For the love of cuteness, watch this

Happy Friday!

What is it about cute animals fitting into small places that is so amusing? Around 1:12, I laughed out loud.This video started my Friday off right- I hope it makes you smile. Be safe in your travels & have fun on your adventures. Enjoy this long holiday weekend.

Love,
Logan

Don't ever forget

There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America.

- William J. Clinton

First inaugural address

Washington, D.C.

January 20, 1993

Birthday Wishes

It's pretty hard to believe I will be 25 in 4 days. I remember my seventh birthday like it was yesterday. My most attentive and caring mother took my favorite Snow White Barbie to a local bakery where they put Ms. White in the middle of the cake and decorated the cake as her big beautiful ball gown all around her. My Mother was so excited to bring my cake out - as she should have been. What a fun, thoughtful idea, right?

Wrong. Seven-year-old Logan was extremely concerned for the well-being of her favorite doll. She was COVERED in icing! What was my Mom thinking?! Why would a cake decorator do such a thing? I was disgusted and unamused to say the least. My poor mother. Memories like this make me realize what a thankless job parenting must be at times. Going through all that trouble just to have your seven year old turn her nose up at you and stare in horror at the cake you so carefully designed.

Today when the Snow White cake is brought up, my mom gives me that look only a mom can give, and usually says "you little brat." Completely deserved. This is one of the few times in my life I can remember that my mom got me something that I didn't love. My mom has excellent taste. So does her mom. At least I think they do. I hardly ever make a Christmas list or birthday wish list as a result. Sure there are usually a couple things I might have in mind, but the things my mom picks out for me always end up being my favorite. For example, this past Christmas my parents bought me a Kindle. This idea wasn't even on my radar, but it was my most favorite gift- I was so excited. Although my mom does the best job of picking out gifts for me, I do have a few things that I would be pretty excited to get this year...

(Click on photos to see where I found items on my wishlist)

Who wouldn't want to cuddle with this little guy? Go O's!

LOVE this pillow from Etsy - matches my new room too :)

Proceeds from PeaceBomb project bracelets  go toward clearing bomb littered land in Laos.

The Brave Collection helps fight human trafficking in Cambodia.

I love NPR & Coffee. Perfect.

I bought myself an early birthday present this year. Fell in love with it Saturday night and had to go pick up the last one after work this evening. They were sold out online. Here's the newest addition to my fossil handbag collection:

Simple and classic, my two favorites.

Thanks for tuning in.

Love,

Logan

"All Growed Up" ?

Certain things have me feeling like more of an adult lately and they aren't the things I would have expected. Technically at 24, I am very much an adult. However, I aspire to be like my 58 year old dad and never truly grow up. I love being able to laugh like a child at adult situations that are not as serious as your adult-self makes them out to be. I also delight in 8-year-old boy humor - fart jokes and such. I wish I was kidding. So inappropriate. Why are they so funny!? I think I spent too much time with my dad and brother as a child. I digress.

Yes I live in a big girl apartment, am paying bills, working full-time, etc. On the other hand, I have "The Sims 3" on my phone, I watch children's movies on a regular basis, and if it was socially acceptable to play with Barbies at my age, I definitely would (much of the reason I want to have a daughter someday). Lately though, I keep noticing small differences -ones that I wouldn't have thought of- in myself that make me feel not so much like a kid anymore. They aren't bad things, just different.

1. Leaving lipstick marks on my coffee cup. Isn't that how your mom's cups always were? Moms are the most grown of the grown-ups. They know everything.

2. Making myself busy when I am upset. I got homesick two weeks ago. Rather than indulging in the sadness, I went to Ikea, bought a six drawer dresser, hauled, and assembled it that evening - BY MYSELF. The other day I got really frustrated at work. I went into our office kitchen and vigorously scrubbed probably 20 dirty dishes. Both times I felt better. Or maybe I just felt too tired to remember the other feelings. Either way, it works.

3. Always making sure my nails look nice. I don't let the same polish chip away for three months as I have for the better part of my life. When it starts to chip, I remove it. Crazy, I know.

4. Taking clothes to the dry cleaners. I found a local dry cleaners that I like - and I take my blazers, work pants, other "DRY CLEAN ONLY" items there. Gone are the days of "Oh, it says 'dry clean only' that's probably an exaggeration, right? "...

...."Wait. Why do my favorite khaki dress pants look like a soggy burrito!?" 









5. Making my bed daily. Something about purchasing the bedspread on my own and paying an arm in rent each month makes me care that my apartment looks neat each day. Again, who am I? 










What does being an adult mean to you? Have you noticed changes in yourself that make you feel like a "grown-up"? 

Love,
Logan

P.S. If you got the Rugrats reference in the title, you probably watched Nickelodeon almost as much as I did.

I'm the worst, but I'm not sorry.

It has been exactly 7 weeks since my last entry. Life has been a tad bit busy. My new years blog resolution took a backseat to working, moving, and traveling. But I'm mostly settled in and thus ready to continue sharing.

Work consumes most of my time, which I love. I seriously love working. I love my job. I love having goals and accomplishing them. My coworkers are fabulous. I love working on a team, mentoring students, hiring new students. So far, my position is really rewarding. And I get paid to do this? Totally worth the wait.

So far, my apartment is fantastic & my roommate is super cool. Although I haven't had the chance to spend much time here. I moved in 3 weeks ago today and this is my first day off that I am spending here in Baltimore. Crazy. Last weekend was spent in South Beach with my mother, aunt, and one of my most favorite cousins - my bff was able to come for parts too :) We had silly amounts of fun. The weekend before that I spent at home sweet home, Ohio. Another of my aunts finally found her other half and was married on a beautiful sunny day before my whole huge family. We obviously danced and sang/screamed all night long. I think I'm just finally getting my voice fully back from that event. Worth it. The weekend before that, I moved to the city. Crazy. And then the weekend before that I visited another of my many awesome cousins in Virginia. Time goes so quickly when you don't ever sit still. I have been trying to capture each of these moments in my memory and by photograph. Rather than selecting a few funny stories - which seems overwhelming...they will come to me in time - I will share with you my last several weeks in photos. I'm off to my first Orioles game in a few short hours! Happy viewing.

Hung out with best friends before leaving the buckeye state.

Packed up the old Odyssey. 

Milo tried to come... holy moly I miss him.

Celebrated O's 21st / moved to Annapolis.

Became a Retriever. 

Hung out with O :)

And with my super cool Naptown roomies!

Made a new friend. SNOWY McFLUFFFACE

Got crafty with friends in Deep Creek. 

Laughed a lot with Tay.

Visited Steph in VA. We love each other.

Moved to Baltimore....

This was my nightstand for 2 weeks.

Met Steph again to road trip to OH.

To see this breathtaking bride.

And this handsome BIG lil bro.

Then South Beach for Mothers Day :)

Of course working tirelessly & making it rain all along...

...this is the good life.

Love,
Logan

Black & Gold?

My dad raised me to hate the joined colors black & gold from a very young age. As a result of growing up in Northeastern Ohio, we have the bitter sweet burden of being Browns fans. The general rule: we want the Browns to win, the Steelers to lose, and everything else to line up so those first two things can happen. Every season begins with lots of chatter about the promising potential of the new season. New players, new coaches, and a new beginning. Inevitably, every season -and most games- end in disappointment. If it isn't clear from my extremely basic explanation, I admittedly don't pay a lot of attention to the NFL. I try to follow it enough to know what's going on. But the big picture is that there is always a new season, we always hope, and we are always let down. And when we are let down, we root against the Steelers.

UMBC's Golden Retriever Mascot.

Imagine my awkward inner conflict when I come to find that UMBC's colors are primarily black & gold. My first trip to the bookstore was tough. Trying to pick out a subtle shirt that doesn't go completely against the basic foundation of being someone from Canton, Ohio. Black and yellow are evil. We don't wear those colors. It sounds silly because it is. And don't worry, it's not that dramatic or important. But I would be lying if I told you I didn't cringe when I walked in that bookstore, choose a plain grey shirt and walk out. It will probably be a little while before I can dress with more spirit. 

One place I have found that I have no troubles wearing black and gold is in my professional attire. It doesn't look athletic so no one associates it that way. In the last week I have rocked a few different black and gold outfits. All of these items are recent purchases (or gifts) of mine that I wore this week and am so excited to wear over and over again.

1. Gold Necklace, $18 at Charming Charlie

2. Calvin Klein Dress, gift from my aunt

3. Anchor bracelet, gift from one of my best friends from Sara Aghili

4. Tunic Blouse, $23 from Target

I wore 1 & 4 together earlier this week.

Something gold I would like to acquire: How cute is this dainty elephant necklace?

$15 from LemonTreeLand's Shop on Etsy :)

How do your loyalties or dislikes dictate your wardrobe? Do you cringe at the site of certain colors and delight in others?

Love,

Logan

Happy People

Saw this quote earlier this week and can't forget it. How true.

Love,
Logan