miami + puppies = happiness

{miami beach love}

{the cutest puppy on the face of the earth: Dalai Lanza}

my first dog was a beagle named "fudge."  my family acquired her when she was a puppy and failed to ever have her potty-trained.  i still try to convince myself that fudge was never potty-trained because my parents didn't want to mix us up, as i was a mere toddler at the time and was probably being potty-trained as well.  picture this: fudge squatting on the toilet seat (like a lady, of course), and me squatting in the back yard.  traumatizing mental image of my dog, i know.

as the years went by, my parents constantly berated me on fudge's lack of where-to-pee knowledge as if it was my fault - forgetting that when she was a puppy i could hardly put my own clothes on, let alone potty-train a live animal.

i think that her potty-training stupidity overflowed into other areas of her life as well.  eating live koi fish out of our pond in the backyard, running in circles when i put peanut butter on her tail (maybe that was my fault...), and breaking out in seizure-like fits of snorting when families with small children passed by on a walk.  one time she performed the latter in front of doc river's (former orlando magic coach) family, and the coach proceeded to shield his children from our small beagle, like she was kesha when she wakes up in the morning.  hot and dangerous.

now, after much poking and prodding (of my parents, not the dog), we have Dalai. Dalai Lanza. this dog. this is the one, i can feel it.  she's wise beyond her years. she's calm, and cute, and fuzzy. she's named after a buddhist monk from tibet.  she's going to rule the world.

and now i have more incentive to come home. (just kidding, mom and dad! love you!)

---

in other news - an amazing trip to my favorite city of miami to start the year off right with the best boyfriend - and now back at school and sittin' on cloud 9.  can't wait to catch up with everyone and start the last semester off right, y'alllllll!

note: just kidding fudge, i miss you! :)

"if you make it a habit not to blame others, you will feel the growth of the ability to love in your soul, and you will see the growth of goodness in your life."

- leo tolstoy 

hola, 2013! (aka atlanta picture overload)

{dekalb farmer's market obsessin'}

{atlanta thriftin'}

{the best burrito EVER droolin'}

{stone mountain hikin'}

{little 5 points nommin'}

{new year's celebratin'}

things i learned about atlanta this past weekend:

• el burro pollo has the TASTIEST burritos - the 40 minute line outside the door is worth it.
• vintage/thrift shopping is the best shopping. 
• dekalb farmer's market eats your farmer's market for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
• a one mile hike can be hard. when it is up a mountain.

things i learned from new year celebrations this past weekend: 

• ringing in the new year with some old friends and some new friends is the best way to ring it in.
• there are 25+ uses for "mazel tov" socks, or the best present of the year. 
• ie. beer koozie, sweatband, potholder 
• do not start festivities at 5 pm when 12 am is the end goal.
• we were just tired from partying for 7 hours, right?
• bring lots of 90's jams and so-bad-it's-good pop music on 6+ hour car rides. 
• this year is going to be a good one.

HAPPY 2013!

"the best way out is always through."
- robert frost