#4 Thunderstorms

... accompanied by a jog

...different, different, but I'm still with ya

#3 Emily Jayne Shields

I asked Emily what she wanted me to blog about, she said world peace, and free range chickens, and saving the rain forest. But I decided that I loved Emily more. So here we go.

There are a million things I love about this kiddo. I will just list my top 5.

5. She makes the best quacamole in the world (the perfect proportions of avacado and garlic powder)

4. She and Pocahontas are like practically the same person seeing as they are both Native American, The only difference is Emily gets paid to be Native American while Pocahontas just got small pox.

3. She's basically pro at showing her love. Although some would argue that she shows it by teasing, I believe the most tender moments Emily and I have shared have been when she's jumped on me while I've been relaxing on the couch, or pushing me over Katrina's back while I was standing there innocently (probably just thinking about how much i love her) .

2. She can pull a prank with the best of them. Upside down beds. Bags strung from the ceiling. Faking my engagements on Facebook. Hiding under my bed video taping me while I clip my toenails. She's done it all. I've tried to get her back, but she's just too good.

1. She's Californian. Actually that's more of a dislike because that means she lives in a whole different time zone for pete's sake. I miss that girl.

So there you have it. Those are my favorite things about Ms. Emily Shields. There are plenty more, I just don't have the time to write a novel. :)

In other news. Have you ever had Edy's frozen yogurt? Basically it's my new favorite thing. I guarantee there will be a post about this delicacy in the near future. Stay tuned!

#2 Sometimes you just have a lovely day.

1. Grocery shopping in grocery heaven

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2. Trying to stalk one of your best friends to surprise him

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3. Getting a card that makes you laugh from your "BFF oh Life" who you miss incredibly

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4. Getting out all your old craft stuff

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5. "accidently" running into/finding your best friend (see number 2) at target and running to meet each other

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6. spending the rest of the night laughing and jamming to music

=

What a good day!

#1 The Midwest, or Home, or a Bed That Feels Like Butter.

This morning my parents and I climbed into a car in Ohio and began our drive back to my home in Minnesota. There is something so wonderful about a car ride on drizzly day in the Midwest. I enjoyed my stay in the desert (unfortunately not dessert) that is known as the west, but it's good old “Up North” that really has my heart. I was raised in the humid, lush, green fields of the midwest. ( I was attempting to be poetic just then, My mother didn't actually raise me in a corn field, sorry to disappoint.) I love everything here. The trees, the lakes, the green. I love that the people drive, eat, talk, smile, live as if they want desperately to be your friend. It drizzled all weekend. Have I mentioned that I love rain? This morning I woke up to the rain drizzling on the pond next to my Brother and Sister-in-law's apartment. It was perfect.
Anyway, on the way home my mom and I listened to Elton John while my dad sat in the back and slept with a pillow on top of his face. Doesn't he know that the pillow is supposed to go under his face? (just kidding daddy-o)

Anyways, I guess I'll get to the point. I'm very excited to be back in the Midwest, in my house, with my mom's garden where the flowers smell too sweet to describe, where the kitchen is always stocked, and the beds are soft as butter.

101 Loves...

"Love is meant to be an adventure!!"

— Gordon B. Hinckley

Dear reader,

Every spring it comes. This habit I have. It goes a little like this: I think of something fun that I want to do and I say "I will just have to wait til summer and then I can do (insert fun thing) all I want." This habit has included various plans for simple things. "This summer I will read this or that, go here, run there, buy this, do that, and/or eat those." This spring was a little different. I created this blog with good intentions... and then I let it sit, thinking, this summer I'll blog a ton.

I think it's time I follow through with something, don't you?

So today my mind started wandering, and I began to think about all the things I wanted to put in this blog, and I thought why not 101 posts. Why not? Have I ever told you that I'm really good at starting projects and really bad at finishing them? 101 is a big number. 101 is a big project.

But there's this part of me that is dying to do it. Why not fill this weak little blog with 101 posts about the things I love. That was its purpose after all.

So here it goes. 101 posts. 1 little blog filled with thanks, gratitude, people, places, food, friends, adventures, and ice cream. 1 little summer filled with Love Notes.

**** I know I don't have any followers yet, seeing as I was too embarrassed to make this blog public since it was so lame (I haven't even told my mother it exists yet, and I'm told she's my biggest fan.) But if you would like to join me in my "summer lovin" feel free to leave comments with your own little love notes, or what ever you wish. I'd love to hear from anyone and everyone!!

Oh the places you'll go...

I knew college would be an adventure. I remember sitting in my room the night before I threw myself into the whirlwind known as college. My stuff was all packed, my pictures off the wall. I was flooded with feelings of nostalgia.

Now I'm sitting in my empty dorm, taking a break from all the goodbyes, and I'm filled with a new feeling. Pure gratitude...

For the things I have learned about myself and the world. For the things I have learned about God and life. And most of all for the wonderful people I've met and loved. And my goodness it's only been one year.... I still have mountains of things to learn.

No one warned me how much my life could change in one year. What a tricky thing to do!