Quotation Wednesday {38th Ed.}

I love how this quote adds to the idea of how much of ourselves is unconscious. You know, the whole iceberg idea.... Well, I love how this quote reframes the unconscious portion as "invisible and untouchable." It shows the individuality of people, provides a good reminder that we don't really know people and therefore shouldn't make judgements, plus it is just so empowering! It gives you a reason to own that large portion of yourself that only you can know, only you can understand, cherish, and love!!

On the injustice of fairy tales

Rachel and I had our 4 year anniversary last Friday. 4 years! We had a wonderful dinner, filled with good food, laughter, love, and memories; both good and bad. Relationships are hard. Divorce rates are sky high, infidelity rates are likely higher, and broken homes are rampant in this society. Seriously people, relationships are hard work. Why then is this something that is not readily discussed? Why do we read our children fairy tales where the princess always gets the man and lives happily ever after? We, as a society, romanticize the high school sweetheart, turns marriage, turns old married couple on the porch. That is beautiful, but do we ever show the pain that exists in between? The disappointments, heartbreaks, and struggle? Relationships are hard work!

Don't get me wrong, they are pretty amazing as well. It is fulfilling, exciting, and rewarding to share your life with someone else, to find someone who makes you laugh, smile, and genuinely love. But. There is also the hurt, the frustration, the differences that lead to questioning what the hell you ever saw in each other, and pain....relationships can really hurt. I guess the balance is in finding someone who you can have a relationship with where the happiness makes the difficulty worthwhile. Someone who will stick it out through the hard times, and who you are willing to trudge through the pain with, in hopes that your hard work will result in finding the beautiful part again.

I don't mean to sound so depressing, I just had an anniversary for cripes sake! Plus, we are in the beautiful, comfortable, happy time now. The time where it all just feels right. I cherish that, I really do. We work hard, are constantly working to keep our relationship blooming and happy. But. As I type, I know we will come upon difficult times again. They are inevitable, a part of life, and therefore obviously a part of a relationship. It is these rough spots that make us stronger, that help us learn how to better deal with the next one, that help the good times be that much stronger and truer.

That is why I am posting. We need to talk about these difficult times. We need to share. Nobody should have to go through any pain alone. Particularly this though. Have you ever been in a relationship during a rough spot, only to have everyone around you claim the fairy tale in their own? It isn't true. Don't be fooled by the rose colored glasses. Relationships are hard people. Working through the difficult patches is nothing to be ashamed of, in fact, it is exactly how marriages are able to last decades. We need to be able to share in life's darkness as well as it's beauty.

Happy Monday {54th Ed.}

I have been absent...can you sense a new years resolution coming on?! Anyways, Happy Monday blog land!! Here is what is making me smile..

My charlie brown "tree"
I can't take credit for the idea (thank you Pinterest), but will totally take ownership of the awesome execution! Its the scrap from a tree lot, how stinkin' cute! Oh, and its perfect for my table and completely fills my need for real tree smell :)

This non-tree christmas tree

Its just so unique! Too bad my cats would have it knocked down in 10 seconds flat.

source

Sweater blanket

I love this, and if MN ever decides to have a winter, I think I will actually need it! I think (fingers crossed) I am getting a sewing machine for christmas...if so, this is the first project on my list!

source

My new owl painting

I found this guy at this awesome antique shop a few blocks from our house. It was the first time I had been in there and I am so excited about it, its just an old house with rooms and rooms filled with antique / consignment / awesomeness! Anyways, I saw this beautiful owl painting and conveniently showed to to Rachel the next day....hint hint :) Guess what I got for our anniversary (which was last Friday, 4 years!)

the picture doesn't do it justice,
but doesn't she have a beautifully stately look on her face?

Trader Joe's Mini Gingerbread Men Cookies

Warning; unless you have incredible willpower or no care for your waistline, do not get these!! Seriously, they are heavenly!

dangerous link ;)

No joking; my mouth started watering as I uploaded this picture....damn you Pavlov!

Ok, that is all for me this week. What is making you smile?

This commercial rocks!

It just makes me happy every time I see it, I hope it makes you smile as well :)

Happy Monday {53rd Ed.}

Happy happy monday everyone!!! Here is what is making me smile...

Cake batter anything
I love cake batter! Doesn't this recipe sound awesome?

recipe

This curious owl

Too cute :)

and this scruffy one!

Being the crazy pet lady every time I go to someone's house
No shame...

Dogs playing in the snow

I know, I know, you are probably sick of seeing pictures of my dogs, but they are just so cute in their ecstatic snow fury!!

That is all for me this week, what is making you smile?

Oh please tell me these 2 are actually friends!!

Did anyone else see this perfect duo on Wednesday? I saw mention of it on facebook a few hours before it aired and let me tell you, I could not wait! Two of my favorite female singers playing together....and then they sang my favorite Gaga song! Can I please please be their 3rd bff?! ;)

Oh I have such a soft spot for shameless quirk!

Quotation Wednesday {37th Ed.}

No need to explain the beauty of this quote, it's just phenomenal...

"because there's nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline, no matter how many times it's sent away" -Sarah Kay

Happy Monday {52nd Ed.}

Happy Monday Everyone! Here is what has been making me happy Thankful :)

Family
I love family dynamics during the holidays, the interconnectedness of love, frustration, fun, food, laughter, and a healthy dose of family drama is all just so amazing to me :)

Random lettering
I love this idea! Now I just need to decide what to spell out...

Reading everywhere

This picture just looks like heaven to me!

Sweatpants

Or really any clothes that make you say "Ahh..." after a long day/week of wearing something real clothes ;)

That is it for me this week...all the food put my brain into hibernate mode I think!! I hope everyone had a holiday weekend filled with things that made you smile :)

Quotation Wednesday {36th Ed.}

I don't have any profound reason why I love this one, except that the pairing of the words "passionately curious" is just so appealing to me...

Happy Monday {51st Ed.}

Happy Monday Everyone!! Here is what is making me happy this week, well besides the fact that it is a 3 day week that is :) ...

These gloves
Seriously, I NEED them!!

you can by them (ahem, for me?!) here

Big bright shoes

Aren't these super fun?

via here

This swing

Its just so whimsical... 

via here

And of course...the first snow

Big fluffy gorgeous flakes, if only it stayed so pretty (and didn't last so long!)

Have a wonderful short week everyone, what is making you smile?!

Grad school was totally worth it!!!

I have had this post in edit mode for a couple of weeks, then my friend Lisa posted something similar and I thought "Crystal, you need to get your enthusiasm out there as well!" So, here it is; my "I love my job and grad school was actually worth all the pain" post!! Enjoy :)

I just spent my Friday morning (well, 2 weeks ago...edit mode, remember) sitting in a conference room with 3 other interns, a psychologist that I totally respect for his intellect and wit, and 4 male offenders who are in on life sentences, awesome no?! It was a panel to discuss life in prison, viewpoints on the corrections system, and life in general. lt was amazing!

I spend 2 mornings every week in the best process group you could ask for. (Non psych people ~ process group = group therapy format that has no specific plan or outline, its just open to the process.) Seriously, I leave the room every single time thinking something along the lines of "wow, that was the most insightful / amazing / thought provoking / emotionally draining and yet fantastic, 2 hours of my academic career so far!"

I have found myself saying or thinking "my job seriously rocks!!" at least a dozen times in the past 2 months. Seriously, who gets to say that? I know I'm an intern who is new and fresh into a long career that will be filled with stress, work politics, and general bad days. I get that. But, it will also be full of such amazing cathartic events. I love that psychology challenges me, I love that it is literally never boring, that it requires continual lifelong learning, and that it makes me feel good about what I do. I am continually amazed by the human mind and am so stinking happy to be around other people who are also amazed by it and are as excited as I am to discuss those amazing complexities.

Seriously, I have the best career in the whole world, and Im just entering the path!!

Happy Monday {50th Ed.}

Happy Monday Everyone! This is my 50th Happy Monday post, wow! Well, here is what is making me smile...

Skype
I am not a huge fan of talking on the phone, I just think it is too easy to be distracted and not fully present for the person you are talking to. Skype is so much better! Not only can you see the person and read body language, but you are forced to be truly there and engaged with each other. I have a few regular Skype dates with friends (Hi Lynn!) and family back in Seattle and I really look forward to them!

Crazy Stupid Love

I watched this movie on Saturday and really really liked it. At first I was upset because Julianne Moore plays almost the exact same role as she did in The Kids Are Alright, and I just don't like that character. But, it got better, the story was good, and I adored both Steve Carell and Emma Stone's characters!

Has anyone seen this movie? Isn't this part the cutest scene ever? She is stinkin' adorable!

Eggnog...everything!!
I love this time of year, there is eggnog everywhere! Shakes, coffee creamer, I just made some cookies (yum!), and my favorite, Eggnog Chai Lattes!! Oh, my poor waistline :)

Fun tights
There is just so much potential...

Big loose curls

Im obsessed with trying to make my hair look exactly like this...

That is all for me this week, what is making you happy?

Happy Monday {49th Ed.}

Happy Happy Monday Everyone! Here is what is making me smile this week...

Whimsical Fairy Tale Houses
It just doesn't even look real, I love it!

source

This guy

Too cute :)

Purple Starry Shoes

I need these!!

buy them here

Rocking Bed

That's right, I said rocking, the bed rocks! Plus it is just plain gorgeous.

got a bunch of money? Then go here

Beach huts that levitate over the ocean

Look at the tub!! Plus the deck/dock is just heavenly...

What is making you smile?

Quotation Wednesday {35th Ed.}

This quote is from a great book! Have you read the Perks of Being a Wallflower? If not, go do it, now! I love this quote though. I think it is hard sometimes to hold 2 seemingly contradictory emotions or ideas. It is entirely possible to love and hate, to dream with fear, to be happy and sad, all at the same time. The trick is to learn how to accept that and live within the contradiction.

Happy Monday {48th Ed.}

Happy Happy Monday everyone, here is what is making me smile...

Baggy Cozy Fall Outfits

I love absolutely everything about these looks, they are comfy and scream fall!

see more of her cute outfits here

this one is just too perfect for words!

Bright Tattoos
I find it interesting that there seems to be 2 types of tattoo people, those who like color and those who only have black and gray. I am definitely a color type!

gorgeous, no?

loooove this one!

Banana French Toast
Really any kind of french toast, but banana...oooh, or banana nutella french toast, yeah I think I am drooling!! We had brunch at a place called the Happy Gnome (which was awesome by the way) and there is really no better meal than lazy Sunday brunch with calorific french toast and mimosas :)

source

Rusty Taco

Sounds bad, I know, but name aside, this restaurant rocks! They have really really good authentic tacos and all you can eat chips with fresh made guacamole, yum! Plus, it is right next to Trader Joe's so it is our weekly Sunday lunch stop.

What is making you smile lately? 

Oh and ps: Happy Halloween!! 

Random Simple Pleasures {13th Ed.}

Simple Pleasure #13 ~ Dog Walks at Dusk
Ok yes, I really enjoy walking the pups! In particular though, the scenic route that we have, in the fall, at dusk is just awesome!

view of the river from the park

Domino kicking up some leaves :)

another of the river

and the St Paul skyline! (ps: Im particularly proud of this pic because I had no tripod and
2 dogs tugging at me to keep walking!)