work work work

It was kind of "international day" for me at work today. It was a big hit, but I really need new work clothes so I don't have to wear this skirt all the time. I mean, I love it, but I need more variety. The next week or so until I get my first paycheck should prove very interesting how I get dressed in the morning. I need to be very creative. I'm totally okay with that, but I just need more variety in my work outfits.

This past weekend was pretty nice though. Lots of good stuff happening at church on Sunday. It was very entertaining. There were a few baptisms that happened after service in the baptism pool. Seeing one of our pastors walk out in a wetsuit was super surprising, but I couldn't stop laughing! It was great.

It finally broke into the 90s today! That makes it officially summer now!

Song of the day: Daylight by Matt & Kim

blouse from family trip to Mexico a few years ago

skirt from trip to Paris later that same year

belt from Forever 21

seal the urge which ensues

Today was my first day at my new summer job! I wore this:

Very professional and appropriate, no? It was really funny 'cause it's the same office that my mum works at, so all her coworkers already kinda knew me from pictures and stuff. I got a lot of compliments on my outfit and my hair color too. But it was kinda weird being the new kid that everyone knew because of my mum. And Mum has a tendency to talk and talk and talk to people. So she mentioned my slight lack of longer skirts to people.... Oh Mum.... But it was a pretty good, easy-ish day.

I made chocolate chip muffins!

I keep having these weird baker moods since I got home almost a month ago. And they normally hit later at night. So of course my mum hasn't been very pleased with me making cookie dough at 11:00pm.... It's not my fault I want cookie dough so late at night and we don't have any, though. But I made these babies at 8:00pm! Just in time for So You Think You Can Dance? (it's been a not-so-guilty pleasure every summer for about four years now)!

Song of the day: I Gave You All - Mumford & Sons

yellow polka dot ruffle blouse from Forever 21

skirt from my trip to Paris a few years ago

Alloy belt

NEW THINGS!!!

Look who got back from the groomers' all clean and trimmed! He's so cute now that he has a buzz all over and you can see his markings better. He looks like a puppy! And apparently he did really well and the groomers loved him. I'm so proud! But Tessa was freaking out without him, so Mum and I brought her to go pick up Toby when he was done. They were adorable when they were finally reunited after a few hours apart. Aw!

It's not a really awesome outfit today. I needed to be comfortable and wear something that could get kinda dirty. My dogs shed a lot, so I'm covered in dog hair right now. They don't get to go in the car very often except for when they go to the vet. So they were both kind of anxious while I held them. I kind of miss being at school right now because I didn't have to deal with animal hair on my clothes.... But I love my dogs too much to be really mad.

Oh! And I have a job! Yay! I start tomorrow and will be training for the next week or so to learn all the ins and outs of what I'll be doing all summer. I'm really excited! But I need more "office-appropriate" attire (longer skirts and more appropriate blouses).... I have a few things that will work for a while, but I need to buy some stuff to survive the whole summer. I've been exploring the Forever 21 website for ideas today. I just need money. I think my first paycheck might be going towards new clothes for work. Which I'm okay with.... Haha! I'm so happy! Yay!

song of the day: Wonderwall - Cat Power

choir shirt from high school

Alloy belt

Target skirt

the longest shadows ever cast

My friend came home from her missions trip in India last night! We surprised her at In-n-Out and had a mini party for her. It was a lot of fun! This is me enjoying a chocolate shake while watching my little brother attempt to wear the contents of my purse before she got there. It was quite entertaining.

Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure I'm getting a summer cold. I haven't been feeling well at all the past few days. Sad day....

Potential good news: I might possibly have a part-time job for the summer. Nothing's set in stone though, so I'm trying not to jinx it....

Tomorrow I'm taking my dog to the groomers'! He needs it. His claws are super sharp and his hair is really long. He's got a bit of a lion's mane going on. And he's going to smell nice too!

Song of the day: Summer Skin - Death Cab for Cutie

ain't too proud to beg to be your woman yesterday on a midnight train to Georgia

Last night was the last choir concert of the year at my old high school. My brother's in the chamber choir, so I obviously had to go even more. It felt so strange to be back in the auditorium and be sitting in the audience. I was in choir all four years of high school, so it was a first to watch it from the other side of the stage. But they did a pretty good job this year and I was very proud of the people I knew who had solos. There were also some really funny moments during the concert and it was really entertaining!

The theme was Motown, so there were a lot of Stevie Wonder and Gladys Knight songs. The highlights were an a cappella version of Yesterday by some of the boys in the chamber choir, If I Were Your Woman by one of the seniors with my little brother and three other guys as her back-up dancers with some really funny, but awkward, dance moves in pink vests and bowties, a cappella versions of I Wish, Ain't Too Proud to Beg, and Signed Sealed Delivered I'm Yours by the chamber choir, Midnight Train to Georgia featuring the choir director (because she's leaving at the end of the year to get her PhD in conducting), and For Once in My Life with a solo section featuring a fake German accent and maracas (with choreography).

The stage lights had a tendency to wash people out a lot so I didn't get very many good pictures while the lights were up. But I really liked the pictures I got during group transitions when the main lights were down. My favorites are probably the first and last pictures. They also happened to be two of the best "solo" performances of the night. Haha! Go figure!

summertime and the living is easy

Today has been a pretty low-key day compared to yesterday. I've spent most of the day hanging out with my dogs and reading and watching Coco Before Chanel. Yesterday, I spent barely any time at home! I went to my sister's art exhibit at school with my parents in the morning (it felt so weird to be at my old junior high school again, even for just and hour) and then Mum and I ran errands. I got coffee with one of my really close friends and caught up on the past few months. I was so excited to see her because she leaves for Israel on Sunday for two months! So I made her a playlist for her trip - she was so excited! And then Mum and I went downtown to see Letters to Juliet after dinner. I was so busy! But it was a very very good day.

I actually got this romper yesterday at Target while we were running errands. I've been wanting one for a while, but I could never find one that fit what I wanted. So when I saw this one I just had to get it! It's actually really funny. Some of my friends from school absolutely hate rompers, but I think they're kind of amazing, especially for summer. So we'll see how they all react to this one when we got back to school in September and the weather is still holding on to summertime.

Rachel's traveling playlist:

Go Do - Jonsi

Just You and Me - Zee Avi

Favorite Day - Wonderful Smith

Neverending Summer - Dayplayer

Elevator Love Letter - Stars

Parade of Punk Rock T-Shirts - Maritime

Penny on the Train Track - Ben Kweller

The Infinite Pet - Spoon

Toothpaste Kisses - The Maccabees

We're Going to Be Friends - The White Stripes

Relator - Pete Torn & Scarlett Johansson

Hold My Hand - Michale Jackson ft. Akon

Tiger Mountain Peasant Song - Fleet Foxes

Little House - Amanda Seyfried

The Freshmen - Jay Brannan

Low Rising - The Swell Season

9 Crimes - Damien Rice

New Romantic - Laura Marling

anthems for a seventeen year old girl - Broken Social Scene

Eet - Regina Spektor

Orange Sky - Alexi Murdoch

Target romper

Alloy cardigan

Urban Outfitters sandals

Forever 21 elephant necklace

The Picture of Dorian Gray and Other Writings by Oscar Wilde

and I gotta say

Hey look! New things for a new month! We went shopping yesterday for my little sister since she's "graduating" from middle school this month and needed a dress. I had so much fun picking clothes out for her! She's not that into shopping or wearing skirts or dresses, so I ended up being the one pulling stuff out with our mum for her to try. And there were so many wonderful things in Forever 21 right now! So my wardrobe is probably super-saturated by things from there now.... A year ago, I wasn't really inspired by anything in the stores so this year I'm dying over everything. I was definitely in the shopping mood though, so I had to buy some things.... I stuck with smaller things though because I don't have much money right now, so I bought a few necklaces and a ring (and my mum agreed to buy me shorts since my sister was getting so much....). Isn't that elephant amazing??

everything from Forever 21

So it was my sister's birthday this weekend. We went to a movie (Prince of Persia) and then got cupcakes afterwards. The movie was good and appropriate for all of us; it wasn't the best movie ever, but I've always kind of like Jake Gyllenhaal. Before I saw the movie I definitely was a bit upset that they would choose a white actor to play the lead over a Middle Eastern actor. And I still think it would be more credible in my opinion after I've seen for myself. But at the same time, having a more well-known actor, even though he is white, that people can recognize from previous movies makes sense as well. I understand the producers' decisions for casting Jake Gyllenhaal (and his arms were to die for!) and all the interviews I've seen with him while promoting the movie are hilarious. So I'm just going to say that it was good movie for families and people who like blockbuster-style action movies like the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

The cupcakes were good too. They were a bit dry, though. And there was a lot of cupcake going on. I've had better cupcakes from cupcake shops that specialize in just cupcakes (from when I stayed with my best friend for a night during spring break). So they were okay. (I've never written 'cupcakes' so many times in my life.... cupcakes cupcakes cupcakes! haha!)

song of the day: Favorite day - Wonderful Smith