33

The Twin & I turn 33 today.  She's in TX but we will celebrate when she comes home at the end of the month.  Miss you sister xoxo

Twinning

The pics of the Twin an I from my trip to TX are finally ready!  Here are some of my favs below.  Happy Friday!

I love this bar

The Dry Bar that is... Oh I can only hope they open one near me soon.  And I am sure there are others but the peeps at the one in Houston made me a believer!  From the decor, to the champs to the awesome hair I left with it was amazing from start to finish.  I have always had stick straight hair and on the thin side.  It has really never looked this good.  Would I be nuts to drive to DC or NYC just for a blowout?

Weekend Fun ~ Houston style

I had a great long weekend with the Twin.  I left Friday and got home last night.  We did a lot of shopping and a lot of eating so I will spare you most of those pics! haha.  I finally went to the Drybar.  The one in Houston opened just in time for my visit. I will do a entire post just on that I loved it so much!

After Twin got home from her 10 mi run on Saturday morning we went to brunch at Max's Wine Dive.  The food was good - so good that I didn't notice my picture of my awesome Creme Brûlée French Toast didn't save until I was done eating.  <---fat girl!  We sat at the bar right in front of the giant ass containers of mimosas...heaven

The weather was kinda crappy (it hadn't rained in Houston in 3 months and of course there was big storm Friday and Saturday).  So we went shopping and had a nice relaxing night. She looks good in this chair at Crate and Barrel.  

 It was good to just hang in with her since we don't get to see each other all the time.  

Sunday was the biggest day of the weekend - I had my first breakfast taco but I guess this wasn't a good representation of the taco my sis loves so much.  I think she may have a bit of a problem but the place she normally goes had a 30 min wait for a $2 taco.  I said I thought we could go somewhere else. 

Oh and apparently breakfast tacos also mean breakfast beer tubs!  Whoo-hoo!

After that we walked around a bit until it was time for our appotinments at the Drybar!  I was so excited, I have read about it and seen pics of friends that have gone and couldn't wait to see what all the fuss was about.  More to come on this later in the week.  Yes, I will do a whole post on the experience there.  I was a happy girl :)

Once we had fabulous hair we went to the mall to do some shopping. We have a family wedding in a less then 2 weeks and we both need something to wear.  I got shoes and a t-shirt haha.  Not quite wedding attire but I will keep looking.  We had a photo session scheduled for 6:30 that night.  Some of the pics are for Mom and some just for us for no other reason then we wanted to!  Twin is almost on first name basis with the girl at the Bobbi Brown counter in Nordstrom so we got made up while we were there.  I don't wear a ton of makeup ever and Melanie nailed it for me.  Just enough to make my eyes stand out but not enough I didn't feel like me. 

We had our photos done in the park, Discovery Green, it was a great park.  The lady was a bit odd but hopefully she got some great shots.  We won't know until about 4 weeks.  I will let you know.  

Dinner on Sunday was at another one of the Twin's favorite Houston hotspots - Chuy's.  More Mexican!  She loves herself some Mexican and it is much better in Texas then it is in PA.  

The sun was out on Monday morning so we got our lazy butts off the couch and went to the pool so I can try and keep this tan for the wedding.  It was hot so I didn't last long.  I am not used to the Texas heat.  The state is mush closer to the Equator you know.  Plus they had added some extra chemicals to the pool because of all the rain so we weren't allowed to swim (cool off) at all.

A quick stop at Sprinkles on the way to the airport to bring home some sweet treats for the family and then it was time to say goodbye.   

 It was a great weekend and I'm glad she will be home in 2 weeks.

Houston...

I am heading to see the Twin for a long weekend!  I can't wait.  This mini vacation will be a much needed break from work.  I'm pretty sure she has a full weekend planned.  Can't wait to get there :)

This is my favorite photo of us. 

There's no place like a new home

No, I am not moving but the Twin is!  She is moving to a great loft like space in Houston.  And the best part about a new place is decorating it of course :) Even though I am miles and miles away, I will still help a sister out.  I will be going in September after she has settled in, I am sure there will be shopping during that trip.  But in the mean time - let the pinning begin!  I created a new board just for her.  Check it out {here}.

This are the pictures she posted as her inspiration on her {blog}.

Here is a hint of the colors that will be leading the pack in the new place.

Gearing Up

The Twin comes home tomorrow for 10 days!  More on her soon.  She will be staying with me and we have lots planned - Girls Night In party, Easter, B-day festivities, shopping, family photo session and more.  I still have lots to do before the party on Saturday.  I won't make the list until tomorrow because lets face it nothing is going to happen until then anyway.

I need to clean up the guest room because it currently looks like this - Yikes!  This is why I need to purge from the closet.  I don't dry any of my clothes in the dryer (well undies, tees, sweats and socks) so after it comes off the rack it seems to live on the bed for a while.  I.will.break.this.habit.

I got off easy for Easter dinner this year and will be making pasta salad.  I enjoy making desserts but so does everyone else.  Last year I made these cute nests and a basket cake.  Both found on {Pinterest}.
             

Of course choosing what to wear for a holiday is never easy.  Pictures will be taken and you just want to look good.  Here are my current options, I think I want new shoes but I know you know you need to try one with shoes.  These pics aren't great.  Sorry iphone at night and bad lighting.  Either will need some fun jewelry and better hair (at least for the start of the day)

Lot's of pics and recaps to come!

Misery Loves Company

So things haven't been so great for me lately. I am stressed about work, J and I broke up and I have just felt very alone the past few weeks.

When it comes to work, I know I am fortunate to not only have a job, but one that I enjoy.  The frustrations and the stress would come with any position.  A good friend told me this week "it's not about winning, it's about finding a solution" I am going to adopt this as my new work motto.  I have been in this position for just about 3 years and I know I still feel the need to "prove" myself.  But some fights are just not fighting and I am going to focus on the solutions and not so much as how we get there.  Hopefully with this new attitude, I won't feel the stress.

J and I broke up just before Christmas, though we are still talking.  We are in this grey area somewhere between a relationship and a friendship I guess.  It's weird and I just don't know what to make of it.  Fact is if we weren't talking, I would feel even more alone.

That brings me to the title of this post - company.  I was sent this picture of the cutest little lab mix puppy that is currently being fostered and will be up for adoption this Sunday at the SPCA.  I have wanted a pup for a long time.  This is not a rash decision.  The thing is I travel for work quite a bit.  I would need help while I am away.  My parents had to put our family dog down this summer.  We had Brooks for 13 years and he was a great dog and part of our family.  I know my dad doesn't want another dog but Lexi would be mine, they would just be helping. But they said no.  And it sucks that at 31, I can't do this on my own.  I am torn, I would love to meet this beautiful girl, but don't know that I could walk away if I did.

When you are younger, you always think you will know how your life will go.  Then when things don't go as you planned it is hard to let that go.  But I have made the decision that I will be happy.  I am done being miserable.  Let's hope I am turning a corner here...I'll keep you posted.

Apartment for sister

My twin sister recently moved to Houston.  She decided not to move her furniture from Connecticut to Texas because of the expense.  She then asked me to pick some stuff for her new place with a budget of $1,000.  Below are my choices and my first attempt at putting it together in mood board fashion.  Not too shabby for a first try - right?

{Furniture - Ikea}  {gold Love print} 

Gold dot canvas and Gold tray - DYI project inspiration found on my {Pinterest}