new friends.

                   ERIN- KRISTEN- ME- BLAIR

i'm not going to lie. i just had a greattttt night last night with some great friends. one of which is a new friend but i would venture to say a best friend. i tell no lies.....she and i are identical souls. it's fun to meet new people out here. always  a new adventure. blair is a friend of magan, a best friend of mine from college, that has moved out here to be a makeup artist as well. from georgia, went to auburn, another little southerner following her heart. :) pretty much meant to be. fun fun fun stuff. HERE'S to new friends!

going to chick-fil-a today!! this is big because....well....the nearest chick-fil-a is about 45 minutes away. i would say it's definitely worth it. yeahhhhh. happy friday to all you peeps! weekend, i love you.

xxL

oh jane.

i don't really know much of anything at all about this picture. other than, he looks scared to death but, content, comfortable, and confident that he made the right choice. (or maybe he's pissed, i can't really tell). and she looks as if there is nothing else in the world that could phase her at that very moment. she has just made the best decision of her life. 

so, i was googling a girl from a tv show named ''jane'' which just so happens to also be my sweet grandmother's name... this was the first image that came up. :) i kind of love it. there is something so innocent about marriage. it's something two people experience based solely upon a positive emotion. it's simply about being young and happy and in love and knowing no other response nor wanting to know any other response to that feeling. it's a leap of faith as two. kind of sweet...kind of foreign (to me). but in the end, yes, love and marriage is a terrifying yet somehow wonderful thing.  

xxL

lively exhaustion.

well....today equals tired. long day but good day. i worked, and that always means good things. i started work at Rosie Jane this morning where, we had some exciting news! we had some major press come out this week in People Magazine for Leila Lou as Jennifer Aniston's favorite perfume! pretty much exciting. so, we had a ton of press kits we had to put together for all of our clients/boutiques who carry the fragrance along with a LOAD of new orders because of the popularity and celebrity association. it's a really cool learning experience. Rosie (the creator/owner of the company) is Jennifer Aniston's personal makeup artist so, that is the connection. :) J. Aniston gave her a big shoutout! foooo shizz. we have some more press coming out next week in USweekly and one more magazine, not sure what yet. but, it's all very exciting to be a part of. Rosie initially brought me on as an assistant/sales rep. because of the the launch of the new fragrance. now that it is really taking off, i feel fortunate to have gotten on at an early stage so i am able to watch and learn from the growing process.  

i ended my day with some formal Bobbi Brown training...the first official day. it was kind of brain fill overload. i'm afraid a lot of what i learned went in one ear and out the other. eeeek. guess that means more reading for this gal. regardless, i am soooo thrilled to be joining this company as well. lots of opportunities and ways for advancement. even if it is years down the line...gotta start somewhere!

i am thankful for my life every single day. at times, when i forget about how free spirited and emotion-driven i am, i worry about security and stability and finances, etc...i mean, that's the point i am in my life, more serious responsibilities. but, those are the times that i lose sight of the most important things... happiness and the joy of doing what i TRULY love. being brave enough to put all fear aside and say to myself, that's what i want??...well, why CAN'T i?? i'm doing it. i don't wanna take it for granted. it's the balance between real life and dream land that i have to conquer. there is a way! i know it.

leaving you with a little something i wrote down while i was home. i found my senior yearbook (that had been lost for 6 years) and read what my mom and dad had written to me as a 'senior farewell' note. it kind of gave me chills. this is why they are my favorite people... :) p.s. my favorite parts are in ALL CAPS. 

''as you leave home remember...through the days and years of your life, you do not go unnoticed. you leave an impression along the way. DO NOT BE AFRAID OF CHANGE, BE AFRAID OF NOT CHANGING. DO NOT MEASURE GROWTH BY TIME BUT RATHER BY EXPERIENCE and do not measure your success by another's. BE TRUE TO YOURSELF lydia and seek God's will for your own. you may not think you have made much of a difference in this world, but you have in ours! we love you and are so proud of you.''  

xxL

to do list.

sunday at the beach.

 

sundays always come with a pleasant anticipation... generally, it means, ''sunday funday!'' a cliche description but, you get the idea. ;) today, with it being sunday, me, meggo (the roomie), and her friend Brad who is visiting from NY decided, it was a day for the beach! of course... why not? it was beautiful, in the 70's, a little breezy, a little sunny. the only solution was the beach. it's always a good freeing feeling to get away from the city/hood (where i reside) and blend in with the beach bums. we went to my favorite, manhattan beach. which also happens to be the first place i stayed and ever visited when i came to california 2 years ago. so, i hold a dear place in my heart for sweet 

manhattan. so, needless to say, it's been a great weekend! i spent yesterday with the out of towner Brad and had my first ever LA subway/metro experience. i felt like new yorker again. :) rode to china town, loved on some chinese new year celebrations and some cheap (very nasty) chinese food. gagggg me but oh well. i love my weekend time. it's been a good one.

xx, lyd

old school is oh so cool.

so, i went home last week. it was relaxing, duh. it was full of love, duh. it was fun filled, duh. but, it was really reflectful (even though that isn't a word). i had a little fun on a cold, snowy valentine's day and went through some old pictures that were delightfully precious. they are now hanging on my 'inspiration board' beside my desk and i get to smile at them everyday. they make me want to scream and shout for joy. 

now..............................................andthen.
the moms...being sweet and innocent-like. horseback.
the first car. :) pretty envious.
the first days together. and, i REALLY am obsessed with these two people.

refreshed.

i've been in my room a lot today... it's been nice. partly because i have a huge suitcase in my floor staring at me, waiting to be unpacked, and i've had every intention of doing so at some point (hasn't happened). and partly because, well, i like it. being by myself is fun. it kind of actually teaches me a lot... therapeutic... makes me think. today, while getting some quality lydia time, i thought about:

• the amount of LOOOVE i have for california.
  
• how, after spending a relaxing week at home with my family and friends, especially my sweet and encouraging mom and dad, i want to create some way of carrying each person i love around in my pocket throughout my day to day activities. then, i would be perfectly content. need nothing more. you think it's possible?
  
• how, the previous thought is exactly what makes some aspects of life so bittersweet... after all, aren't they the ones who mold you into what you become so you are able to spread your wings? then, do things on your own? why can't they reap the benefits of your successes and your amazing life experiences? they are my best friends and sometimes, separation anxiety sucks.
• while this ''self-employment thing'' is rewarding and motivating and full of passion chasing goodness, i would rather not have to think about the taxes that come along with it at this time of year. blahhh. 
• how, the new picture additions of my vintage mom and dad and the (totally 90's) sisterly bonding time with meredith posted beside the more recent photo of us at her wedding are so fitting for my inspiration board.
• how, really...in all honesty...i have too many clothes. 
• how, the smell of my vanilla candle could sing to me everyday and be the single contribution to my overall happiness. :)
• how, my weekend ahead might be filled with a trip to the beach. 
• my new fresh smelling, clean sheets will be the best thing that happened to me when i crawl in bed tonight. i'm excited.

needless to say, my brain has been racing. alllll day. filled with good thoughts of course.

xx

feeling.refreshed.

we are okay.

currently...listening to a put you in a good mood song by joshua radin, "we are okay." so true. we are okay, we are alright. proving to be especially true tonight. after a long productive day of working and running around los angeles like a wild banchey with errands and such...i am finally looking forward to the end of tomorrow, february 9th. when, at last, i will be sitting in my little foster family living room wrapped up in a big gigantic sweater, enjoying the cold weather and warmth of my mom and diddy. i assume i won't be enjoying the exhaustion from traveling all day buttttt, i guess i'll take one for the team. 

more exciting happenings:

..got a new crackberry today(!)

..got another fabulous job freelancing for bobbi brown(!)

..get to look forward to the possibility of my sweet cuz ella marie coming to visit in march(!)

..got the pleasure of naming kendall's baby goldfish: ARLINGTON(!)

..GOTLOTSTOBETHANKFULFOR.

xx

dear john.

dear john. 

you are gorgeous, hot, steamy, sexy, spicy, smooth, delicious. ohhh yea... the movie was BOMB. unfortunately, on the way to the movie while running across the street, in the pouring rain, my crackberry fell out of my pocket and landed in front of a mack truck. under the front left tire to be exact. as i went back to get it, the navigation ball (essential to the phone's operations), was missing. i thought to myself....a. i could go back and miserably stand in the middle of the street to look for it and risk getting hit by a mack truck. or b. pick the phone up, and consider it a loss. obviously, i chose the latter but, i am still trying to figure out what to do about the text messages i can't send or receive. bummersss.

monday funday.

so, first day on the new job. assistant to miss rosie johnston. & so happy to be where i am. as i long for motivation, encouragement, and inspiration each day in all that i do...it always seems to have its successful way of finding me in some way or another. as i go to take a quick bathroom break, i am faced with this little 'blurb' of sweet inspiration. love it....enjoy. happy monday!

in the infinity of life where i am, all is perfect, whole, and complete. i am one with the power that created me. i have within me all of the ingredients for success. i will not allow the success formula to flow through me and manifest my world. whatever i am guided to do will be a success. i learn from every experience. i go from success to success and from glory to glory. my pathway is a series of stepping stones to ever-greater success.

-ALL IS WELL IN MY WORLD.

so appropriate. xx