Oh, goodie…  it’s Friday again! It’s been a crazy whirlwind of a fun last few days, and I’m so grateful the weekend is almost upon us. Which leads me right in to my first segment of this week’s Friday Favorites!

Favorite stressbuster:  I love getting the ol’ ticker pumping and working up a major sweat. Yoga, running, cross training… you got it. Yes, I’m one of (hit me with your air quotes!) “those” people who counts running stairs at Old Stadium as a good time, and dare I say, social activity. Tomorrow morning you’ll find me along with several thousand other dedicated pavement-pounders on Ward Parkway at Rock the Parkway in Kansas City. This race holds a special place in my heart—this was the race that got me addicted to half marathons two years ago. This year marks our third consecutive appearance among my tribe of running peeps. It’s always a good time!

Favorite pay it forward:  I just discovered Charity Miles and am super pumped to donate to a charity while we’re running on Saturday. Any votes on who I should donate to? Majority wins!

Favorite home find: I’m having a meltdown worthy of a four-year-old over this 26-drawer chest on the Foundary. Oh em gee.  I want. (Who would like an invite? I have some to share!)

Favorite sign of spring: I planted pansies. And spinach. Digging in the dirt made my soul happy.

Favorite truth: This.    Every single day… this. Cherry on top? Doing great work for people I admire.

Happy weekend!

Jamie and Brian’s awesome wedding has been featured in not one, but TWO sweet wedding blogs lately!

See the the full posts at Savvy Deets Bridal and Time to Drink Champagne for more images and inspiration from their beautiful vintage nuptials.

psssst, Santa… they are having a sale!

Cute outfits everywhere you turn here….gah, I love love love Boden. About as much as I love Dots.

Happy weekend!

They arrive in the mailbox, pristine and protected with plastic wrap so as not to damage the contents inside. But a couple of weeks after their homecoming into my magazine rack, the corners are dog-eared with dreamy inspiration of photographs for my internal idea file. I’m not one of those who savors fashion magazines for years. I did once. They ended up in stacks of boxes, moved from basement to basement once sent to their cardboard graves and saw nary a shred of daylight between their glossy covers since.

But it’s not like that anymore. My favorite stack of monthly mags get loooooved on. Spilled a Diet Dr Pepper or two, maybe. Maybe a popcorn shell stuck in the binding. Post-it notes stuck to their pages. I love this, I want that. Gotta remember this for the next time we’re traveling. I adore the lighting on that portrait. Etc. Etc. They’re my getaway from everyday routines, a place to dream about new fashion, upcoming trends, people to watch, and new places and things I didn’t even know I loved. Between their pages lies a life I dream of. Pristine. Organized (gasp!). Engaging. Fashionable…

Happy Weekend!

A few highlights of the week…things that made me laugh, smile, and touched my heart ::

left to right, each row ::

Happy birthday to the hubs!
A lovely mum from a client (what a wonderful surprise!)

New fabric for a secret project
The praying mantis that Little Man found, took to preschool, and then decided to let go (so he could be with his family)

An outfit that I’m totally crushing over at Anthropologie
Red wine last night with my bestie
Holiday card sneak peek!

I am ready. I am so, SO ready… and it’s awesome to see the first kisses of color on the trees here. Open windows, cool breeze… bring it on.

Happy Weekend! Hold on to your hats for Monday :: Nathan and Lauren‘s wedding is coming up!

For the record, I do my best not to kill plants. But I promise you I’m no Martha Stewart when it comes to gardening. I’m pretty sure it puts me in the category of low-maintenance gardener. I like the color, the butterflies they attract, and the blooms to bring into my house, but with several weeks of scorching heat (I swear I’ll stop lamenting over it someday) I did all I could to keep the little blossoms alive and kicking. Now that it’s cooled off a bit though everything seems to be redeeming itself. And makes me look like I’ve at least tried in the process.

So, no knocking the status of my basil and its white flowery tops. I know they aren’t supposed to be there. But that’s the kind of non-Martha gardener I am. Some days, this is the best you get.

I’m kind of fascinated by bees. I assume there’s a hive somewhere nearby because I keep seeing the workers around. Several were attacking helping themselves to the basil flowers yesterday afternoon and making me feel not quite so bad that I had been lazy waiting to pluck them off. I caught this little guy in the act ::

And the first monarchs of the season are starting to make their way to these parts. If the weather holds up this weekend we might go out to the prairie to see them (it’s a beautiful migration point on their way south). Should be a spectacular sight.

Happy Weekend!