To the land of the Ohio.

Could all of my dreams be coming true? How often have I said wistfully that I wish we lived in the Midwest, where life is a little slower and the people friendlier. I'm still in denial that I live in the city. I still don't parallel park, no matter how many times my husband begs me to try. And my wish to be at home. Simply stated. To make my home my work. To cook breakfast, pack lunches and make dinners. And yes, to clean. And decorate. And find other creative outlets. And one day, watch my children play and experience those first steps, first words. We're so close. We could do it. We could break away, make a mad dash, and skip this town. We could start a whole new chapter, one which we'll look back at when we're old and gray, and say, "Ahh, remember the time..." It could be us. We just have to take a leap of faith and move forward. And avoid the fear. The fear that's saying we'll miss our friends and family, that it's not a good time to try and sell a home, that maybe the job will be too stressful or our bank account too broke.

I think we may do it though.

We may move to Cincinnati, Ohio - to a town where we know no one. We'll rent instead of own and live off of one income. We may have to sell a car. We may be happier in the long run. Or stressed. Maybe we'll be dismayed at the loneliness and regret our decision. But isn't it better to have tried? We'll at least know what we've left behind and the logic for which we based our decision. We'll know the alternative. Otherwise, we'll always wonder what could have been. We'll feel we missed our opportunity. We'll ask ourselves constantly whether it could have been better out there in the land of the Ohio.

Fast food: Cincy sytle.
What's with the oyster crackers & forks though? 

Chocolove.

Speaking of inspiration, I find a lot of mine at the grocery store. I like to think that this is proof that I should most definitely become a housewife someday. Has anyone else discovered the goodness that is this bar of all-natural chocolove? I happened upon it while doing my gathering in the organic aisles of the market and was immediately drawn to the pretty packaging. Yes, I should also have actually done something with my marketing degree. But that's another story for another day. Did you know that this chocolate is so amazing, in fact, that hidden amongst its layers hides a poem? How utterly romantic. It's not only delicious but beautiful to read too. I could just eat it right up.

Oh wait, I already did :)


Orange lipstick.

Moments of inspiration. I've mentioned it before, but I still can't quite grasp why some days feel different than others. How many (insert: days - weeks - months) do I sort through the piles of catalogues in my mailbox and toss them directly into the bin, without ever eyeing a colorful page? Well, I will tell you. Many. But last week I found myself flipping though the pages, finding inspiration at every turn. Especially the new J.Crew catalogue. I shouldn't have even looked. I should have placed it with my usual pile for trash. But this day was different. I sat with my cup of tea and leafed through the many glossy pages, hesitating only to let my freshly coated nails dry. I was immediately enamored with the orange stained lips, and had to have some. It's not often I wear bold colors. I blame it on my hair color. I already naturally stand out in a crowd (or at least, I'm convinced) and I feel a little clownish dressed in bold shades of any color. Neutrals and pastels are generally my assortment of choice. So, it's slightly out of character for me to invest in a bright shade of orange lipstick. I know. I know. It sounds awful. But seriously, it's there. The orange lipstick, right there in the J.Crew catalogue. It's probably not as bright as I'm making it out to be, but for a girl who's afraid to wear a bright blue shirt, it's something.