Weekend Collage

my weekend by vanessanelson featuring circle tops

I had a great week and weekend.  I got to celebrate my birthday (pictures to come) and received some amazing gifts through out the week thanks to my wonderful friends and family!
On Saturday we drove up to SLC for my birthday dinner at my favorite restaurant in the entire world Buca Di Beppo.  So good...I'm still dreaming about it.
We spent the night in Tooele so we could be up there on Sunday for my cousin Meagan's talk in church.  She was amazing and wonderful.  I also ordered the first season of the show Ghostwriter which was one of my very favorites as a kid.  It's still just as good as I remember it.  Anyone else watch that show ever?  Did anyone else also have a raging crush on Alex? These are questions I need answers to.  I am also currently obsessed with Kelly Clarkson's new album....so amazing!

I hope you all have/had an amazing Halloween!!!
xoxo

Friday Letters

Dear Halloween,
We've had our ups and downs.  Mostly downs because you steal all my birthday thunder.  I thought I was over it but then I was writing this and remembered it all over again.
Kindly disregard this letter.
Vanessa

Dear Original Flavor Oatmeal,
You are like the last girl left in the bar....all the other good ones are taken so....I guess we'll pick you.
It's not personal.
Vanessa

Dear Ghostwriter,
You are the best show.  I will be spending the weekend watching Season 1 over and over trying to recapture my childhood....no I don't need a therapist.
Always,
Vanessa

Dear Fore Fathers,
We ALL could have had British accents if you hadn't of thrown all that tea in the water.
Thanks a lot.
Vanessa

Dear 11:11,
You owe me 7 unicorns, a Hogwarts acceptance letter, a hundred kisses from that boy I still have a crush on,  and independent wealth.  Thanks in advance.
Love,
Vanessa

Dear Dad,
I told you not to play against me in Words With Friends....
Sorry.
Vanessa

Dear readers,
Have a wonderful and SAFE Halloween weekend!!!
xoxo,
Vanessa

Thursday Ten

I would wear this every day

Florence + The Machine: Shake It Out (my theme song at the moment)

love!

mini pumpkin pies? how adorable!

I need these...

Cory Monteith...let me love you

After you complete it...put it in the bucket!

Beautiful

It's funny because it's true...

What are some of your favorites?

xoxo

25 years...a birthday playlist

So since it is my birthday I decided to do a different kind of playlist today....
I'm going to share my favorite song from each year of my life...so here we go!

1986 - Madonna: Papa Don't Preach
1987 - Michael Jackson - Bad (my first sentence was..."who's bad?")
1988 - Guns N Roses : Sweet Child O Mine
1989 - Paula Abdul - Straight Up
1990 - Aerosmith: Janie's Got A Gun
*From 1991- present I will be listing my actual favorite songs...since before then I was really too young to have an actual favorite song...
1991 - Bette Midler: From A Distance 
1992 - Billy Ray Cyrus: Achy Breaky Heart (yes I know...I actually loved this song)
1993 - Spin Doctors: Two Princes
1994 - Ace of Base: Don't Turn Around
1995 - TLC: Waterfalls
1996 - Alanis Morisette: Ironic
1997 - Jewel: You Were Meant For Me
1998 - Celine Dion: My Heart Will Go On (Titanic....ah the memories)
1999 - Britney Spears: Baby One More Time
2000- 'Nsync: It's Gonna Be Me
2001 - Lifehouse: Hanging By A Moment
2002 - Eminem: Lose Yourself
2003 - Justin Timberlake: Cry Me a River
2004 - Maroon 5: This Love
2005 - Howie Day: Collide
2006 - The Fray: How To Save a Life
2007 - Amy Winehouse: Rehab
2008 - T.I.: Whatever You Like
2009 - Taylor Swift: Love Story
2010 - Florence + The Machine: Cosmic Love
2011 (so far) - Adele: Someone Like You

Crazy to believe I'm 25.  Do yourself a favor and go through and find all your favorite songs from your lifetime.  There are some that I had kind of forgotten about.  Funny how our taste in music changes.

Have a fabulous day!  Eat a piece of cake in my honor!
xoxo

Weekend Collage

my weekend by vanessanelson featuring cashmere socks

Was feeling under the weather this weekend and had an awful couple of days at work (lot's of drama, lot's of tears) so I spent most of my time vegging out and watching great movies and TV (anyone else watch the show Samantha Who? It was completely brilliant and funny...discovered the whole series on Instant Netflix...what a gem)
Here's looking forward to a much better week (it's my birthday tomorrow!) with more laughter (because it's my birthday!) and less tears (I'm having a birthday!)

Hope y'all had a great week!
xoxo

Friday Letters

Dear Cold/Flu bug,
You're the worst.
Vanessa

Dear Starbucks baristas,
I'm not sure when you think I'll be drinking my beverage...but I can promise you it won't be at 6:00 in the evening when it finally cools off.  Can we do something about this?  My tongue hurts.
Thanks,
Vanessa

Dear Pretzeltime,
Thanks for reminding me what regret tastes like.
Sincerely,
Vanessa

Dear light switches located directly next to the garbage disposal switch,
This was never a good idea.  I always have to cautiously flick one of you on and it's never the right one.  And I end up terrifying myself.  Let's not do this anymore.
From,
Vanessa

Dear Miley Cyrus,
It's pretty presumptuous to think that the U.S.A invited you to the party now isn't it?
Try again,
Vanessa

Dear Italy/Greece,
Thank you for returning my parents back to us safely.
Love,
Vanessa

Dear C.P.S.
Thanks for not taking away my siblings while I was watching them.  I know it was touch and go there for a bit.
You rock,
Vanessa

Dear Birthday,
Please be nice to me.  I'm a little nervous about turning 25....
At least it's my golden one!
Love,
Vanessa

Dear readers,
Have a lovely weekend!!!
xoxo,
Vanessa

Thursday Ten

Love the jacket

I can't handle how adorable this is.  My future babies will all be Holly Golightlys.

How amazing does this look?

Ah so gorgeous

Ah Paris

So so adorable

OPI - I Brake For Manicures - wearing right now...LOVE

Pretty much sums up my life

Pumpkin Pie Milkshake....minus the Bourbon

We've discussed this already....but I really do watch Anne of Green Gables probably once a week.

What are some of your favorites?

xoxo

• Keith Urban - Long Hot Summer
• Cake - Sheep Go To Heaven
• Needtobreathe - White Fences
• John & Jehn - Ghosts
• Lucky Soul - My Brittle Heart
• Ingrid Michaelson - A Bird's Song
• Alannah Myles - Black Velvet
• Matt White - Falling In Love (With My Best Friend)
• Landon Pigg - The Way It Ends
• Lindsey Ray - You Make Me Happy
• Beth Thornley - Wash U Clean
• Florence + The Machine - Shake It Out
• The Kooks - Rosie

Happy Birthday Seester!

Happy Happy GOLDEN Birthday to my Seester
Mackenzie
who turned 17 today!!!

Love you Kenz!

Weekend Collage

my weekend by vanessanelson featuring old navy coats

Friday Letters

Dear people in the Febreeze commercials,
What was going through your mind when someone stopped you on the street, blindfolded you, and told you to breathe deeply?  What part of that doesn't spell rape?
Just curious,
Vanessa

Dear 19 year old girl I did a consultation on who is MARRYING a 70 year old,
First of all...I volunteer to love you even though your daddy (or grandaddy?) didn't.  Second...please stop.  Third, while I do appreciate the romance of meeting in a long term care facility you were working at...please stop.  Hold on I had to go vomit in my mouth a little...because NOTHING is worth having to wake up to that..so please just STOP STOP STOP.
Your make up looked awesome though,
Vanessa

Dear Dora the Explorer,
You are a bilingual 5 year old but you can't see the orange tree?  But....it's right there.  Maybe instead of running around with a monkey wearing boots....you should go to the eye doctor.
Also stop shouting at me,
Vanessa

Dear people with dogs,
Just because I'm also out walking my dog, does not mean I want to stop and have a 10 minute conversation on the side of the road with you about dogs.  I would just like to take my severely anti-social dog home before he has a panic attack.
And no....our dogs are not "friends"
Sincerely,
Vanessa

Dear work,
No.  I would not like to come into work while I'm on vacation.  Did you really just call to ask me that?  Look at your life.  Look at your choices.
Vanessa

Dear readers,
Have an amazing weekend!  And thank you thank you thank you for reading :)
xoxo,
Vanessa

*note: I edited the check box titles at the end of each blog post.  Now you can either "like" it or let me know I "ain't no randy jackson" which is a phrase I picked up after watching Late Night Hashtags on Jimmy Fallon....

Which I think is amazing and hysterical.

Thursday Ten

I thought I would share 10 things that are my current favorites...

love the vintage look

Clinique Chubby Stick

I love Fall clothes so much

Unique and gorgeous

Beautiful

OPI - Rally Pretty Pink the prettiest color

When I die....bury me in these shoes

Sometimes the best inspiration comes from nature

Pumpkin Crunch Cake - Delish!  Find the recipe here 

This is amazing.

It's almost Friday!  Make it a good one.
xoxo