It's May!

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Today is the beginning of May, and it is beginning (in my opinion!) in the best way possible. It is gorgeous outside! April ended with two days straight of rain showers and now the sun is out and the window are open. Let's get those May flowers blooming! May is absolutely the quintessential spring month: the temperatures are pretty consistently beautiful, there are more bunnies in the backyard, the grass has its color back, and the flowers are coming out. All I need here is the leaves to be back on all of the trees and I am in full spring mode--get on that, Mother Nature!

<3 Ashley

What do you love about May?

Easter + Finals

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Happy Monday everybody! Yes...even though it is the beginning of a very trying time I like to call Finals Week it is still a pretty solid Monday! It is absolutely gorgeous in Pittsburgh today and yesterday was Easter and the weather for that was just as fabulous. We went to the 10 AM mass and then followed up with a delicious brunch which I capped off with, of course, ice cream.

Unfortunately, after brunch my Easter was pretty much over so I did what any student on this campus is doing...studied for finals. I grabbed a blanket and sat under the Sun making my notecards for astronomy. Today I was out there again for a good two hours studying and get a good bit of color--no burn though! My roommate and I have also started packing up our room. It is a pretty heartbreaking task, honest. We have had so much fun in this room and have had many great nights hanging out with out friends. But at the same time we are pretty pumped to come back in August and move our stuff into an APARTMENT! We cannot wait to finally have a kitchen and our own rooms.

However, for now I can't be thinking those happy thoughts yet. I have to get through the stress of exams and final papers this week as well as packing away my sophomore year memories. Happy Finals Week, folks!

<3 Ashley

An Open Letter to Mother Nature

If I have to watch it snow, I might as well do it from inside Peet's :)

This entire weekend I have found something to do outside and even got a little bit of a pre-summer glow going. Here we are on Tuesday experiencing temperatures under 40 degrees and it's SNOWING. Yeah, Mother Nature, don't think I didn't notice. It was around 80 degrees on Sunday and now it's flipping snowing. I am finding it more and more difficult to cope with the inconsistency of this weather. My immune system hasn't been completely healthy since the end of March because of this constant back and forth. I really do not remember it being anywhere near this bad last year.

It is mid-April and today I took a snowflake to the eye on the way to class. Is this you punishing me for something? What did I do and how can I earn your forgiveness in the quickest way possible? If you could, please find it in your heart to end this madness and return Pittsburgh to the beauty that it experienced this weekend. It would be very much appreciated.

<3 Ashley

Is anyone else watching snow fall right now? 

April Letter

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Disclaimer: This post will include absolutely no April Fools pranks. No foolin'!

Now that we've got that out of the way...HAPPY APRIL! April has to be one of my favorite months solely because this is the month that spring weather is ushered in. Today is supposed to be a wonderful 72 degrees!! Needless to say, the sundress and cute wedges are on and ready to go.

Much of the content on the blog this month is going to have a lot to do with spring. I'm talking spring trends, spring adventures and just tons of pictures of flowers really. Just consider this "Spring Things" month!

<3 Ashley

Are you excited about April?

Happy Spring!

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I know I missed the first day of spring yesterday, but let's face it...I was too busy enjoying it! Free Rita's Italian ice anyone? However, I did receive quite the blow when I looked at my weather app and saw that next week was supposed to be in the 30s! Come on, spring! I am longing to break out the dresses and flats; I've been with out them for far too long!!

On a separate note, for the first time I filled out a NCAA Tournament bracket with a very limited knowledge of college basketball aside from what I know about my own team. Needless to say, I will not be a billionaire with a perfect bracket, and I have Ohio State to thank for that. Good looking out, guys! :P However, Pitt won their game against Colorado--bring it on, Florida!! Hail to Pitt!

Enjoy the beginning of spring and have a great weekend!
<3 Ashley

Did you celebrate the first day of spring?

Spring Forward

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Happy Monday everybody!

As I'm sure you are aware, this past weekend we set our clocks forward and lost an hour of sleep. What followed was probably the longest Sunday I have ever experienced in my life! I was up early to get coffee and breakfast with my mother. It felt like we had been sitting there talking for hours before we left to go to the store. When we came out of the store we saw that it was just past 10 AM!

However, I have big plans for the rest of this spring break! I will enjoying the fact that these next two days are going to see temperatures in the high 50s and possibly low 60s? I've heard rumors. :) I am dedicating a majority of my time this week to some spring cleaning. My room may be small but I can be quite a hoarder throughout the year. It's that time to lighten the load again. Then I have a day set aside to hang out with the few friends of mine that are home now too.

<3 Ashley

Do you have any plans to enjoy this sneak peak of spring?

A Little Hope for Spring

 

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Well, we are about a week into March and tomorrow I am heading home for spring break 2014. I hate that we have spring break so early because it never actually feels like spring...at least the kind of weather I associate spring with. I check ahead on the weather at home and it looks like it could get up into the low 50s for a few days though! In any event today it's a cool 30 degrees. But the sun is out and I had quite the vision this morning when I was sitting at my desk by the window working: birds! A few flocks of birds made rounds right past my window and one bird actually sat outside it for a few minutes. Does this mean that spring is finally making its way back to the mid-Atlantic?! Man oh man I hope so! I am bursting to bring out the spring wardrobe!

<3 Ashley

Are you seeing signs of spring where you live?

It's Official!

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Okay, so this probably doesn't warrant an entire overly excited blog post but hey! After a annoying period of bouncing around temperatures (thanks for the wardrobe games, Pittsburgh!) it looks like the 50s and 60s are here to stay. I have switched out my closet which is now brimming with sweaters and flannel pajamas are ready at a moment's notice.

On another happy note: my finals week just became a little more bearable with the discovery of a little concert coming to the Peterson Center--a building on campus. I am paying $50 to see Backstreet Boys, The Fray, Five for Fighting, Gavin Degraw, Plain White T's, and Avril Lavigne...kinda solid for $50, right?! It seems that there is happiness beyond midterms! Haha!

<3 Ashley

What are you excited about in the coming months?

Shoes to Boot

Cole Haan || Steve Madden || Guess || Soda Harkin || Zara

Still adjusting to weather in Pittsburgh; yesterday was a reminder that even though it's not forecasted you should carry an umbrella with you the whole time. The sky seriously opened up and unleashed gallons of water on our unsuspecting university. It has been nice temperature wise (the 70's are not too shabby!) but these next few are supposed to be in the 80s then BAM! back down to the 60s. I don't even know what's going on here...but I like it. My roommate and I are ready to bust out the boots for Friday. I then started my obsessive hunt for fall boots. This is kind of like an apology for skipping posting yesterday...a few shoes to look at!

<3 Ashley

Are you ready to break out the boots? What kind of boots do you like to wear?

Happy Thoughts

So yesterday was the day that Pittsburgh decided to show it’s true colors (gray) to get be back into the swing of things. I had forgotten just how erratic the weather here could be. One hour it would rain, then the sun would come out, then it would rain some more, then the skies would open up and unleash some heavy rain. I found myself caught in the rain at one point too (note to self: just start carrying umbrella all the time!)

In order to get up the hill to my dorm and anticipate going out again an hour and a half later for my next class I had to go to my happy place. You know, that place you go to whenever things aren’t going your way and you have to leave reality behind a bit. Where exactly is my happy place, you ask?

What’s up, Aruba? Doesn’t it just look nice, relaxing and sunny? And look…friendly flamingos welcoming you to the beach.

<3 Ashley

Where’s your happy place?

Some Down Time

So with snow fall from the sky, and friends who are in class longer than I am I have decided that now is a good time to slow down and think about somethings. I actually wanted to share a pleasant surprise I experienced with you! When I woke up and got dressed for class this morning I found myself feeling a little small in my skinnies. Actually, the jeans I wore to the basketball game last night also felt quite loose. Looks like my devotion to my New Year's resolution and my dedication with keeping up my Lent promise are really paying off. I feel great! 

That is also how I am justifying this down time - totally deserved! I came back from Italian, put on some yoga pants, turned up the heat, brewed some cocoa and curled up on the bed with my big blanket.  From this perspective the falling snow looks quite beautiful. 

While I am reading through my favorite blogs and sites - eventually I will move on to finishing Pride and Prejudice (almost there!) - I am also listening to an artist I was introduced to just this morning. I was reading one of my morning sites, The Everygirl, I read about this fifteen year old singer/pianist Birdy. I looked up some of her music and it is so beautiful! It really is so relaxing to listen to. I highly recommend it.

Have a great evening everybody!

<3 Ashley

How do you slow down and spend your down time?

Beating the Dreariness

One thing I have learned since I have moved here to Pittsburgh is that the sun shines like once a week. There are a lot of clouds, a lot of rain, and a lot of snow. Personally, I find that when the weather is like this I get very tired and sluggish and it takes a team of girls that won't shut up to get me out of bed. But this is no way to live, is it? Especially in a place that is famous for this kind of weather. So, I am taking the initiative to do more. Today - even though it is raining - I am going, willingly, to a basketball game. I find myself to be more of a football girl but I need to leave this dorm!

I want to do more (inexpensive - on a budget here!) around the campus and the city to keep me busy so I don't fall back in to my "do-nothing" ways.

<3 Ashley

What do you do when it's dreary outside to keep yourself happy and energetic?