blogger chain mail.

{photo by Kate Headley}

Last week, Elizabeth and Heidi tagged me in what I am affectionately calling blogger chain mail. I sat back and realized I haven't done a post like this in years. I know you've all been waiting with bated breath for one, right? {Just kidding of course!}

FAVORITE FLOWER? Without a doubt, lilacs. Hydrangeas are in a close second. {See evidence from my wedding bouquet here.}

MOST / LEAST ORGANIZED SPACE IN YOUR HOME? My closet is definitely the most organized, except when we've traveled two weekends in a row. My pantry, on the other hand, is always in disarray. Weird?

WHAT BOOK HAVE YOU READ RECENTLY THAT REALLY MOVED YOU? I'm going to make a big admission here: I've struggled to continue Lean In. Most of the books I find myself reading these days are pretty mindless--mostly because I haven't had the bandwidth for something deeper. Even if she didn't "move" me, Gillian Flynn keeps me on the edge of my seat.

WHAT DISH ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO AT THANKSGIVING DINNER? The cliché of all Thanksgiving dinner clichés: my mother's turkey. She actually stuffs the bird and the flavor is out of this world. 

HOW DO YOU TAKE YOUR COFFEE? I don't. If I need caffeine, I reach for an ice-cold Diet Dr. Pepper--preferably of the fountain variety. 

WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL? To be frank, I don't miss much. I was a crazy lady in high school. I miss small town life but not the small town rumor mill. My days were filled to the brim with cross country, music theatre, AP classes, youth group, and life. I do miss the simplicity of life: one without college debt, one without a full-time job, one without adult decisions. While I didn't feel carefree during those four years, the cares I had then pale in comparison to the cares I have today.

MOST MEMORABLE CONCERT? July 27, 2004. John Mayer. Bonner Springs, Kansas. SECOND ROW. We even locked eyes during my favorite song, Split Screen Sadness. I had repeat second row seats for the tour he cancelled in 2012. I'm still not over missing it.

HOW DO YOU UNWIND BEFORE BED? While I'm terrible at unwinding, {cv} is great at it. He is the only person in the world who gets me to slow down. At the end of a long day, we end up on HGTV watching a House Hunters episode with our cuddly cats. We are clearly the epitome of cool. 

DOTS OR STRIPES? Stripes. Since I moved to New England, the volume of stripes in my wardrobe has more than tripled. Oops?

Any other burning questions for yours truly? Since this has been floating around a bit, I'm sure I'm tagging someone who has already been tagged but I'll give it a go. CaitlinJillian, Melissa, Natalie, and anyone else--these questions are all yours! xoxo {av}

friday's fancies #154.



Hello again, friends! It is officially sweater weather in New England. Though I may not love the cold come February, I do love donning sweaters at the start of the season. Whether you blogged about sweaters or an outfit you'd love to wear, your post is welcome for #FridaysFancies. There are no other rules to participate! It's easy to add your link below and meet some amazing bloggers in the process. I can't wait to see what you came up with this week :) As always, endless thanks to my loyal linkers--you make my world go round. Have a happy + cozy weekend! xoxo {av}

P.S. Thank you so much for your comments, emails, and tweets this week. Your good vibes and prayers were much appreciated. Though I may just be a girl behind a computer screen to many of you, you truly made me feel loved. I stick with blogging because of you. 

hope.


In thinking about this post, it struck me just how much of my life doesn't make this blog. After nearly three years, I deem a few things "blog-worthy" but plenty of others don't make the cut. While I desperately want to pour out my heart with the events of the last week, I need a bit more time to process.

Last night, {cv} and I discussed calling 2013 the year of curveballs. As I've learned after recent Red Sox games, curveballs are pitches intentionally thrown to catch the batter off-guard. In the last few months, the wild pitches of life have made {cv} and I stronger and more connected than ever. Even if the circumstances weren't always what I wanted, I can't help but think God had a hand in all of it. 

I don't talk much about my faith here, but it doesn't mean it isn't a major part of my life. Faith is a very personal thing, so I try to respect each of you--whether you're Christian, Muslim, Jewish, something else, or nothing at all. For today, indulge me in this particular Bible verse. Paired with prayers from our family and friends, this passage has provided a great deal of comfort in the last few days. Regardless of whether you pray or mediate, I think its message is universal.

Please be patient with me in the coming weeks and days. I plan to stick with Friday's Fancies because it brings a bright spot to my week. I promise I'm not going anywhere, but I just need to take a little extra time for myself. With all my love, Alison

friday's fancies #153.

Loren Hope Carina Necklace {a Providence designer!}

Happy November! I hope you all had a wonderful Halloween. For Friday's Fancies this week, we're channeling the style of our respective cities {or towns}. My version of the style in Providence, Rhode Island? Classically preppy with a little something special {in this case, an incredible Loren Hope necklace}.

Whether you shared a fashion post or showcased your city's style this week, you're welcome for Friday's Fancies. I hope you'll add your post below and check out the amazing women who make up the Friday's Fancies family. After nearly three years, your creativity continues to amaze me. Thank you, as always, for taking the time to link up! Enjoy your weekend... xoxo {av}