I got a Kiari, WAY over town

She's good to me. Oh, YEAH.

This is my amazing friend Kiari(kiarisafari). She is a super photo genius from another planet(Okay, really just Hawaii) you get the point. We are about to turn 24 together which marks two awesome happenings... the beginning of our 25th trip around the sun AND that we have now been friends for exactly half our life. I am going to give special thanks to the universe and forces of nature for giving this incredible soul to share my life with me. I love you Kiari Ari Safari Atari. Thanks for capturing my image over and over again. 

Are you kidding me??

"Is that a joke?"

That's usually what I'm thinking when some schmuck attempts to get fresh.

"Oh, hell no hunny. Look elsewhere."

I don't think anyone could have said it better than my dear friend Amanda Lyn:

"I love being pretty but, I wish men were more civilized!"

"American girl in Italy, 1951."

This is one of my favorite photos of all time taken by one of my favorite photographers of all time, Ruth Orkin.

Any lady(not woman, lady) would agree it is sooooooo annoying when men act barbaric or stare like it's the last pretty girl they will lay eyes on. However, what is exceptionally annoying is to know that the times have changed so much and they just don't mold men like they used to.

When this photo was taken any of those men probably would have loved to marry that beautiful woman...NOW, when a man looks at you all he (probably) wants to DO is...wellll, YOU. If your okay with that, then more power to you!

This is what looks ideal to me...

WHAT?? A girl can dream. Geeeeeeeeeeez.

I call it,

Self love.

Small joys.

Sexy ladylike.

Keeping it simple.

Classy, low maintenance.

High maintenance, low class.

Sassafras sweetheart.

Full grown little girl.

Testing the waters.

New beginnings.

Melissa Jane.

Elll-OHHH-Veee-EEEE,

Photos via: ffffound, kiarisafari....(and me;)

What a sweet, simple JOY.

"My mother is the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her."

-The smell of Noxzema reminds me of my mother. When I was growing up she would put it on her face EVERYDAY. Sometimes, she would walk around and forget she had it on :).

-Her makeup was/is always perfect and beautiful.

-Every time I am sick I wish I had my mother to take care of me. No matter how well someone looked after and pampered me...I would secretly be wishing for my mom.

-Sometimes when I'm hungry and don't know what sounds good...I miss being able to say "Mom, what should I eat?" in a very whiny voice...and then going "Will you fix me a snack?"

-She read to my every morning until I was probably 11. She would read me all of my chapter books(YES, I just said chapter books:) Since then, I don't think I have enjoyed a book that much. On occasion I can even remember exactly what her voice sounded like as my narrator and the smell of the black coffee she would be drinking.

-If we ever didn't have a good day together, she would wake me up in the middle of the night to apologize to me.

-She would snuggle me whenever I needed and never let me leave the house without an "I love you."

I would also like to take this day to shine light on another wonderful mother, my BEAUTIFUL Kiari! She, like my own mother, is a wonderful photographer. She is doing a great favor for her little Caela by documenting her life in photos.

I love you Kiari, you are a bright star in my life!!

PLEASE check out her AMAZING photos on her blog: Kiarisafari

Photos via: Postsecret, Kiarisafari