Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! My day consists of a family hike, lots of board games and backgammon, a couple hours in the kitchen, and too much eating. I have so much to be thankful for this year it is hard to know where to begin. I hope everyone feels a similar sentiment this Thanksgiving.

I'm also stirring up this Glitter Guide recommended pumpkin pie sparkling sgroppino cocktail. It sure sounds yummy!

Have a beautiful family-filled holiday!

http://www.pinterest.com/jilliana5590/thanksgiving/

Rebirth In Fall + Sales + Hightlights

Finally! After temperatures in the 80s this week, LA is getting some cool fall weather. It's about time. I hope everyone is enjoying this fall Friday. Happy Weekend!

I get the shopping bug like crazy this time of year. Thus, I tend to have a difficult time waiting for all the Black Friday sales. Lucky for me (and you!) more and more stores are having short sales leading up to the madness of Black Friday. A couple sales to scope out this weekend:

• Extra 30% off sale at Madewell with code MOREPLEASE

• Nordstrom half-yearly sale for women & kids

• 30%-40% off at Gap with code GAPMORE

• Extra 40% off sale at J.Crew with code STYLETIME

• 25% off Kate Spade (today & tomorrow only!) with code HOLWD13

• 20% off dresses at Anthropologie

See below for some highlights from the week (I really enjoyed #2)...

1. Cures for those of you suffering from a quarter-life crisis. Via BuzzFeed.

2. LOVED this article on labeling women as "crazy." Via Huffington Post.

3. What your food cravings really mean. Via Refinery 29.

4. 28 signs you've found a BFFL. Via Thought Catalog.

5. The craziest first date ever - 3 weeks worldwide! Via Salon.

6. 10 Thanksgiving Cocktails. Via Williams-Sonoma Blog.

7. The difference between dating a boy vs. a man. Via Just My Type.

8. Having a swoon-fest over all the infinity scarves at Intermix after doing a little window shopping. Via Intermix.

http://mango-watermelon-love.tumblr.com/

Love + Highlights

It's Friday. I'm heading to Alabama today to visit my brother in college. My, am I happy to be seeing my family. I have two mantras today - 1. God's timing is perfect 2. See below...

See further below for highlights from the week.

1. Jewelry Designer I discovered & am OBSESSED with. Via Holst + Lee.

2. My best friend on Makeup.com here & here. Via Makeup.com.

3. A comical take on Whole Foods. Via the Huffington Post.

4. Recently released list of the 100 best restaurants in LA. Via the LA Times.

5. Sandra Bullock on the cover of Vogue. Via Vogue.

http://bippityboppityboo.tumblr.com/

Life, Love, & Passing On

Last week, I lost my grandma to Heaven. I believe the week brought about a lot of mixed emotions in me as well as the other members of my family. I was inspired to write a few words on the matter after reading Emily Schuman's (of Cupcakes & Cashmere) recent post on the same subject.

My grandmother's passing was not unexpected but it still came as a shock. We had a very special and close relationship that consisted of lots of play, games, trips, and "special days" together when I was young and lots and lots of conversations as I grew older and as she became less well. I learned a wealth of knowledge from my grandma about both what to do and what not to do. She set an example for me in both lights, although she probably did not realize this. Regardless, she was a truly amazing grandma who thought her grandchildren were the most talented, smart, and perfect people in the world.

I am grateful for her passing because I know she is in the one perfect place in the world and is exactly where she wants to be - with my grandpa and The Lord. I find joy in this faith of mine. I am also grateful because her funeral gave my family an excuse to all get together in the same place. I loved having time to spend with my uncles, aunts, and cousins. So, in that way, I also found joy in her passing.

I will take many things with me - lessons learned and memories made - that I got from my relationship with my grandma into my future. One of the most important things my experiences from this past week reminded me of is to always make the effort when it comes to family. You only have one family and you can learn from them in more ways than one - about your past and where you come from, how to be a family and how not to be a family, how to love and demonstrate grace, how to forgive and accept forgiveness, and what to do and what not to do, to name a few.

My grandma knows I love her and I love the relationship we had. I will miss her but I know our conversations will not end.

http://bippityboppityboo.tumblr.com/

Family Ties

Hello loves, I'm sorry I've been MIA the past few days. I'm afraid to say that I won't be back until next week. I'm heading to the peach state to be with family. Have a great week and tell your family you love them!

http://pinterest.com/jilliana5590/quotes/

Weekend Motto

My motto for the weekend! What's yours? Cheers to Friday! XO

http://pinterest.com/jilliana5590/quotes/

True Friends

As a new week starts today, I'm only thinking of how truly lucky I am to have such wonderful friends in my life. Thank goodness I got to see some faraway friends this past weekend and get to see some more next weekend! Xo

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Happy Hump Day

Up and over the hump we go!

http://shopplanetblue.blogspot.com/, http://www.latartinegourmande.com/

Feeling Merry & Bright

Today:

I'm doing a little more Christmas shopping...

Baking and decorating Christmas cookies...

Drinking hot coco and hot toddies...

Dancing under mistletoe...

 Opening a few early presents under the Christmas tree (shhhhh!)...

And iceskating at the W...

How are you getting in the holiday spirit!? XO

http://cupcakesandcashmere.com/, http://prettystuff.tumblr.com/, http://pinterest.com/, http://inspired-design.tumblr.com/

Rush To The Finish Line

With Friday just around the corner and one more full week until everyone gets a break for the holidays, it can be easy to wish the days away. Although I'm eager for this upcoming weekend of continued holiday festivities, I'm trying to enjoy all the moments leading up to it (work moments and all). Good luck finishing up this week loves! I'm confident that every day leading up to Christmas will fly by! Xo

http://pinterest.com/jilliana5590/

Good Day

Happy Sunday! Today I'm enjoying the last hours of Thanksgiving weekend with a morning workout and a trip to the Phoenix Art Museum to see the Fashion of the 1920s exhibition before I head back to Los Angeles. What is on your agenda today?

http://prettystuff.tumblr.com/, http://mango-watermelon-love.tumblr.com/

Hello Pumpkin!

Well friends, I hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving full of family, friends, and food! While I've had a smashing good time this fall watching leaves change, wearing orange, and baking pumpkin goodies, I'm already changing gears and jumping head first into Christmas season!

Until next autumn, pumpkins! I'm off to do a little Christmas shopping...

http://mango-watermelon-love.tumblr.com/, http://bippityboppityboo.tumblr.com/, http://pinterest.com/

Oh! Darling

My current feelings as I start the day in Del Mar with my special someone:

http://marleyandme.tumblr.com/

It's Friday!

Couldn't be more excited!

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Not So Long Distance

It is such a blessing to not be in a long distance relationship anymore. While they say that distance makes the heart grow fonder, I sure do appreciate living in the same city as my beau. However, we have barely seen each other lately because of our work schedules so I am feeling that all too familiar sensation of longing.

http://modernhepburn.tumblr.com/

Let's Party

Going out with the girls tonight!

http://theamericanlegacy.tumblr.com/

You May Say I'm A Dreamer

As you know, I recently graduated from college. I was overwhelmed with joy because I had an incredible four years in Boulder and I made out-of-this-world lifelong friends. Now, in the hands of "real life" I, like many of my peers, am adapting to and embracing all the new challenges and aspects of living. It is easy to know what you want to do, become, or make of yourself but it is much more difficult to get your foot in the door and make it happen. That is why I love this quote right now. I think it rings true for all recent college graduates and everyone else who needs to reminder a keep on truckin'.

Check out my recent post about two kick-ass ladies who made their dreams a reality.

Happy dream big Tuesday!

http://www.withlovefromkat.com/

Me, Myself, & I

As I jump into a new week I am focusing on myself. Family and friends will always be by your side but the person who will never leave you is yourself. It is important to not neglect your character or your personality. After all, it is a huge component of what makes you you.

There are always things about myself that I am proud of but there are also always aspects of myself that I can work on. That is how it should be for no one is perfect. This week I am dedicating myself to listening and not just hearing. The problem of being distracted and letting something go in one ear and out the other plagues us all at times and I never want it to become engrained in my character.

Here's to listening to (not hearing) yourself and everyone around you. Happy motivated Monday!

P.S. follow me on Pinterest to see more of my favorite quotes! 

http://pinterest.com/jilliana5590/

Reunited

Reunited (for good) and it feels wonderfully amazing!

http://-wwhiskers.tumblr.com/, http://theamericanlegacy.tumblr.com/, http://classy-in-the-city.tumblr.com/page/6

On The Horizon

I'm looking forward to Beach House's new album Bloom to be released next week. It is the followup to their 2010 album Teen Dream which gave us the beautiful melodies "10 Mile Stereo" and "Real Love." Judging from the first single "Myth" it is sure to be an album not to miss.

This is what the female half, Victoria Legrand, thinks about the new album:

"Bloom is a journey. For me, it is about the irreplaceable power of imagination as it relates to the intense experience of living. A bloom is only temporary... a fleeting vision of life in all its intensity and color, beautiful even if only for a moment."

http://blog.freepeople.com/