dear march;

i'm not your biggest fan. this is two years in a row we've not gotten along great. and that's okay, because you can't win them all, but i'll die trying. i'm not going to blame you and say it was 100% your fault and 100% horrible. because there were some good times like when we got our brand, spankin new washer and dryer and my dad insisted on pretty much carrying them down the stairs himself and didn't yell at me one time; or like the time when i got accepted into grad school (didn't watch my vlog, huh?); or the time evan and i decided that we eat out too much and we're having a month fast and i'm going to loose 15034 pounds right before my birthday (what. the. heck. how is it almost may already?!); or how i made some new friends and joined a club (and vlogged about that, too. hahaha); or when i read a bunch of really, really good books; or when evan surprised me with disney on ice tickets.

so yeah. you were OK, but you really went out like a lion in my life, and i just can't have you do that any longer. i swear i'll skip you next year if you continue to piss me off like that.

but for reals. was march weird for anyone else? it was so fast and so slow at the same time. don't ask me how that's possible, but it is.

other notables:

 i ate brussel sprouts. i loved them. poor step child vegetable.

 march art project. thrifted. spray painted. picture. i love it.

 we almost got this dog. ha. hahahaha how crazy are we? too much cray. that's how much.

 it was legit summer almost.

 we had another episode of hilarity during sleep, except this time it was me. woke myself up at 5:00 am laughing hysterically about my dream: "you always say, 'she hits me. she hits me with her eyes.'" i'm so funny i can't even. just please.

prettiest pretties. everyone else is posting pictures of their blooming plants and mine are only growing taller and taller and taller and not having any blooms. so depressed.

so, i'm pretty ready for april around these parts.

new news

i've been waiting approximately 4563 days to share this exciting news but i am one of those annoying people who vlogs it so you won't know unless you watch the vid. ha.

again with the really pretty faces. youtube is so obnoxious with the picking of the picture thing. also, ignore my dog who is whining like a little beotch in the background at who knows what. i also dyed my hair but missed some parts so i gave myself natural highlights. i'm awesome like that.

Today is just one of those days. Those days that come too soon after you finally, finally fall asleep; where the headache just will.not.quit; where there's a weird astonishingly painful pain in your rib cage that makes you think you're probably having a heart attack and thank God your boss is an RN but then she's not at work today and so on top of web MDing the heckfire out of your symptoms and diagnosing yourself with some type of rare disease, you also have no work because you were forced to stay late on Friday and finish everything and now you have nothing to do; and then there's just that all over crummy feeling but not the sick kind of crummy, the not-good-enough kind and the lost kind and the sad kind and the elephant-sitting-on-your-back kind and the loser kind and the I'm-not-crying-I-have-something-in-my-eye kind. That kind of crummy.

It's that kind of day.

HG!

Is it 8:00 am and did I go to the 2 hour midnight premier of the hunger games last night and go to bed around 4 because evan and i couldn't stop freaking out and get 3.5 hours of sleep before a 9 hour work day? Indeed it is. Worth it? Hell. Yes.

I read the books like 2 years ago. Before all this hub bub and any and all obnoxious teenagers got their hands on a copy. I didn't watch a single trailer. I didn't google who the stars were or how they'd be portrayed. It was a wonderful, epic surprise. And I ate it up. This is also the second movie I've ever seen that was adapted from a book that I read. Following? I kind of hate movies and I kind of don't have enough patience to sit through them. I'm crazy and I don't currrr.

I think they did such an amazing job casting and cutting the film into a reasonable amount of time without losing too much of the story. Oh my goodness. I loved it. I did not fall asleep and since my bedtime is like 9:30, that's kind of a big deal.

I also want to know how Katniss's hair was so perfect after spending days in a forest in just a braid. Like, it was so cute! I don't wash my hair for one day and I'm pretty sure we have a health code violation. Completely unfair.

Now let's talk about movie theater etiquette.
1. Don't bring your infant baby to an action/killing (spoiler alert?) movie at midnight. I'm sorry that you have a baby and you're only 16 so you don't yet know responsibility because you're just a baby yourself, but real babies shouldn't be awake at that time let alone have their developing minds bombarded with images of death. And their poor ears!!!
---we left that theater because although it was being thrown around by its mom and her friends and being very well behaved for an infant only controlled by emotions and not common sense, I didn't want to be sitting next to a crying baby. I didn't pay like $4891 to hear a baby cry. I would lose my mind with how many times that mom probably got up. And there were no babies in our new theater.

2. Don't talk. I mean, I have to have this as a rule? Holy cow, you're an idiot. Whispering is okay. I mean, you kind of have to when they totally eliminate this one part and then add in another random part (that I actually loved) and you're all "what the heckfire?!" but like, full out loud ass conversations? The. Whole. Movie? Are not okay. Everyone was telling them to shut up and shooshing them. If it weren't for the talking couple and the guy who was confused and thought it was a comedy and laughed-full out belly laughed-every other second, my theater was pretty great. Plus our friends were there and that in and of itself was great because i really like them.

3. OMGwtf. Why are concession prices so darn expensive? Do you want to buy this tub of popcorn for $80 and then refill it for only $35? *for a year. They don't warn you it's not good next year. Sneaky. Except I'm smarter than most concession goers and did not spend my life savings on a bottle of water and a kernel of popcorn. And the kid totally knew we were sneaking crap in (if you don't you are absurd and unamerican.) because we ordered a popcorn and no drinks. Ha.

4. It's highly unnecessary to write "district 4" in black eyeliner all over your face.

5. Can you for reals bring blankets into movies?! I saw so many people carrying blankets and wearing jammies and I was so, so incredibly jealous. I was freezing and also, I would have slept through the 8 hours of got damn previews.



Pretty successful, I'd say. I cannot wait for 5:00 tonight when I'm going to crawl into bed and sleep until Monday when I'm going to re-read this series and watch the movie again. And obsesses over how cute Gayle was and hello, haymitch. He reminded me of Sawyer from Lost and I love me some Sawyer. Good call Mr. Casting Man. But seriously. Read the book and see the movie. You'll love it.


And may the odds be EVER in your favor.

SPRING!

I. Love. Spring.

It's my very favorite season. And in its honor, I wore my brand new pink pants. Which makes me ask the question, why is it okay to wear a pink shirt but.......pink pants? Gasp! Ha. I could just feel the stink eyes.

What's also my favorite about spring is our new washer and dryer. They're so pretty and shiny and they sing when you turn them on! Like, hey! We know laundry sucks, but we're here to make it more fun! And it is. It's going to be a blast to do laundry in a machine that doesn't want to kill me.

So. This is going to be a good spring. Here's to sprinkle dipped swirl cones. Pink pants. Tulips. Buds and blossoms. The nicest March Montana has ever had. The best spring I can ever remember. And all around happiness. Cheers!

realizations

have you noticed how people hold grudges for the dumbest things? i am a master grudge holder and i just want to slap some of these amateurs. if i run you over with my car or steal your boyfriend or spill grape koolaid on your wedding dress....then okay. grudge away. but if you do something for me and then hang it over my head to dry for years and years and years? let me tell you: it's dry. and that's not a good grudge reason so let me get all school counselor-y on you for a sec and tell you, you have other problems and you're hiding behind that one, so knock. it. off.


have you noticed how many children are on instagram these days? i mean. the way it's going i'm going to have to get my newborn an iphone. and i refuse to do that. come on parents! parent your kid! like these people who are all, "the most beautiful pictures on the internet. 14, ireland." heygirlhey, i can google "pretty brazilian waterfall castle unicorn" and find some great pictures, too, THATIDIDN'TTAKE.


have you noticed how annoying bossy people are? and people who don't use their blinkers or drive the speed limit? or people who criticize your every. single. waking. moment? or people who make stupid choices like drinking and driving? like, for reals. let's criticize THAT and worry less about me.

have you noticed how slow the week is? and then, how fast the weekend goes by? it's completely unfair. i don't need 5 days to do my work. i could easily get it done in 3.5. See what i did there? Threw in a half day completely free. Because by time the weekend rolls around, everyone is having their weekend and i can't see any doctors or make any appointments or do really anything because everyone and their dog is doing that, too. i vote 3.5 work weeks. put that on your campaign ballot and you have my vote.


okay. that's all i got. i'm off to have dinner with my brother who is home from spring break and cut his hair into a mullet because he needed a crazy hair style as a good luck chair to go hunting back at school and he leaves in two days and so we're being a family real quick and then i have a surprise birthday party and then the weekend. i'm looking forward to the beer i'm going to down tonight, the relaxation i'm having tomorrow and plenty of husband wife time.

what i'm not looking forward to? having my finger pricked again to check my blood sugar. come onnnn pancreas. do yo job.

greatest start to my weekend: my phone just auto corrected "sec" into "sex." TO MY DAD. most embarrassing moment: achieved. 

read.

my washer has a theme song, the one from pyscho in the shower? i've never actually seen the movie, so i might have just made that up, but i do know about the song. and that's the song my washer has chosen to sing to us as it not-so-gently attempts death-by-strangulation as it wraps pant legs and sweater strings and tights around it's middle washer thingy. it's terrifying. and annoying. and i'm just waiting for the day i open the lid to a mass array of dead clothes that have holes and shreds and are torn to bits by this awful machine.

i do not want a washer for my birthday.

but that's not the point. (i've always wanted to say that, i love when people say that.)

the point is....i am a machine, a reading machine.

29. Up from the Blue by Susan Henderson

i give this book five million stars. i loved it. hands down, one of my favorite books i've ever read. you know when you're reading but you're like really, truly invested in the characters? THIS. i bawled at the end. i felt so many things. like not wanting to ever read another book because nothing would compare, to punching susan henderson in the mouth for not having more books for me to read, to finding another book to read because i couldn't possibly stop now. i just....do yourselves a favor, and read it. (if you have an iphone, download the free kindle app and check out the sample FOR FREE).

30. A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty by Joshilyn Jackson

"amazon thinks you would love this book so hard." amazon selections lies. lies for dayz. i'm on the fence. it could have probably been good, and i could have probably really liked it. but let me give you some direct quotes: "Roger is my chip daddy, oh, yeah, holler." or this lovely text conversationg: " 'R U DED?' 'Sorry, big fite. i am full of lose. pool > willow.' 'meet me in your treehouse.' 'school fool.' 'skip.' 'helz 2 the no.'" junk like that through the entire book. i skipped entire paragraphs because that was highly unnecessary. and the chip daddy? OMGwtf. does this joshilyn jackson actually think people talk like this?! do people talk like this? my gosh. the world is going to end. um yeahhhh, i don't recommend. unless that doesn't bother you. and random, highly improbable off the wall stories are right up your alley. then eat 'er up. however, i did like this quote, "she's so in love it eats away her oxygen." if i can come away with a quote or two that blow my mind, then it's not a total loss. and i really liked that one. so nice try, joshilyn, nice try.

31. The Pact by Jodi Picoult

i've been reading jp ever since i was in highschool. she's my favorite. somehow i skipped over this one a million times and picked the ones i didn't like very much (picture perfect, 10th circle, keeping faith...) but this one? THIS ONE. probably my favorite jp book to date. it comes highly recommended. along with kleenex and a lot of time because you probably won't want to put this one down. i read it in probably 3 days and it's 451 pages. also, i come away from her books with like a million quotes, my last "this is love" post? from this book. i just....can't. she's amazing. this book is amazing. that is all.

32. 19 Minutes by Jodi Picoult

i always passed over this one, too, because i don't like the cover. lesson learned. also a lesson: if you're a snobby cover judger like me, try the kindle. you don't even SEE the cover when kindle suggests things to you. sometimes, good books have crappy covers. i know, i know. WEIRDDD. this book was about nothing i imagined it to be about. also, a similar (but completely different at the same time?) situation happened in my town recently and it just puts everything into perspective. because, she's really good at making you be on the "wrong side." this one was similar to the pact and we almost had another johnathon tropper incident, but i love jp too much. she used the two of the exact same characters from the pact in this book. and even referenced the main character. but it was different and amazing and sad and beautiful.

i'm kind of the worst at reading one book at a time. if you couldn't tell. i'm still reading strength in what remains,  and how to read the air. i'm also now reading the lovely bones  and the history of love. someone should probably diagnosis this ADD and get me some ritalin.

i'm really weird and when people hype things up for me i kind of don't like them as much. which is probably why it's taking me forever to read the history of love? i don't know. it's not what i expected and the print is so weird on the kindle. basically, i have issues. also, the movie bridesmaids? was expecting much more humor. wasn't as funny as i expected. (except the part at the beginning where they're eating in the cafe. OMG. died. i do that to evan all.the.time.) i just need people to not talk about media, like ever, around me, and we'll be good.

i went thrifting last weekend and checked out the book section. left with five next to new books for under 10 dollars. it's like borders is closing all over again! i should be set on books for the next month, but i probably won't finish any of my current reads, and i'll have added to that stack by about 30. whatevs.

 lately, lately i've really been loving the sky. that's where the sun comes from. and the stars at night. and the prettiest sunrises and sunsets; although, i'll admit i've been missing the sunrises due to some much needed beauty sleep. it's where a brand new day begins, and will eventually end. it's promise and hope, all rolled into one. i love the clouds and the colors and the movement. you blink and it's already changed to something new. maybe there's a lesson in there somewhere? 

  someday i think i might like to try falling through the clouds. it's a bit terrifying, and even just the thought makes my heart rise to my throat and pound in my ears, but i think i might like that.

 

of all the awkward

this is my very first ever, ever ever vlog. i used to be anti videos when people posted them on their blog because i don't have time to sit here and watch crap. i can read like 3431 words a minute so stick to your regularly scheduled programming. but then i realized that you can totally see how blogger are IRL. so fun. so i'm vlogging for the first time ever. it's probably going to turn me into one of those crazy 14-year-old girls who have a youtube channel and talk about how much they love bath and body works and justin beiber. like, omg.

youtube is totally not helping my awkwardness. they let me pick which thumbnail i wanted. out of three. three faces i'm pretty positive i didn't make, and if i do, someone slap me for looking like such a tool.

and this is amber. read her blog, watch her vlogs, she's the best.


(find my instagram: larisaacook.)

this is love;

"and that's what I think love is: when your hindsight's twenty-twenty and you still wouldn't change a thing."