from my book shelf to yours.

from a very early age my mom instilled in me an incredible love for books. although, until about third grade, i really struggled with reading. it was then, that a very wise grandma introduced me to a girl name nancy drew, from that day on, i was hooked. lucky for me, i grew up in a houseful of books, so feeding my addiction was never a problem.
anyway, some friends & i were recently talking our favorites books, & i thought i'd share. so here it is... my list of all time favorites. some are classics, some aren't. some will make you think & others are just fun to read. they probably aren't your favorites, but you might find a book or two that you like. enjoy & happy reading!

shadow castle
anne of green gables
the once and future king
rebeccathe mists of avalonkatherine

whale done! the power of positive relationships
pride and prejudiceballet shoes
fish!
dragonwyck
good to greatthe power of positive thinkingthe giving treeemmato kill a mockingbirdgone with the windlittle womenthe secretcatch 22hatchetwinninga wrinkle in timethe chronicles of narniaalexander and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day

so what are your favorite books, the ones you read over & over?

xoxo, K

image via flickr.

interview.

Today is a great day! We're at the beach as a family, the sky is blue and it's one of my all time favorite places. Kelly from just spotted is stopping by for a few days, her posts are full of great finds and ideas so make sure to give her a warm welcome, and most exciting of all (for me anyway) Stella is the cover of online magazine peekaboo picks, and they're featuring an interview with yours truly. Stop by and check it out.

this is me.

i've never been very good at describing myself, probably because i don't really like talking about myself. i can go on for hours about my kids or hubby, but it's hard for me to imagine anyone being all that interested in me. that being said, this is me in a nutshell... (although, once i start talking, i do have a tendency to get a bit chatty. so, you'll probably learn more than you ever wanted to know about me.)

i'm just a girl trying to find her place in this world. i'm extremely lucky... i married a cute boy, have two wild and crazy boys & one hyper, yet adorable dog. i spent my childhood dreaming of being a big & important business woman, and i was (at least in my eyes.) but, i've "seen the light." these days i'm living the dream... staying home, keeping house, pretending to cook, & playing mom. but, i'm definitely busier than ever! i'm trying to put my hard-earned mba to use by working from home (in the few spare minutes i find), although most of the time you'll find me practicing to be a domestic diva, & running after two little boys, which definitely keeps me on my toes. i like just about everything, but i LOVE: traveling, andes mints, aprons, law & order, shoes, purses & all things fashion-related (although most days you'll find me wearing a t-shirt and jeans), my family & a large cherry coke with lots of crushed ice (that's absolute heaven!) when i get a moment to myself i enjoy reading, exercising (running & cycling are my passions), crafting (i'm an admitted craft junkie, with ADD tendencies - so, you never know what i'll be up too), making jewelry, of course blogging.

i'm looking forward to spending some time with you & hopefully making a new friend or two along the way.

xoxo, K

daily essentials.

i'm a night owl. with two wild & crazy boys, working into the wee hours of the night is the only way i can get anything done. unfortunately, that pretty much guarantees that i'm not much of a morning person. most days i sleep until one my of little ones decide it's time to wake up. which doesn't exactly leave me a lot of time to primp & prep for the day. most days my uniform is a t-shirt, jeans, a pair of flip flops and, if i don't get a chance to wash/dry/style my hair - a hat. & although the outfit may be simple, that doesn't mean it can't be stylish, as long as you follow a few tips & tricks.

• invest in a least one good pair of jeans. it doesn't matter if you buy them at target, gap or nordstrom, just as long as they fit. so go try on a pair, or two, or even a whole pile of jeans. bring a friend, or grab a salesperson for advice - but find a pair that fits. & personally, i don't have problem spending a little extra money on the designer jeans, seeing as i practically live in them. but if you do some shopping around, (be sure to check nordstrom rack) your bound to find a good pair on sale. as for me... my current favorites are citizens of humanity. although, a "new-to me" brand, william rast, is up there too.
• no matter what any one tells you, t-shirts don't have to be boring. there are plenty of places to find cute, fun t-shirts... personlly i love target's xhilaration brand (THIS shirt is a particular favorite & at $12.99 it's a steal!), junk food clothing has some great retro-inspired shirts, or urban outfitters always has great basic & graphic tees.
• or, if you prefer plain t-shirts, two of my favorites are realitees... tight in all the right places & just the right length (i usually pick 'em up at nordstrom) & american apparel.
• the great thing about t-shirts is, it just takes a few accessories ( a cute necklace, or some big earrings, maybe a bangle or two), & immediately you have an outfit that looks great.
  
• heaven knows i love shoes, i've got a closet full of them. but, most days i end up wearing flip flops. lately, my favorites are the puma basics... they are soft & comfortable, & i can definitely go all day at disneyland in a pair. although i'm itching to pick up THESE cute "slippers" from sundance.
• somedays i don't have time to shower (gasp!), other days i'm just too incredibly lazy to blow dry my hair. so, i'm always on the look-out for cute hats to cover up with. some of my favorites i've found are from urban outfitters, roxy & free people. these days i'm lusting over several: HERE, HERE, & HERE.
• as for make-up, i'm definitely not a pro. so, i try to keep things simple & natural. my everyday favorites are: too faced lash injection (they call it lash extensions in a tube), benefit's benetint & rush hour, & smashbox's o-gloss for that perfectly customized lip color.

any tips or tricks you'd like to share? what are you're "daily essentials"?

xoxo, K

stars and straws.

I find the success of any gathering lies in the small details. Leave it to Martha to come up with the perfect addition to your 4th of July potluck.

a new favorite.

 

I've found myself in a green and orange stage of life. I go through phases. Colors make me happy for different reasons and orange and green are the current go-to colors for clothes, decorating, shoes and the list goes on. When I came across this poster it became a new favorite. The inspiration for a future nursery perhaps? Or hanging in the playroom, bathroom, I will find a place. 

popcornopolis.

Fourth of July is upon us, which is hard to believe considering the late start to summer. The Fourth happens to be one of my favorite holidays. I love the parades, festivals, fireworks and bbq's, it really is the best part of summer. 

This year I've found myself the perfect fireworks snack, or really any time snack. Popcornopolis is made using only the freshest, all natural ingredients. They guarantee their popcorn is "the hallmark of quality from the first bite, to the bottom of the tin.." and I have to say, the popcorn is pretty incredible. It tops the list of any specialty popcorn I've ever had, and I'm a huge popcorn lover. So, this year, watch the fireworks and keep your mouth happy with your own batch of popcornopolis. Available in multiple mouthwatering flavors.