weekend wonders!

 Hey, hey, hey lovelies! 

I hope you all had a fabulous Easter weekend full of quality family time, praising the Lord, and eating some seriously good food! (I personally enjoyed beef brisket, potatoes, green bean casserole, asparagus, chicken salad, deviled eggs, rolls, and pineapple cake...YUM IN MY TUM.) 

I don't have much time to blog today (cue the tears), so I'm just gonna give y'all a recap of my weekend happenings!

Friday

Since it was Good Friday, I had the day off from school (serious Hallelujah), so Jordan and I took it upon ourselves to have a girl's day! 

We started out with a sleepover the night before (don't judge, sleepovers are still cool..always will be), then we got up the next morning and drove to Greenville for an early lunch at a local eatery....

This place is the bomb.com. Fo reals. I've only eaten here a couple of times because I often forget it about! But now that I've had their shrimp & avocado wrap w/ fruit salad on the side...I don't think I'll ever be able to forget it about again. Omg, it was to-die-for. 

After this, we treated ourselves (seriously "treated"..it was $10) to TITANIC-3D! Not gonna lie, it was not worth $10, the 3-D wasn't what I thought it was going to be. I've seen movies in 3-D before that were beyond awesome (i.e. Despicable Me, Toy Story 3), but this just didn't cut it. However, it was nice to be able to see it on the big screen considering I was only 4 years old when it came out the first time!

Yikes, I really am a youngin'. 

 After the movie, J drove me around ECU's campus because even though I've been to Greenville 9817348979 times and am an avid ECU football fan, I'd never driven through the actual college campus! It was super pretty..not as pretty as Carolina's though ;) Sorry, J! :P

Following our impromptu tourism, we went to my Aunt Terry's house so that I could interview her and my sweet cousin Darby for an upcoming child development research project that I have to do (bleh!)

Darby on top, Payton on the bottom -- love my sweet girls :)

 And any girls day would not be complete without a visit to the mall! J needed some new summer clothes and I was more than happy to put some outfits together for her :) 

just a few of the pieces she got

 Saturday was full of a lot of...nothing..followed by dinner with my sweet Daddy. Haha! I got up, showered, went to visit my lovely grandparents for a few hours, did some more interviews for my project, and then went out for dinner and some froyo with my Dad!

Sunday morning, Daddy and I got up and went to church for a lovely Easter service given by our Pastor whose main message was that often times when we complain and worry and fret over certain things, it's over the wrong things and we need to look at things in broader view before we jump to the conclusion that Jesus is out to get us, because that's far from the truth. I thought it was a great message! 

I'll leave you with the few pictures that daddy and I took after church!

with my sweet baby Rue

 Hoping you guys make it through the rest of this Monday! xo

an ode (and a tear) to One Tree Hill

HEY, HEY, HEY! PARTY, PARTY, PARTY!

As you can see, I'm pretty excited about today because it's my Friday! 

woooo!

 Three classes, work until whenever, and then I'm home-bound for three full, wonderful days! 

 I CANT WAIT!

Now, moving on to the real topic of today's post...

ONE TREE HILL.

...formerly known as the greatest television show known to man.  

 

 OTH has been on the air for nine years, yes, I said nine. Therefore, how am I supposed to go on with my life, now?! 

Ok, I admit, that was a little dramatic. But really, as silly as it may sound, I had become attached to these characters (much like I do when I'm reading a book..sad, I know). I just couldn't help it..they were so easy to relate to! And besides, one of the main characters' names was Haley, how could I not watch? ;)

Oh, and we can't forget that the main character in seasons 1-6 was none other than...

 this cutie pie, Chad Michael Murray.

I mean, come on, who doesn't love this guy?

..I know I do.

But, unfortunately, "Lucas" and "Peyton" had contract issues and didn't come back for seasons 7, 8, and 9. Boo! 

Nonetheless, I continued to watch the show and loved every second of it. I really think that the addition of "Clay" and "Quinn" were great filler characters and their story ended up being a great one!  

And I have really enjoyed watching this little guy grow up over the seasons..he is too. darn. cute. 

Before last night's series finale, they featured a 45 minute special where they looked back on all 9 seasons and I even learned some new things! Like the very important fact that it almost got cancelled after the first few episodes because no one was watching!...Wait, what? How could someone not watch?! Obviously, the world came to their senses and I am so thankful. 

 Granted, when it first premiered back in Sept. 2003, I didn't watch either. But only because I was only 11 years old and still enthralled by Disney Channel and Nickelodeon. Sorry I'm not sorry. 

Anyways, I got into the show when I was about 15 and they were showing them regularly on SOAPNet and I was able to catch up and watch from the beginning..and I've loved it ever since! 

Peyton and Lucas were by far my favorite couple, probably because I could relate to that massive head of curls that Peyton had...ha! But really, I think it's because they fought so hard for their relationship.

such cuties. 

Needless to say, I shed a few tears during the finale last night. It's hard to believe that there will never be a new episode again! Oh well, guess I'll just have to find a new show to fill the oh-so-empty space in my heart now :( 

 I'll leave you with a list of my favorite quotes & songs that I have to thank One Tree Hill for..they always had the best music. 

 "Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact."

- Henry James

  "There are moments in our lives when we find ourselves at a crossroads. The choices we make in those moments can define the rest of our days."

 "Do not look back and grieve over the past, for it is gone. And do not be troubled about the future, for it has yet to come. Live in the present, and make it so beautiful that it will be worth remembering."

-Ida Scott Taylor

 "Truth is still absolute. Believe that. Even when that truth is hard and cold, and more painful than you've ever imagined. And even when truth is more cruel than any lie."

"Blessed are the hearts that can bend. They shall never be broken." But I wonder.... If there's no breaking, then there's no healing. And if there's no healing, then there is no learning. And if there's no learning, then there's no struggle. But the struggle is a part of life, So must all hearts be broken?"

-Albert Camus

 And for the songs..

"Life Is Beautiful" - Vega4

"Something to Believe In" - Aqualung

"If I Am a Stranger" - Ryan Adams and the Cardinals

"War Sweater" - Wakey!Wakey!

"Quiet in My Town" - Civil Twilight

"Apologies" - Grace Potter and the Nocturnals

"Non-believer" - La Rocca

"Lightning Crashes" - Live 

"Dreamers" - Jack Savoretti

"Heartbeats" - Jose Gonzalez

"Within You" -Ray LaMontagne

...now go download these songs now! You won't be disappointed! 

Have a wonderful Thursday, y'all! xo

What I'm Loving Wednesday #1

Happy Wednesday, lovely bloggers! 

I hope this post is finding you all enjoying this beautiful day! (well, at least it's beautiful here in NC ;)

Today, I'm doing my first link-up with Jamie over at This Kind of Love for What I'm Loving Wednesdays!

1. I'm loving that this week is a short week and that I can go home tomorrow night! Thank you, Good Friday! 

 

2. I'm loving that Titanic-3D hits theaters today..and I'm going to see it with my best friend, Jordan, Friday! 

 

3. I'm loving this beautiful weather today. Sunny and warm, just like I like it :D

took this on my walk to the bus stop this morning..so peaceful :) 

 4. I'm loving that there are only three weeks left of school, and one week of exams! I'm 4 weeks away from being halfway done with college, woooo! 

5. I'm loving that I got to spend some time with Aunt Terry yesterday on her 50th birthday! 

 6. I'm loving that college softball season is in full swing and airing on ESPN every weekend! 

can't wait for this!!

 7. I'm loving that I now have 7 lovely followers! Thanks so much, guys!!

What are you guys loving today? Link up with Jamie and let us know! 

Have a wonderful rest of your "hump day"! xo

target tuesday #2!

Hey y'all! I hope that you're all having a fabulous Tuesday so far!

I'm gonna have to do a quick post today seeing as I should be studying right now..whoops!

Anyways, I'm linking up once again with Tara over at Fabulous But Evil for...

bedroom edition! 

 I have a slight obsession with comforters..so here's a few that I've been hoping, praying, wishing would magically appear on my bed! 

Dwell Studio "Persia" Comforter

Dwell Studio "Cut Paper Floral" Comforter

  

Boho Boutique "Mosaic" Comforter

Boho Boutique "Haute Hippie" Comforter

What do you guys think? Do you love comforters as much as I do? 

Let me know!!

Hope you all have a fabulous Tuesday! xo

Always,
Haley

 

monday mumbo-jumbo!

Hey, hey, hey y'all! Happy Monday! (kinda)

Unfortunately, I have to go back to work today :( I'm not looking forward to the probably 538 lbs. of laundry that I'm gonna have to do...but I have missed my sweet kiddies! 

Also, I have not one, but TWO tests tomorrow. And I have no idea what time I will be working until tonight, so needless to say, it's gonna be a very long night for this chick.

i don't have as many books as she does, but you get the picture.

 BUT, there is at least one happy thing about this Monday. It's the beginning of a short week! This Friday is Good Friday which = no school for me! Hallelujah, praise the good lord Jesus. No, but really...cause Easter is Sunday ;) 

one of my favorite holidays! :)

 And one more thing...my lovely boyfriend's sweet, sweet mama's birthday falls on Easter this year! Happy Early 62nd Birthday to Mrs. Queen! :D

the sweetest lady you will ever meet!

Moving on...I would like to give you all a HUGE (in my opinion) piece of advice. If you ever buy something and just a few short months later it breaks/malfunctions/whatever, and you contact the supplier and they act as if they can't do anything about it...DON'T believe them. Don't even think about believing them. Here is my story:
Back in November (Black Friday, to be exact), I bought a lovely pair of boots from Bakers shoe store. I had been looking for the perfect pair of over-the-knee, cognac colored, wedge-heeled, semi-inexpensive boots that would fit over my 16 1/2 inch calves (gasp, I know. they're monstrous). Anyways, I finally had all of my necessities met in these beauties....

and they're surprisingly very comfortable, too.

Well, our relationship had been going quite well until last Tuesday when I was getting ready to go out to dinner with friends, I put them on and started walking across the room to put my jewelry on and it feel like my heel was getting caught on the carpet. So I pulled off my boot to investigate...and found the the entire heel had begun to separate from the bottom of the shoe!! I was furious. And naturally, I had to look at the other boot too and the same thing was happening! It had gotten as bad yet, but it was getting there. I paid a little over $100 for these boots which is a big deal for me (I don't usually pay over $50 for shoes, unless they're tennis shoes or Jack Rogers - my guilty pleasure). Anyways, I was expecting them to last a lot longer than just 4 months if I paid that much for them! So I wrote a nice e-mail to Bakers asking if they offered a shoe repair service, and they replied to me with a simple "no, we do not..blah blah blah take them to a local shoe repair store". I was NOT having that. So I replied, with a little more anger, that I was not satisfied with their answer and would like either an exchange or full refund or even credit to the store. They said they would contact me soon....and this morning I got a phone call that told me to come into the store and I could either exchange them or get store credit...BOO-YAH!! I was so excited. I'm not usually one to put up a fight over these things because I try to be understanding...but I was not having that this time. And it worked!! I'm super proud of myself for not backing down and getting what I want. Now, the big question is...do I get the same pair of boots or a different pair?!
What would you guys do? Please help me out! 
Here are some other current options available at Bakers...

ZOOM boots, cognac, $99.99

Tapley sandals, bone, $60.00

Midtown wedge, taupe, $39.99 (a fab deal)

Boardwalk wedge heel, black suede, $62.00

Help!! What do y'all think? Ditch the boots that I searched so hard for and get another super cute pair of shoes, or get the same boots and risk them letting me down again??

Always, 
Haley