my bungalow dreams have come true.

like i mentioned in my last post, we finally secured a rental in Portland after quite a stressful process. the rental market in Portland is apparently extremely hot right now, some we talked to said it's the hottest they've ever seen it. this means places are snatched up immediately {and prices are hiked, wah wah}. people are even offering more than what the rental is listed for! ftw. so obviously this was not easy to navigate from across the country. luckily we have a couple of friends out there who were awesome enough to look at places for us. i think we had them look at six different ones, yikes. and we filled out apps for all of them, paid paid app fees, got credit checks done, corresponded back and forth via email and phone, even did a Skype interview, and crossed our fingers that something would work out. whew! it felt like we were buying a house or something. i can't even imagine what that process is actually going to be like.

in the end, we were approved for an adorable 1926 bungalow in NE portland. you guys, i'm going to live in a bungalow. in portland. is this real life? and it's on 1/3 of an acre with three garden boxes and a raspberry bush, oh and a garage converted into a studio space (which i haven't even seen photos of, hah). i am rather giddy about it. it was a really stressful process and i am so thankful it's over and amazed that we came out of it with such an awesome place (at least judging by photos & our friend's reactions since we haven't actually seen it). it's really crazy how it all worked out in the end.. i won't bore you with the details, but it feels very much meant to be, even though we will be spending more than we were hoping to.

and now i've already started pinning a million ideas for decor. we sold a lot, so we're going to have quite a bit of empty space starting out. and i know it's going to drive me crazy, but i'm hoping i'll be patient because we are going to have to buy pieces slowly. also have started researching the area and have already located a community garden, two farmers' markets, a New Seasons Market, and a Trader Joe's nearby. i am kind of giddy about all of that. if any of you just so happen to live in/be familiar with NE portland, please message me! it feels a little strange not even having been to the neighborhood we're living in, hopefully we'll feel at home there!

sorry for the wordy post, i'm just a wee bit excited!

Maine - "The Way Life Should Be"

Portland Head Light in Portland, Maine

I've been off the blog/social media radar the last week, partly due to being exhausted from our family road trip to Maine (8 very packed but fun-filled days) and partly due to attempting to catch up on laundry, cleaning, work, emails, SLEEP. Finally feeling back to normal, though I'm already looking forward to my next trip (the U.P. - this weekend!) I've got wanderlust, for sure.

Acadia National Park! (that's my brother :))

Have any of you been to Maine? I was there once before 7 years ago and liked it then, but this time I fell in love. It's definitely someplace I could picture myself living (Portland in particular). It is so full of beauty, between the rocky shoreline, historic lighthouses, hills and mountains galore, Acadia National Park, oh and the pretty wildflowers! And the food selections were right up my alley. People there seem to care about what they eat. The flatbread restaurant we ate at in Portland had all organic ingredients and they even milled their own wheat. And the salad was so fresh (with Maine blueberries, yum!) The farmers' market we went to in the little town of Union (where my grandpa grew up) was small but had so much variety, including a selection of flavored goat cheeses, yum! It was so charming, with live folk musicians and such a warm, invigorating community feel. And, again, everything was organic (there is only one organic vendor at our farmers market). I felt at home.

My grandpa's 80th birthday celebration/family reunion was a relaxed but memorable day. I got to meet so many extended family members and had some really great conversations. I met my great aunt Carol for the first time (my mom's middle-namesake) and I could have talked to her for hours! She is a brilliant lady, with a PhD in Genetics(!) She relived with me the ten years her and her hubby lived in a teepee when she was around my age(!) We talked nutrition lots, and I found out that her mother (my great-grandmother) got her degree in Nutrition at Cornell way back in the day.. amazing! As I mentioned in an earlier post, I hope to pursue a Masters degree in Nutrition once hubby is a professor :) SO neat to find this out about my great-grandmother.. It's like the passion got passed down. I felt an instant connection to this lady I had never had the chance to meet. I already knew my love for cooking was passed down through my grandma (who instilled it into my mom who instilled it in me), but turns out the roots are even deeper and richer.

Anyway, I did not expect to ramble so much in this post about such things but it was just too meaningful not to gush about. If you've thought about traveling to Maine, you should definitely go! I hope to return with Joel in the not-so-distant future, since he wasn't able to join us because of his summer teaching schedule (so sad). I'm SO looking forward to his incredibly crazy summer schedule to end.. this Fall should be pretty wonderful :)

the good life.

hey guys! i'm not sure why it's taken me so long to return to this space! it seems the longer it's been, the harder it is to jump back in because i just don't know where to begin. our new life in Portland has been pretty wonderful. i struggled with bouts of anxiety at the beginning (which i don't think was helped by our Breaking Bad marathons), but i feel like within the past month, i've started to find my rhythm and really start to settle in and feel like myself again. our house has started to feel more like a home (i wasn't really feeling it at first). there are so many amazing things about living in Portland, between all of the local farm stands/markets & amazing produce, endless mind-blowing (and reasonably priced) restaurants, gorgeous hikes, cheap/fun/unique entertainment options, the laid-back lifestyle, no sales tax(!).. and yea i could go on for awhile. yea, i would say it's a pretty incredible place to live & i get why Portlandians take so much pride in their city. i literally gasp every time i suddenly get a glimpse of majestic Mt. Hood. it's hard to believe it's real, that i get to live somewhere with so much natural beauty, and with such an appealing lifestyle.

i'm actually at 'home' (in Michigan) right now for the holidays. i get to stay a whole month because of my flexible work situation (i work remotely from Portland & am working in the office while i'm here). i'm learning to be more thankful for the flexibility, i think i generally take it for granted. i am a pretty bad complainer actually. anyway -- i am happy to get lots of time with my family and friends (and their cute babies). it's been so great being at my parents' house, especially with my brother here too. missing joel though, i will be very happy when he's back here next friday.. this is the longest we've been apart. need to get in lots of girl time in the meantime!

and we're moving to...

Yup, we're moving to Portland (!!) Joel accepted an offer for an Assistant Professor (in the Counselor Education program) at Portland State University -- our number one pick!

And I am going to take this opportunity to gush about him a bit. I can't help myself, I am just so proud of him. Out of the three on-campus interviews he had in the past two weeks, all three offered him the job, rather quickly (coincidentally, all on the same day -- the timing couldn't have been much more ideal). They all wanted him pretty badly. My husband is a hot commodity! It felt like he was getting drafted. He really enjoyed getting to know the faculty members at each school, and it was no easy thing turning down the other two offers. 

Photos from the beautiful towns where Joel interviewed. 

But we feel pretty strongly that Portland is where we're supposed to be. From the minute Joel first saw the job posted, it felt significant. Joel felt like the position was created just for him; everything about it aligned with his specific interests and experience.  It really is the perfect fit for him more than any of the 29 jobs he applied for. We planned a trip out there for a counseling conference Joel presented at before the job had even been posted. Once the trip came around, the job had been posted and he'd just applied, and had the opportunity to meet with a faculty member to learn more about the position & felt even more strongly that it suited him to a tee (plus he really clicked with the faculty member). On top of that, we absolutely fell in love with Portland, as is evident in this post. There were moments, while hanging out at Powell's (when Joel was at the conference) where I had to snap out of feeling as if we already lived there. It was the strangest feeling; something about it just felt so right. We left very reluctantly, hoping very much that we would be back soon. But by no means were we getting our hopes up, knowing the chances were so slim that he would be offered the job (there were over 100 applicants after all). 

{source}

But he got it! His #1 pick. Not only that, but the search committee voted unanimously to offer him the job. Talk about confirmation. All of his ridiculously hard work and determination over the past five years has led up to this. I am amazed and inspired by what he has accomplished. We have both made many sacrifices to get to this point (being the wife of a PhD student definitely comes with its set of difficulties!). It is hard to believe we are on the brink of this challenging (and long) journey coming to an end. We feel incredibly blessed and are so excited for the adventures God has in store for us. 

i left my heart in portland.

i had high expectations for portland, as i have been daydreaming of visiting there since this book came out (almost ten years ago) and have been told time and time again how much i'd love it. and, amazingly enough, it exceeded my expectations. i have never been to a city quite like it.. it is so relaxed and laid back (which suits the hubs and i quite nicely). i wasn't expecting people there to be so friendly! it didn't have the pretentious air of other cities i've enjoyed. loved that. i even made a friend on the light rail; actually, joel did too (each on separate occasions). the light rail system made it so convenient to get around, and enabled us to check out quite a few neighborhoods.. loved how each had its own thing going on. so many unique restaurants, bars and coffee shops!

thank you to everyone who offered up suggestions -- they were all delightful // i spent pretty much an entire day at Powell's (one of the largest independently-owned bookstores in the country). and we had really freaking fantastic food. there seemed to be an endless amount of amazing choices, most of which sourced from local farms :D (favorites included :: por que no, mother's, pok pok, clyde common & bunk sandwiches... thank you Bon Bon!! i have particularly craved the tacos from por que no & the roasted brussels sprouts sandwich from bunk since). man, i would love to live somewhere with such amazing (and sustainable) food offerings!!

oh and i would also love living near Olivia of For Me. we met up one afternoon, and let me tell you, she is a gem of a human being, beautiful inside and out. i am oh so sad that we forgot to get a picture together, but glad it's because we had engaging conversation :)

on our last day there (and hubby's only free day), we decided to rent a car (cost us a whole $12) and check out some more of your guys' recommendations. SO glad we did. i was not expecting Oregon to be so breathtakingly beautiful!! Mulnomah Falls was one of the most awe-inspiring sights i have ever beholden. it seriously looked like something out of Lord of the Rings; it felt so other-worldly to me. the brightest green i can ever remember seeing (except for maybe Ireland), and the moss!! it was so magical. i actually cried a little during our drive there, it was so majestic.

after the Falls, we headed West to the Pacific. again, i was absolutely blown away by the beauty, the whole drive there. particularly through the Tillamook Forest.. was not expecting to drive through more mountains (being a flatlander, i am in love with mountains). the heavy mist that enveloped them made for an enchanting (sometimes eery) and magnificent drive. by the time we got to the Pacific, the misty rain had become a violent downpour, so we basically ran out of our car to get a photo and then ran right back in. but i'm still so glad we got to experience the Oregon coast. oh and the Tillamook Cheese Factory.. free cheese samples, yum!

so, in conclusion, portland is my new favorite place. joel and i both completely fell in love. we left agreeing that we would be back.. i'm hoping it's sooner rather than later! it was strange how at-home i felt there... i've never bonded with a city like that before. oh portland, i can't wait until we meet again!

shop my closet sale on instagram!!

It may still be a bit premature, but I boxed up all of my winter clothes this weekend (including my heavy winter coat, yesss). Next time I will see them will be in Portland. That is just too much to digest. but I have to say, I am pretty much at peace with leaving the cold, dreary Michigan winters behind. this one has seemed to be never-ending. I wouldn't even be surprised if we got another bout of snow yet. I am longing for greenery and flowers, which are already in full bloom in Portland.

There are a few wardrobe pieces that won't be making the trip to Portland with us. I decided to steal Blair's idea and open up a 'shop my closet sale' on instagram under the username @shopmeganlane. I've added several items already and will continue adding more, including some great quality jeans that no longer fit me.

Each item will go to the first person who leaves a comment. feel free to leave a question or email me at prettythingsbymeg@gmail.com. all prices are negotiable! I don't mind a little bartering. I will accept payments via PayPal or check.

Shop my closet here. Also, there are still a few items left in my previous shop my closet sale here on the blog. prices have just been reduced (and are still negotiable). feel free to comment with any questions!

2012 : a tribute

So I'm a little late on this (a big suprise), but I think 2012 deserves reflecting on. This year was a full one. It was filled with highs and lows, from crushing despair and defeat to immense beauty, joy and hope. I traveled more than I ever have in one year and to really incredible places (San Fran, Maine, U.P. twice, Kansas City, Portland - whew!). I fell in love with San Fran and Portland. I changed the way I view/understand/eat food and became passionate about nutrition (and lost 15 lbs)! I fell ever harder for the art of cooking and baking, though in a more simple & nutritious form. I climbed my first mountain and planted my first garden. I had my first blogger meetup(s). I celebrated four years of marriage with Joel and our love grew deeper in spite of challenges. I got excited about all the possibilities of where we could live as Joel applied to 30 university faculty positions, all over the country.

And here we are, 2013. The year that has seemed so distant since Joel started his postgrad education over five years ago. The year where he earns his PhD and becomes a full-time professor at some school, somewhere that is not here. Things are starting to take their course and it seems quite possible that we could know just where that is within the next couple months. Rest assured that you will know once we do. I have never rung in the new year with such a sense of excitement and hope and just disbelief. This is a big one that is going to be loaded with change. 2013, bring it. 

stuff.

wow, have i been a terrible blogger lately. my mind has been going all sort of directions and apparently keeping up this blog has not been one of them. this season has been going so fast... we have just over two months before we make the big cross-country move. doesn't seem possible. in the meantime we have much going on (and much to plan & figure out, including a place to live in portland). in the last few weeks, we've helped my sister & brother-in-law move, traveled to Asheville for our anniversary (more on that soon), had a grad party for Joel, drove to the U.P (Escanaba to be exact) for a college friend's wedding, on top of trying to start packing, starting to inquire about rentals online, trying to sort out work transition stuff, etc etc. let's just say there's a lot to figure out yet. oh yea, and there was that time that joel helped open up for Eddie Money at DTE.

strangely, i am staying very calm lately, despite the garage sale coming up in 2 days that we are not all that prepared for and the move into my parents' house next weekend that we are definitely not prepared for. it'll all get done, somehow. and once it's done, we will be off to Denver for my dear friend's wedding and then to some very exciting, long-awaited travel plans (in celebration of Joel finishing his PhD). 

photos from our trip to the beauuutiful oasis that is the U.P. this weekend. we will miss it dearly. 

this my friends, is shaping up to me the most eventful, epic summer of my life. in mostly good ways but also chaotic ways. and eventually heart-wrenching ways. i got a tiny glimpse of the flood of emotions to come last night when we were watching real world portland (did i just admit that publicly) and the roommates were all saying their goodbyes in typical dramatic fashion to people they had known for what, 3 months? i was painstakingly reminded of the fact that i will be saying goodbye to friends i have know, oh just 10, 15 years and oh yea, the most important people in my life (second to Joel), my family. ok that's enough of that. i'll check in soon with more happy thoughts, on Asheeville. 

a quick hello from Maine.

just popping in to say hi from my family road trip :) the six of us (my fam + brother-in-law.. sadly hubby was not able to make it cause of his teaching schedule) are currently in route to Hope, Maine for my grandpa's 80th birthday party / family reunion. I am in the back lone back seat of our rented Pathfinder with all of our luggage spilling onto me at every turn, haha. almost there!

thought I'd share a few instagrams from our first three stops -- New York City, Boston (last-minute stop to catch the Tigers play the Red Sox at FENWAY) & Portland, Maine. It was my first time in Portland & I was a big fan.. very quaint and charming with a really cool vibe and delicious food.

so crazy that I posted this from my iPhone. technology really is amazing. check back tomorrow for a delicious (and healthy) recipe from the lovely Kelly of The Pretty Bee :) and if you'd like to follow along my Maine adventures on instagram, my username is meganlane84.

thanksgiving weekend.

I fell off the grid for a little bit there, whoops! Once we got back from our {incredible} trip to Portland - more on that soon - it was practically Thanksgiving. And now it's the holiday season -- whaaaat?! 

Thanksgiving was spent with extended family on my dad's side, including my cousins from Indiana & Chicago that I hadn't seen in far too long. I had the joy of meeting this lovely lady's beautiful baby girl, Nadia. And I got to stuff my face with some stuff that I wouldn't normally stuff my face with. I made my first cranberry sauce and a grain-free, refined-sugar free pecan pie (not too pretty to look at but quite yum). Also made this and was surprised at how tasty it was for how simple it was to make. It was a wonderful, relaxing day, as was the most of the weekend. Lots of lounging going on, which was pretty awesome. And only a tiny bit of shopping.

Saturday was one of my favorite days in a long time (besides every day in Portland). Joel and I picked out our Christmas tree, went to a few stores to get some lights and such, had a delicious impromptu dinner date and then came home and decorated the tree while listening to our newly acquired, quirky-as-ever Sufjan Stevens Christmas album.  It was really the first time we were able to have a day like that, as Joel is usually so busy with school around the holidays. It was pure bliss. We seriosuly rarely have full days together period, and I got really excited thinking about how it could become the norm soon, with Joel getting very close to no longer being a student. This makes me extremely happy. 

This is our best Christmas tree yet. I'm looking at it right now and it gives me warm fuzzies. I am definitely in the Christmas spirit after this weekend. We even had our first snow! It is pretty much winter now around these parts (it's coollllllld). Want to soak up every minute of this season, it goes so quickly. 

Portland!!

You guys, I am going to PORTLAND in less than a week. I can hardly believe it! I get butterflies in my stomach when I think about it (good ones). It's been at the top of my places to visit list ever since I read Donald Miller's Blue Like Jazz at the beginning of college. I have heard so many wonderful things about it over the years and that I would just love it, so I am beside myself with excitement to finally experience it. 

{source} are you kidding me with this view?!

I do have a list of must dos/sees/eats to get me started thanks to a pretty spectacular bloggy friend (this includes Voodoo Donuts, Powells Books, Multnomah Falls, Tillamook Cheese Factory, Salt & Straw, some pretty garden walks & the 4T trail). But I figure there's got to be some of you who have been (or even live there) who have some stellar recommendations as well :) Like the majority of trips hubby and I go on, this one is also for a conference he will be presenting at/attending, which means lots of solo exloring time for me :D So what else should I absolutely do/eat/see while I'm there??

Have I mentioned that this is one of the cities we could end up living (Joel is applying to two positions there)! I have never been to the Pacific Northwest but I have a feeling I'm going to like it. Even if it rains the whole time. 

what i've been eyeing lately.

 If I could splurge on a few things right now, it would be these.
They make my eyes very happy.

1. Pompom Peasant Blouse | 2. Chartreuse foldover clutch | 3. Citrus Floral Print | 4. Collared Skipper Tank | 

5. Cotton Skirt from Vanilla & Lace | 6. Wildflower Turban Style Headband

Would love the Rifle Paper Co. print for our place in Portland (loving all of their new spring line right now. And loving that they're offering 20% off their featured section w/ coupon code PICKS20!) I am practically drooling over the two Anthro picks (1 & 4). I have never spent full-price on anything there (duh) but am considering getting those two pieces with the $250 (!!!) gift card that's burning a hole in my pocket. What do you guys think -- would it be dumb to use it on full-price items rather than wait for their additional 25% off clearance sale & stock up? I'm just scared that these lovelies won't make it to the sales rack and they are both screaming my name.

Hope you all have a lovely first weekend of spring! You are lucky if where you are it actually feels like spring. We are in Cincinnati (sadly just as cold as Detroit) for the weekend for a counseling conference for hubs, so if any of you are familiar with the city and have any suggestions of how I should spend my time while Joel conferences, let me know! So far I've been eating yummy food, checking out cute boutiques and hangin' at a sweet coffee shop. Tomorrow I'll be heading to the art museum (it's free!) and not sure what else yet. Maybe a trip to anthro? What are you guys up to this weekend??

lately...

Lately, I...

-- Have been working way more than usual, even worked over the weekend

-- Have been cooking a lot - love cooking with fall produce!

-- Have been spending way more time with Joel since his schedule has lightened and he     

isn't teaching night classes

-- Have been spending way too much energy thinking about the future. It feels so strange having no clue where we will be living {less than} a year from now {and potentially for good}. 

Joel is working on his dissertation, on which has made significant progress already, and he is beginning the job application process, which just blows my mind.. He has been working on his post-grad for over 5 years now, since before we were married... I've never known him not to be in school! This all feels very surreal. So far, the contenders are Boone (NC), Norfolk, Hartford, Philadelphia, Louisville, Portland and San Francisco, and the list is ever-growing... crazy, right?! Every time I hear of a new university Joel will be applying to, I start researching the town/city and get a little carried away... I'm kind of addicted. I know it's silly and pointless and I want to instead be soaking up what time we have left here. I feel myself beginning to slightly disconnect from the present.. And I don't want to do that. 

I could go on and on about all this but I think that's enough for now. I am sure you will hear much more over the coming months. Are any of you going through a period of uncertianty about the future? I was amazed at how much I resonated with Stacie's recent post.. It's nice to have people to relate to. 

Hope you are having a lovely fall week!

a new etsy shop obsession :: GYPSA.

i just discovered this shop the other day via Poppytalk & i am pretty much enamored. in particular, this quilt. i've decided it must adorn our future queen-sized bed that i'm hoping we will get to purchase shortly after our move (we have a full now that was mine growing up and some other family member's before that... yea, i think it's time for an upgrade). it's things like this that make me all the more motivated to continue pitching pennies in the meantime & knockin' down that credit card debt.

some other things i would really like to have prettying up our next place. they are all perfect. and also pretty reasonably priced. win, win.

speaking of our next place, we are looking to rent a 2-3 bedroom house in Portland -- for those of you that live there, do you have any recommendations of what neighborhoods we should look in? we've been told SE is a great area & we really enjoyed what we saw of it while we were there. i think this finding the right place busiiness is going to be a bit tricky, especially with the budget hubby is hoping to stay within. the plan is to go there in July to find our place/sign a lease (we move at the end of August). in the meantime, i'm checking craig's list incessantly even though it's still much to early. not a huge fan of the waiting game.

oh, hey.

hey guys, remember me? i don't blame you if you don't! it has been a really freaking long time. happy to report i'm alive and well in our new home in the Pacific Northwest. i have to say, Portland is a pretty amazing place to live & is slowly starting to feel like home, though it still feels pretty surreal that we actually live here. will tell you more about that soon but for now i just wanted to drop in to let you guys know about the special i'm having on the pinecone necklace in my shop this week.

that's almost 40% off you guys! (still trying to figure out if they say 'you guys' here..) there is only a limited quantity available & the deal will end on Sunday (the 27th). this is a perfect everyday necklace for fall - it goes with everything, is a comfortable weight & such a pretty antiqued bronze. the length is 27", but i am happy to adjust the length on request, just shoot me a message on etsy. find it here.

excited to be back to blogging! i've missed you all, for reals.

Lately..

I know I've been pretty absent from this space lately, so I thought I'd fill you in on just a few tidbits from my life lately, via Instagram of course. My DSLR has been feeling ever so neglected. I'm thinking it might be fun to take a photography class at PSU once Joel's a professor there so that I can learn how to go beyond the Auto mode.

Spent Mother's Day in E. Lansing with all my family. Had a delicious authentic Mexican lunch followed by coffee & dessert, then moved my brother out of his apartment! He's done with college aside from one class he'll be taking this summer and is now living with my parents (10 minutes from us!), so I am excited to spend a lot more time with him before we move to Portland (which by the way, has totally not sunk in). We'll really get a lot of time together once we join him at my parents' house at the end of June.. we'll be living there July and August in order to save some money before our move. My parents are the best.

Been doing a whole lot of cooking lately to avoid going out to eat (we're working toward paying off our credit cards and this involves being very careful with our spending). On Cinco de Mayo, I made my favorite tacos - Chicken Tinga tacos. Was going to post the recipe but then decided that was sorta silly since it is verbatim what is on Nicole's blog. I highly recommend these, Joel and I go crazy over them. The chicken prep is rather time consuming, but pays out on flavor and usually lasts us much of the week, which means I get a few days off of cooking. It's great on quesadillas too.

Celebrates Magg's 5th birthday on Sunday, although I'll admit he was a little neglected with it being Mother's Day and is being out of town most of the day. But he did get some treats from Trader Joe's that he flipped out over, as well as lots of lovin'. Hard to believe out bubbers is 5 years old. I love him to pieces.

Got to spend lots more quality time with Joel while he was on break from teaching classes, which involved lots of long walks and picnics. It's been so refreshing. I am so looking forward to having way more time with him once he's a full-time professor. No more being he wife of a PhD student.. Woohoo!! Really hard to believe this chapter is coming to a close. Hoping our last summer in Michigan is filled with amazing memories. Between moving twice, standing up in a wedding in Denver and having something going on nearly every weekend, it's definitely going to be a busy one!

What have you guys been up to lately? Is your summer a packed one?

Good Tunes :: First Aid Kit.

I've been meaning to share this band with you guys for awhile. I first discovered them from this lovely lady and am pretty much obsessed now. Their music seems to encapsulate for me the momentousness of being on the cusp of a huge life change (i.e. moving our lives to an unfamiliar place, away from our families, likely out West). The first time I listened all the way through their album The Lion's Roar (which is altogether stunning), we were driving through the misty, rugged mountains outside of Portland & absolutely in awe of the beauty and wonder. It is crazy the immensity of emotions that well up when I listen to it now, particularly this song. My heart expands and my eyes well up with tears every time without fail. I feel the enormity of what this year is to bring, and it is intensely beautiful and gut-wrenching at the same time.

Please believe me, it is worth taking a couple minutes to listen to (as is their album worth the $10 on iTunes). Hope it gives you warm fuzzies.

Have you discovered any new music lately that has blown you away? Would love some recommendations! My hubby just bought Widowspeak & I can already tell I'm going to fall in love.. it's like a mix between Mazzy Star & Tennis (googly eyes). 

lately...

WOW, i knew it had been awhile since i posted, but a month?! where did it go?? a lot of you probably think i have been busy packing, but i forgot to mention in my last post, that we actually aren't moving to portland until august. but we are talking about moving in with my parents in june to save money so the sorting/purging/garage saleing/craig's listing/packing will ensue soon enough (barf).

so what's been taking me away from blogging? mostly work (snore). i've been working some crazy overtime to meet deadlines for production and for the new website that we're working on (i will not bore you with details). though it's been exhausting and consuming most of my free time, i'm really thankful because the extra income is beyond helpful right now. also, it was fun spending lots of time in our fave local coffee shop with the hubs, getting stuff done.

{i had to share with you the prettiest dessert table i've laid eyes on from a lovely baby shower last weekend.
courtesy of The Cake Lady, out of Cedar Springs, MI -- she is amazingly talented.}

there have been more exciting, life-giving things taking up my time as well. baby showers, bridal showers, a college friend reunion, the beginning stages of planning a bridal shower (the invites are out - woo!) and despite my long work days (that are now no longer - phew), i've been doing lots of cooking of healthy eats. oh and baking with the almond flour that i delightfully received in the mail. my favorite recipe try lately : raspberry and chocolate chip muffins. wowwy. i am kind of obsessed. so delicious, so healthful & keeps you full all morning! love that. i would like to try these from kelly of the pretty bee next. also, i am happy to report that i am still going strong on our spending freeze.. i have not bought anything for myself since the end of December (!!!) surprisingly, it really hasn't been hard for me, but i'm pretty sure once the weather starts warming up, it will be a different story. i love dressing for spring. luckily, i do have an anthro gift card (courtesy of work!) to spend that will get me a little somethin' -- woohoo!!

well i think that is enough rambling for now! you should be hearing from me more regularly again now that work has calmed the heck down. although i'm sure they won't stay that way for long :) i've missed you all!

{me in threes}

the beautiful & talented kim over at yellow songbird tagged me in her 
"me in threes" post earlier today. 
and so here you have it : me in threes.

3 names i go by :

♥  megan

♥ meg/megs

♥ miss megan

3 places i have been :

♥ mexico

♥ switzerland

♥ scotland

3 favorite drinks :

♥ mojito

♥ fresh raspberry lemonade

♥ mimosa

{weheartit}
 

3 jobs i have had : 

♥ nanny

♥ writing center consultant at CMU

♥ associate editor/writer for an architecture/construction mag

3 TV shows i watch :

♥ parenthood (my current fave)

♥ mad men
♥ weeds

3 places i would like to visit (among countless):
♥ portland
♥ montreal
♥ greece

{weheartit}
 

3 fave retro TV shows :

♥ i love lucy

♥ laverne & shirley

♥ seinfeld (not quite retro, but couldn't leave it out)

3 places i have lived :

♥ red oak, texas (i was born in dallas!)

♥ mt. pleasant, michigan

♥ london, england

3 favorite dishes (sooo hard to choose just 3!) :

♥ pad thai

♥ filet mignon with balsamic syrup & goat cheese

♥ caprese salad

{image credit}

3 things i am looking forward to :

♥ being in my friend lyndee's wedding next month

♥ my grandparents visiting in august

♥ going to da U.P. (upper peninsula of MI) with hubby

3 people i am tagging :

♥ sarah c @ auburn street

♥ alfie @ coffee and stilettos 

♥ jozen @ lola's girl