boo!

halloween week.
suuuuper fun!
i got to dress up MANY times, thanks to the dance studio! Choices for the week included: a pumpkin, a scarecrow, a nerd & husband! "Wear your costume to dance" week... ummm don't mind if i do!  fun, fun, fun! I can't believe its finally halloween and then... NOVEMBER! how did this happen?! we had a wonderful weekend with friends and will be topping it off with my favorite halloween movie, 'hocus pocus' and passing out candy to the trick-or-treaters. we have a great system in place: one for you... and one for me :) ....can't wait! what did YOU do for halloween?!
a spoon full of sugar :)
chim, chim-iney!
aaaand my favorite part of the night, comfys.
next up?... CHRISTmas music!

from years passed...

as most of you know, halloween.... i love. aside from CHRISTmas, it is my favorite holiday. who doesn't love dressing up? in the spirit of halloween being THIS weekend.. i wanted to share with you a recap of my halloween costumes from years passed..

starting with below, left: olsen twin. 2006. THIS i feel, was a pretty creative idea. don't get me wrong.. i loooove me some olsen twins, but this was during their, "dress out of a garbage bin & binge on caffeine & cigs" phase.. hence, the red bull, FAKE cigarette, & garbage bin attire :)
 the following year, 2007: below, the classic 'pebbles' from the flintstones. LOVED this costume, super comfy, handmade. I am thinking of possibly re-creating this costume for one of this years festivities! and above, 2008: CUPID<3 made from dance costumes. gah! i love dressing up!
 our 'engaged' halloween, chris and i dressed up as bo peep & a sheep... still paying for this one :) however, it's probably my favorite costume of all time!
 ... and for our first married halloween together, chris and I were lucky enough to dress up TWICE! once as a woman & me as a lady bug :) and then as Thing[one] && Thing[two] from Cat in the Hat!
Halloween! eeeeep! what are YOU going to be this year?!
Can't wait to share pictures from our Halloween 2011 festivities!

daaang.

dear NYLON magazine,
you always have the best photo spreads of your cover peeps.
like this one here with nina dobrev.
whooaaaaa dang.
thanks for always keeping it real.
--hillary
i love everything about these photos. she is so beautiful & i love how they have her styled. i am obviously a fan of her hair... long brown? win :)
the messy bun, one of my favorite & staple hairstyles.
the clothes are so mixed up. that is my favorite thing in the world! i love putting things together that don't "match" but then rockin' them like they DO!
confidence is style to me.
i pretty much plan on re-creating ALL of these outfits. done & done.

happy wednesday!

home sweet home.

i just came home from a wonderful weekend home in colorado. i was actually there to teach class, but was able to sneak in a few of my favorite stops & see some, but NOT ENOUGH of my favorite people, but grateful for the time that was given & the few peeps i was able to see! first stop? colorado springs. THIS is actually what i consider 'home' when i think of colorado. the springs is where my family lived for most of my life, it wasn't until the past 2 years that they lived in fort collins. ANOTHER gorgeous place in CO, however, not where my nostalgia really gets me :)
how wonderful it was to have elle be the first warm hug i received! thankful for her & our friendship! ...and thankful for the colors of a rocky mountain fall.
breakfast time.
the wisdom tea house.
one of my FAVORITE places ever. it is the cutest. you get to pick out your very own teacup, and find a cozy place to sit among the different rooms in the house!
 how gorgeous can you be colorado?!
the mountains are SO beautiful. God did a wonderful job :) i think He had a LOT of fun making colorado. such gorgeous views, colors, smells, air! perfection.
 HAD to have jamba while in CO. that, plus sweaty dance pics with little(rach)... perfect combo.
 enjoyed a passion[[tea]]lemonade with chris' mom at the monument starbucks where husband && i got engaged, so sweet.
 meet lucy. my mom's new little french bully. i'm obsessed with her. she is super sweet & cuddly.
 leaving colorful colorado.
 home i go. professional packer... packed EXACTLY 50lbs worth :)
home is where your husband is.
i so badly wished chris could have come with me to visit colorado. i had a great time on my own, however, having him with me completes things. he is my main squeeze, other half :) and where he is, is HOME.

sister's birthday.

my big sister had her birthday this weekend!! best part? I got to be there to spend it with her! I love her so much. all three of us girls are all so different from eachother but we do have one thing in common and that is love for eachother! lovelovelove. i'm so happy that i was able to hug my big sissy on her special day & i hope i was able to make it that much more special for her :)
happy birthday sister!
i love you.
hilla :)

Carry on bags.

Sitting at the airport today has brought this rant to mind... Where to begin? I don't understand carry on bags & I can't think of why anyone would deal with the hassle of them..? Maybe so they don't have to wait at baggage claim on the other end?

In my opinion: with carry on bags comes trouble. Carrying it through the airport weaving in and out of randos that are always looking up... And not because they are glass half full, it's usually because they're unsure of where they're going.

Then.. If youre "lucky" you get to put it in the over head bin... I don't do over head bins, and no one should lift bags over their head in a crammed public place: ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. If you aren't one of the lucky ones.. You gate check it. So now you're separated from your bag AND you get to stand in line after the flight anyway.

Did I mention yet that these convenient carry ons are limited in what they are allowed to contain? Yea, pretty much no toiletries.. Unless they are miniature, which I don't know about you, but i don't just keep on hand ((extra trip out to the store to buy things you ALREADY have)). And ONLY enough outfits for the number of days you're gone... What happens if you're not feeling what you brought? Options are a MUST for this girl. is anyone on board with me?

All of this so you don't have to wait at baggage claim for 20 minutes? No thanks, I'd rather bring my closet & bathroom, and keep my airport time simple :)

None the less, it's been a great day :) excited to get to CO! The only thing that could make it better? If husband were coming & carry on bags were banned :)

lovelovelove.

harlow turns three!

Happy Birthday Bean!
our little puppkin harlow turns 3 today! i can't believe it :) i can remember getting her like it was yesterday, but at the same time i can't remember life before her! life is funny that way. we are so happy she is our little. happy birthday harlow!! we promise to give you extra pets & kisses today to make your day extra special.
you are finally as old as you weigh!
love, mom & dad
...and a birthday shout out to harlow's sister Oakley... who is also 3 on this very special 21st day of October. we love YOU too poaks :)