yay! home sweet home & back to work! Photo courtesy of my desk mate : ) 

We'll call it: "leave me alone! It's not 8am yet and I haven't had my coffee."

and after coffee...

health buzz

More reasons to drink lemon water!


1. Get a burst of vitamin C each morning
2. Flush out toxins from body
3. Fiber and pectin aid in feeling full > weight loss
4. Balances pH once metabolized in the body
5. Restores natural balance of enzymes in the gut
6. Reduces internal inflammation
7. Clears skin
8. Use topically, can be used as a facial brightener


also, on the playlist as of late:

M83 - Midnight City / Reunion
Passion Pit - Take A Walk / Cry Like A Ghost
Imagine Dragons - Radioactive / It's Time / Tiptoe
Fleet Foxes - Your Protector / Blue Ridge Mountains / White Winter Hymnal / Montezuma
Benjamin Francis Leftwich - Atlas Hands

last week, in kansas...

Greetings from Texas!

yeee! my new necklace 

Source:

winter

drink envy

vanilla

coffee in bed

white

the look book

part 2

Source!

neutrals/creams/black/brown/leather/casualchic

first.

"The look book"

source!

"Today you are you, that is truer than you. No one is alive who is Youer than you."

- Dr. Seuss 

Kayla Benson photography

"pondering life"

strawberry swing

They were sitting 
They were sitting on the strawberry swing 
Every moment was so precious 

People moving all the time 
Inside a perfectly straight line 
Don't you wanna curve away? 
When it's such… 
It's such a perfect day 
It's such a perfect day 

Now the sky could be blue 
I don't mind 
Without you it's a waste of time 

Could be blue, 
Could be grey 
Without you I’m just miles away 

- Coldplay

dedicated to my sister, with love


In addition to new music finds, lately my loves are simple.
I'm trying to simplify my life, get rid of all the stuff, and just find joy in the ordinary.
De-cluttering my life is a freeing experience.
I've cleaned out my whole closet, and lately I think I'm going through a phase where I don't like color.
Neutrals have taken over my wardrobe; tans, blacks, earthy greens, creamy whites, and greys.
I'm okay with this.

GS

relax

Also, something to think about
via sf girl

Along with keeping things simple, I've simplified my beauty routine even more than before.

Some studies on the web claim that people come in contact with about 160 chemicals each day from skin care/cosmetics/cleansers. 

I have been taking the "chemical free beauty routine" challenge since 2008, and I've seen a big difference in my skin and hair. However, there is always room for improvement. Some of my so-called "natural" products still sneak synthetic preservatives and fragrances in. I had to be careful and make sure I knew what exactly went into them. The closer to nature, the better your skin will react. Lower pH, natural fragrance, sulfate-free, paraben free, preservative free products are proving to work better than conventional ones.

My beauty routine

Soap: Kiss My Face Fragrance Free Olive Oil soap (3 ingredients) 

or ZumBar's goats milk soap (when I can afford it)

Body wash: Burt's Bees Peppermint Body Wash

Shampoo: Giovanni Olive Oil and Avocado shampoo

Conditioner: Organix Tea Tree Mint Conditioner

Instead of body lotion: Use olive oil and safflower oil on damp skin 

Face moisturizer: I've been using Derma E vitamin E oil for years

Toothpaste: Nature's Gate Creme de Peppermint

Make-up: Bare Escentuals and GloMinerals

Lips: Kiss My Face "Sliced Peach" organic SPF lip balm 

Spray Hair Gel: Aloe 80 Organics, aloe vera styling spray

Deodorant: Tom's fragrance free, aluminum free deodorant

go green