Hometown Hangs

Hello everyone! It been quite the crazy day! During the summer I try to visit my hometown of Stockton fairly often to hang out with my parents, and old friends. My brother Matt is getting married to the most wonderful girl, Mandi, in August so my mom, Mandi's mom, and I took a trip to Galt, CA to shop the Galt Flea Market for fun and eclectic wedding stuff. So, so fun. What a place. I really love flea markets. They are full of interesting people, interesting food, and  interesting colors. Flea markets seriously have everything, and Galt does not disappoint.

 I have made a point to be as much like June Carter-Cash and/or Dolly Parton and/or Julie Andrews (I know interesting combo) as possible and have been on a mission for an Autoharp for a while. Well, today that hunt ended. I came away from my excursion having scored an Autoharp, a Frida kahlo printed mesh tote, and a tambourine... You can never have enough tambourines.

We also ventured into downtown Stockton to check out Hubba Hubba Antiques on the Miracle Mile. My mom was looking for vintage hankies, and she hit the jackpot. I am usually on the hunt for Native-American jewelry, but came up empty handed. However, I found no shortage of crazy cute stuff. 

Words of Wednesday

Hello Folks! I hope this Wednesday is going awesome for you. I wanted to share a little bit of what the Lord is doing in my life. We heard from Sasha Ivanovic, who runs Teen Challenge Serbia, and while he did talk a little bit about his ministry he mostly gave a message that really struck me. God has been teaching me a very hard lesson this year as a teacher, but it has grown my faith so much.

Isaiah 43: 18-29 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

This was the verse our speaker spoke on. This verse just hit my heart so hard. Every year I have taught (only three, I have a lot to learn) has had such huge and very different challenges. Forget the former things, defeats of course, but sometimes the Lord calls us to forget about our victories! God is doing a new thing... It's one thing to learn from your past, but live in it and feed off of it, that can be very unhealthy. Even if the past was award winningly awesome. The Lord fills us to empty us again. This has been a year of emptying. 

I love being a teacher. It gives me purpose, motivation, and a creative outlet. Just like every year it has been filled with new and difficult challenges. The last two years, the challenges were more tangible. They were objective. Most of the time it was time and intentional organization that would fix them. This year the Lord has brought spiritual challenges. Not so objective. Not at all black-and-white.

God has been saying to me for a while,  "Forget last year. To do lists can wait. It's time to pray. It's time to read. It's time to prepare. Open your door and let students sit in the 'real talk' chair." I obeyed, and they started to come. The "real talk" chair gets a lot of use. There's no walking kids through the sinner's prayer or anything, but there is a lot of listening. 

It's like a light bulb went on. "Now it springs up, do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland" We just obey, and he brings streams of live to the lands that are dry, and to people who are thirsty. It's amazing what prayer, listening, and obedience brings.

Everything Is Worth It's Weight In Time

Hello everyone! Nate and I took a little day trip to the beach for Valentine's Day. Despite the fact that we already live in a place that happens to be very romantic, we needed a little getaway. Here are a few pics of the day. 

Here's to our 6th Valentine's Day together, and infinity more.

Every couple has their place they love to go, Santa Cruz is definitely ours. We've made a little tradition of going Santa Cruz for Presidents' Day weekend, it just happened to be the same weekend!

This guy. I really couldn't ask for a more wonderful husband. We have endured through a lot, and more is coming, I know it. Our day was filled with great food, grat weather, great shopping, and great first conversation about our future and our family and all sorts of great stuff. God is so good, and his timeline is perfect. Can't wait to see what these next few years have in store for us! See you soon :)

Walking Adventures in Napa

Hello there folks! Hope this glorious weekend treating you well. I'm still in the honeymoon phase of living in Napa, AND I'm on summer vacation, so basically every single day is Saturday for me. I often lose track of the date.  ANWAYS! Nathan and I went on a glorious walking date around downtown, and let me just say; our date was not disappointing. This is what I wore on our little trip. I found this little Free People gem at Freestyle in Roseville, and I've been waiting for the perfect moment.

There's only trees for days everywhere you walk downtown, and it makes for the best walks. Nathan and I often walk to the Oxbow Public Market. Among the other beautiful shops and resaurants in the Oxbow, I
would have to that my favorite one is Three Twins Organic Ice Cream. These pics are from my walk yesterday with friends ho came to visit.



I am a person who gets a "usual." I only ever get the same thing over and over, and I get the Chocolate Peanut Buttercup. It is by far my very favorite, but I will say, I have yet to try a flavor that I didn't like. Oh Three Twins, you genius ice cream sibblings.

Nathan and I also walked into some Vintage shops, and I found some seriously wonderful treasures. This coat was one of my finds at Wildcats Vintage on Coombs.  This shop isnt that huge, but it is packed with tons of beautiful things.

We also walked into Napa Vintage Market, Alice's Antiques. It is so great. I coudln't get over this little camera that I seen afew days ago, and I had to go back for it. I'm pretty sure it still works, I just have to find some film for it. Just look at the color. I coudn't not get it.


Haven't really ventured out into the restaurants  yet. They are a little out of our budget, but you better believe this blog will be giving you the details on how to do Napa on a budget. There's so much you can do, and it is so fun. Anwyas, hope you loved thhis wayyyy-too-long post! See you soon!

Mother of Pearl

Hello everyone!! Two posts in a row! Hope you're having a great Thrusday, I am! I Just found out that idont have to do Jury Duty! Yay! The perks of having just moved three counties away. Anyways, This is what I decided to wear today. It's blaringly obvious that I dont have any of my camera stuff unpacked otehrwise, I would not be using my sorry ol' ipad camera. C'mon Ipad, what the heck! The quality is so bad.

Anyways! I'm really not a fan of the cropped look, I can't do the bare midriff. Even wearing spaghetti straps is a little out of my wheelhouse. It's not because I'm self-consious in my own skin (not any more than anyone would be I suppose), I just dont think all it needs to be showing to look cute. I know it's just my arms and décolletage, but its the principle! 

Can I please comment on the architecture of our new place? This space is actually the entry of our Bedroom. I'm just obsessed with it right now. 

Now, I'm probably dating myself quite a bit right now, but when I was a little girl Sam&Libby wasn't a Target brand. These little bow flats were the shoes of my childhood, so when I saw this on the shelves at Target, I had to have them.

Well folks, there you go! I'm not entirely sure what today has in store for me. I've been eyeing this great vintage shop that is only steps away from my house. There is actually 3 of them all within walking distance from my front door! Oh, Napa.

A word to the wise ain't necessary

Hi Everyone!! I know it seems like cheap conversation to comment on the weather, but I have to! We Californians are not used to rain in June. At least for Sac-Joaquin Valley Californians, we're used to what's about come...104 degree weather. Anyways, you're welcome for that forecast update.

I've been saying for days now that I would post my thrifty finds, and today that word is being kept. I ventured out of my comfort zone and went to some place other than Crossroads Trading Co. or Freestyle. I live one exit down from both of those stores, so i'ts very comfy for me to shop there. Saturday, I went to Deseret Industries, a huge thrift department store run by the LDS church. I use the term departmet store very very intentionally, because it was the most beautifully organized thrift store I had ever seen. It was so clean, and color coordinated! It was awesome!

I didn't find much however, which was a bummer. But here's what I did find, and I was pretty happy with my tow. Between the pictures are my tried and true Thrifting methods. #1. Always go with your mom.

 First one was a fake one, although, I don't have nearly as good of a time when I go shopping without her. ANYWAYS! My first real tip for you, is one I actually didn't follow, and it's probably why I didn't find much.  Never go on a Saturday! If you can help it try to go during the week. Less people means more great stuff in the store. How fun is this Gingham tie-front top? It's a little Daisy-Duke...whatevs.

 Cute buttons, right?

 Next tip: Go early in the day, Kind of for the same reason you don't go on a Saturday. Mondays and Tuesdays are the best because after the busy weekend all of the new stuff gets put out. I have found great things after I get home from work, I rarely have time to go early, but when I do, I always hit the jackpot somehow. This lace top will go perfectly with a skirt I have at home. It was $2. I had to have it.

 Don't buy things that need work. Look carefully. Is there a stain? Is there a hole? Will you really actually take it to the alterations person? For me, if any of those principles apply, I hang it back up. This was a thrifting lesson my mom drove into my brain. I have broken the rule once, and that dress is still hanging in my closet waiting to be hemmed. It's so cute though! I can't bear to part with it. I'm hopeless. This wonderfully vintage bright blue lace skirt however needs no work at all! I love love love the scalloped hem.

 And last but not least, When you go thrifting, you do have to try things on, especially vintage stuff. So, don't get all cutesy and try to look hot at the thrift store. This will backfire on you. I typically wear a t-shirt dress and flip flops. In the winter I wear Jeans, T-shirt, Cardi, and slip-ons. I also highly recommend a pony-tail. If you wear a bun you will mess it up. These Vintage mushroom canisters were my real jackpot. They are metal, not ceramic, which makes them really low maintence. Unfortunately, the lids they came with smelled very very heavily of Curry, and I couldn't wash it out, so I had to throw them away, but these little guys are very happy sitting on my counter.

So, that's about it for me today. Outfit posts coming soon. I'm having lunch with my one of my dearest friends, Rachel, who I have posted about before and I'll probably be posting on that soon as well. Put sunscreen on everyone! See you soon.

I gotta have some of your attention, Give it to me!

Hello everyone! I'm just sitting...blogging from the Launder-mat! The laundry facility at our apartment is kinda sketch, so logically, I drive my clothes 10 minutes away and do my laundry there! However, as weird as this seems, the launder-mat has free wi-fi so Im actually able to get a ton done. Also, they happen to play my favorite radio station and right now Stevie Knicks is playing...so win win!

Anyways, doesn't this dress remind you of some sassy waitress? You know like the Pretenders Brass in Pocket kind? That has to be one of my favorite songs. I found it at Freestyle the other day when my parents came to town. It came between this dress, and a much more form fitting one, like a date night dress, and when I asked Nathan which one he liked more, he said this one! How precious is that? What really attracted me right away were the colors. What a cute teaching dress right? Thats pretty much all I think about right now.

 I actually did take pictures of this dress at home. I wanted to take them at the launder-mat, but there were too many people around, and people at the launder-mat are VERY talkative...in and good and bad way. I probably won't go by myself ever again. But now I can say that I did it!

 Shameless ring bragging shot. Also, you can see how extremely buff I am.

Well thats about it for me today. Someone has to start cooking dinner, and since there are only two people who live in our apartment, and Nathan is currently on his way home from work, I guess that someone will have to be me. I am so excited for this week. I kind of go back to normal life this week...kind of. I'm really stoked to go back to babysitting. I only have...2 weeks left! As excited as I am for my new job, I have to confess, I'm a little bit devastated in my heart to no longer watch the Ruscica kids. Anyways, fun times ahead for this week!! See you soon.

PS!! Look at that little guy down in the corner!! I guess I've somehow forgotten that I'm on pinterest! I have been for a few months, and I can't get enough!! You know those condesending Wonka memes? I feel like he is talking to me every time, and it hurts me feelings every time! Anyways, follow me! I'll follow you!

If I live far away from Freestyle, where do I look for vintage?

Hello everyone! TGIF right? Man, what a crazy week! Today I made the concerted decision not to get cute. I mean, I don't look like a wreck, but I certainly don't look blogworthy. BUT instead of just ignoring the blogosphere, I decided to share with you some of the Etsy shops that I just can't get enough of.

Let me first say this: When it comes to Vintage, I mostly just go to Freestyle. The store in Downtown Sacramento has  the best Vintage, and the prices are really super good. Vintage can be kinda pricy, and the downtown Freestyle the number one place to go... but what if you live really far away, and get there? No worried Vintage hunter friends! Here are some shops that I make sure I visit atleast once a week!

Brainstorm Vintage
This shop is the number 1 go to for rare vintage dooneys, and you know how I feel about a good Dooney bag. Here are few examples of what I'm talking about

Spring Fever Vintage:
The girls that run this shop are super duper cute, and so are the things in their shop. I would wear this dress every freaking day!

Little Raisin Vintage:
If you're looking for really fun and colorful vintage, look no furthder. PLUS look at these awesome shoes!



Trashy Vintage:
This little halter is anything but trashy!

Well everyone! Be sure to click on the links which are the titles of the store and take a look for yourself. Like Levar Burton on Reading Rainbow, these are all cute stores, but don't take my word for it!! See you soon!!