectly pulls together a casual outfit, and could dress down a suit. I would pair one with fitted jeans, black ballet flats, and a cardigan.

What do you think of this trend? Yay or nay?

Grateful for everything.

This trip has made me truly grateful for everything.

Grateful for macarons, crepes, and paninis.

Grateful for the Metro, the Louvre, and LIDL (the French Costco).

Grateful for my friends, my body, and my mind.

But mostly it's made me grateful for my parents

who have allowed me to have this incredible experience.

The memories I've made and will continue to make are ones that I will never ever forget.

And that's more than enough.

I don't know if it's the rain or this 15 page paper,

but I'm feeling tremendously introspective today.

I love my life.

Top: Me at the Opera Garnier

Middle: Notre Dame at sunrise

Bottom: Panoramic of Paris from the top of the Arc de Triomphe