8 Things Every Happy Woman Should Have

1. A go-to drink

Old Fashioned – with High West Whiskey (Rendezvous Rye)

2. A go-to Karaoke song

 Bon Jovi “Livin’ On A Prayer”

3. A uniform

Skinny jeans, white v-neck tee, leather jacket, pointy pumps, and gold jewelry.

4. A hair stylist they love

Fortuntely, I have two… Jessie Jennings and Sarah Richardson. Both of these girls are absolutely amazing, do a wonderful job, and always make me feel sexy and beautiful!

5. An exercise routine

I start my workout with 100 crunches, 5 sets of 8 bicep curls, triceps, & shoulder press, 5 sets of 10 kettle bell swing/squats and then 30-45 minutes of cardio (whether that be running, spinning, or the elliptical).

6. A hobby

Hard to narrow down to just one, so… skiing, cooking, playing the piano, and hearing live music.

7. A best friend

I have many best girlfriends… one in particular who has been through thick and thin with me, and my oldest and dearest, Ellie.

8. A healthy sense of self

It’s a work in progress… But surrounding myself with positive people and loved ones, doing things that make me happy, being in a healthy and active environment, and being nice to others regardless of their character and myself are the main things I focus on.

After seeing this post on other blog sites, I wanted to share with you my “eight things every happy woman should have”. I don’t like to think you can contain happiness to a specific number, however I enjoyed brainstorming about the different types of happiness and what/who makes me smile.

30 before 30.

Watching my friends turn 30 and my big day not too far behind, it had me thinking about my life… am I happy with where I am personally and professionally? What do I want to accomplish before then? Are there things I should do and know?

I came across this list and I think it’s pretty accurate.

By 30, you should have…

1. One old boyfriend you can imagine going back to and one who reminds you of how far you’ve come.

2. A decent piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in your family.

3. Something perfect to wear if the employer or man of your dreams wants to see you in an hour.

4. A purse, a suitcase, and an umbrella you’re not ashamed to be seen carrying.

5. A youth you’re content to move beyond.

6. A past juicy enough that you’re looking forward to retelling it in your old age.

7. The realization that you are actually going to have an old age—and some money set aside to help fund it.

8. An email address, a voice mailbox, and a bank account—all of which nobody has access to but you. 

9. A résumé that is not even the slightest bit padded. 

10. One friend who always makes you laugh and one who lets you cry. 

11. A set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra. 

12. Something ridiculously expensive that you bought for yourself, just because you deserve it. 

13. The belief that you deserve it. 

14. A skin-care regimen, an exercise routine, and a plan for dealing with those few facets of life that don’t get better after 30. 

15. A solid start on a satisfying career, a satisfying relationship, and all those other facets of life that do get better.


By 30, you should know…

1. How to fall in love without losing yourself.

2. How you feel about having kids.

3. How to quit a job, break up with a man, and confront a friend with-out ruining the friendship.

4. When to try harder and when to walk away.

5. How to kiss in a way that communicates perfectly what you would and wouldn’t like to happen next.

6. The names of the secretary of state, your great-grandmothers, and the best tailor in town.

7. How to live alone, even if you don’t like to.

8. Where to go—be it your best friend’s kitchen table or a yoga mat—when your soul needs soothing.

9. That you can’t change the length of your legs, the width of your hips, or the nature of your parents.

10. That your childhood may not have been perfect, but it’s over.

11. What you would and wouldn’t do for money or love.

12. That nobody gets away with smoking, drinking, doing drugs, or not flossing for very long.

13. Who you can trust, who you can’t, and why you shouldn’t take it personally.

14. Not to apologize for something that isn’t your fault.

15. Why they say life begins at 30!

i’m sorry. i can’t. don’t hate me.

If you’re a female, you know that phrase all too well… Which brings me to my story:

I’m out with my girlfriends a few weeks ago sharing bottles of wine, and the topic of dating and relationships comes up. We decide to swap horror stories – juicy details and all. Believe me, I’ve had my fair share of dating disasters and memorable break-ups (being the dumper and the dumpee), but one in particular sticks out. This more recent fiasco made it’s way to my “Top 3 Dating Disasters”.

I had been dating this guy for a month or so and things seemed to be going well. We had a lot in common and great chemistry. We both (at the time) said we wanted to pursue this and see where it went. Needless to say, I was completely blind sided when things ended… How did he end it? Not in person or even with a phone call, but a TEXT MESSAGE. A man in his 30’s no less. I felt like Carrie from Sex & The City…

First comes the shock…

And then anger/confusion…

That’s what your girlfriends are for… to help you back up from a break up.

fall fashion

If you look in my closet, my color scheme consists of blacks, browns, and neutrals. It’s perfect for fall! Add a colorful scarf or statement necklace to brighten up your look, if you so desire. Occasionally I like to add a pop of color to my look, but for the most part I like to keep things simple and classic. My favorite fall trends are leather jackets, skinny pants, oversized sweaters, boots/stilettos, and of course my go-to accessory: scarves. Obsessed.

cupcakes and wine.

A co-worker of mine and I were sitting in the office the other day talking about her upcoming move to New York City and her 21st birthday. She mentioned for her birthday she and her mom are going to this delightful bakery in the city called “Sweet Revenge”, where they serve and pair cupcakes with wine. Brilliant! Two of my favorite things! So of course it got me thinking about when it’s my turn to host wine night with the girls. Instead of our usual wine and snacks, why not throw a cupcake and wine pairing  party!

Food & Wine and The Wine Feed had a little write up about pairing cupcakes and wine, along with some delicious cupcake recipes. Some of my favorite cupcake recipes I have found are champagne cupcakes with champagne buttercream, raspberry swirl cupcakes, and toffee crunch… Just to name a few! 🙂 Next step… to find the right wine pairing for these tasty treats. Girls, we’re going sweet with our next wine night!

stars and stripes.

Happy Fourth of July!

Mini Fruit Pizzas

back in action.

for beautiful eyes, for beautiful lips, and for poise.

“For Beautiful Eyes look for the good in others, For Beautiful Lips speak only words of kindness, And for Poise walk with knowledge that you are never alone.” -Audrey Hepburn

Sneak peak into my amazing shoot with Shane Rodimel Photography…

daddy’s little girl

Happy Father’s Day to my rock, teacher, and most importantly, my biggest fan. I love you BIGGEST!