just a girl and her dog

if you know my family and me personally, then you know we 

absolutely adore our miniature dachshund, bailey! bailey turned 

fourteen last year! while her eyesight and hearing have 

become less reliable (though this could be blamed on 'selective

hearing'), she enjoys trips in the car, frequent treats and 

will tolerate the occasional photo shoot. 

we brought bailey home when i was in high school.

i recall my dad telling my younger brother and i that we were

going to visit my grandma. instead, we picked up a tiny

red dog -- she could fit in the palm of your hand! bailey stole our

hearts immediately, and to be honest, i can't remember

life without her.

our love for bailey may or may not border on an obsession;

my parents have a bathroom that is 'dachshund themed.'

there are (professional) photos of bailey, alongside other dachshund 

decor; what can i say?! in our family, when you love your dog, you 

really love your dog! she's a spoiled girl, but we would not

have it any other way.

^^^ say the word 'treat,' and she will love you forever! ^^^

in the fourteen+ years we have had bailey, i have picked up just 

a few wiener dog-related items for myself. i received an adorable

 pair of dachshund leggings and dachshund water bottle 

from my coworkers on my birthday this year! and when i saw 

this blouse, i knew it had to come home with me; what better way 

to style it than alongside my favorite pup?!

photos by karya schanilec photography

blouse: zara (exact here; similar here), skirt: nordstrom rack,

flats: target, purse: endless knot, ring: lucky brand

 **fellow small dog owners, bailey is wearing this sweater -- she has 

several colors and prints, and we love how well they fit her

(they're machine washable, too!)

bailey last made an appearance on my blog here!

are you a dog owner? if so, you can likely relate to 

the immense love my family and i have for our pup. we treat

her like a member of our family. despite her old age, she 

continues to enjoy being carted around with us and the occasional

walk (particularly if she knows treats will be

provided after). 

xoxo.

a birthday weekend

^^^ a few photos from my iPhone as of late ^^^

this past weekend, i celebrated my 28th birthday!

i took an extra day off from work, slept in, had my hair cut, and 

indulged in far too many donuts, cookies, and several pieces of chocolate cake;

any semblance of healthy eating went out the window (as it should, right?!). 

my coworkers spoiled me with dessert, gorgeous spring flowers,

and a canvas painting that is decorated with the handprints of each of

the toddlers in my class (it's pictured above, and i cannot stop smiling

each time i look at it). being a toddler teacher can be difficult at times, but 

incredibly rewarding, too! i often wish they would listen better, clean up 

after themselves, and walk in the classroom, but i couldn't be happier to spend each 

day with them. i absolutely love the painting they made for me :) 

27, you've been good to me! 

i started a new job, spent a great deal of time with friends and family, 

traveled to tennessee, california, and hawaii, 

and pursued my passions for both writing and fashion on this little blog.

as far as other less exciting // unsubstantial milestones, 

i discovered a love for smoothies (green juice no longer tastes like grass!)

and stopped biting my nails. sometimes you have to celebrate and recognize

the small accomplishments, right? 

thank you to everyone who helped me to celebrate my birthday this year;

you sure know how to make a girl feel loved!

and 28, i can't wait to see what's in store.

xoxo. 

aloha!

my family and i spent the week after christmas 

in kona, hawaii. we swam, explored different beaches, 

ate deliciously fresh fish, and greatly enjoyed the sunshine together!

^^^ pu'uhonua o honaunau national historic park -

while my dad and brother snorkeled here, mom and i read and

walked around the tide pools on the lava. ^^^

^^^ on our way to the beach one afternoon, 

we were all craving a treat. we made a stop at this adorable

antique shop after seeing the sign 'antiques + ice cream.' 

i can't even tell you how often i ate coffee ice cream while on vacation;

coffee ice cream is prevalent in hawaii ^^^

^^^ cheers to 2016! we rang in the new year from the beach. 

we enjoyed dinner at the restaurant, lava lava beach club. 

the view could not have been more perfect! ^^^

^^^ and this guy - always on the hunt for geckos (mostly

as a means of tormenting me). brother + sister love, i suppose? ^^^

'do you wanna build a snowman?'

^^^ for our last night, we said goodbye to kona and drove up to kamuela.

we checked into our favorite place, the hapuna beach prince hotel.

the hotel (particularly the pool area) is stunning and 

sits above our favorite beach, hapuna! ^^^

the waves, white sand, and warm sunshine was just what 

this girl needed to recharge for the new year. 

i feel incredibly grateful to have spent the week relaxing with my family.

now, can i go back?! 

xoxo. 

happy sunday!

^^^ and to those who celebrate, happy easter! ^^^

source

source

happy sunday, everyone! 

i am down south with my family this week, 

and today, we attended church at the cathedral in louisville, kentucky. 

we then continued our easter celebration over brunch. 

i spent the afternoon exploring the downtown area

and enjoyed a few too many treats (including chocolate french toast!).

i hope you had a wonderful weekend and happy easter!

xoxo.

vacation

source

my bags are packed, and tomorrow, 

this girl is headed to tennessee. 

my little brother attends college at the university, 

and my family is planning to spend the week with him!

i am very much looking forward to our visit

and exploring somewhere new.

i have a few posts (both from myself and fellow bloggers) in the works,

so please stay tuned! 

you can also follow me on instagram @mepribble

and twitter @meganpribble to keep up with my adventures.

happy friday, everyone! 

life lately...

...according to my iPhone (and willie's phone, too)

^^^ pool time, disney land (!!!) and of course, 

the beach! ^^^

^^^ toes in the sand (and an adorable message from willie's cousin!),

brunch at the beach, including these tasty beignets ^^^

above are a few photos from our trip thus far. 

i cannot get enough of the warm temperatures, sunshine,

and the feeling of the sand between my toes. 

i think i am a california girl at heart.

xoxo.

outfit swap

dress & bracelets: swap with mom,  bag: zara, flats: nordstrom

above is another little gem of a dress 

that i dug out of the back of my mom's closet. 

i need to scour her closet more often, 

as i found several pieces i wanted to keep.

for now, she said i may only borrow;

mom, i will be back!

xoxo.

hello from the sunshine

romper and bandeau: muse apparel (from my recent trip to hawaii), 

chambray: american eagle, flip flops: havaianas, bracelet: urban outfitters

i cannot believe this sunshine and the warm temperatures -

i was fortunate to have spent the past few days 

in LA with my boyfriend, jack. 

i realize i have not formally introduced him on this little blog,

but i promise to share photos and stories soon.

his family lives in LA and graciously hosted us for the weekend.

we took a day trip to disney land, did a fair amount of shopping, 

ate delicious food, and visited the local race tracks.

it was an amazing trip! 

i am definitely not ready to return home.

jack's amazing family, thank you again.

xoxo.

thoughts from the rambler

source

"we just want you to be happy, megan."

this is something i hear quite often;

for as long as i can remember, my parents have

shared with me and emphasized the importance of being happy. 

or rather, of making myself happy.

i have to admit, 

after graduating from college, and even towards the end 

of my college career, i was not happy.

i was sad, disappointed with myself, and constantly anxious. 

anxious about my future.

unsure of myself as a person.

nervous about the decisions i was preparing to make.

with a great deal of support, however, 

i pushed through those years. 

i contemplated going back to school (numerous times),

tried working a variety of jobs.

created new friendships, and said goodbye to some, too.

dated several people.

and experienced what felt like an emotional pendulum - 

swinging back and forth, back and forth. 

i am not sure what changed exactly.

i cannot pinpoint a particular moment in time,

choice that was made,

or experience that took place.

perhaps it is a culmination of things -

but something changed for the better.

i finally feel content.

i feel happy with where i am in my life right now.

i can confidently say i am proud of myself. that is big. 

proud of my accomplishments.

proud of the person i am becoming 

(though that will likely continue to change (ever so slightly)).

proud of the decisions i have made. 

mom and dad, i can wholeheartedly say, "i am happy."

i know i will to have good days and bad days, too.

i will surely call you crying 

and continue to need your support, faith in me, and reassurance.

you will have to remind me to strive for happiness. 

when i get lost (which i will), 

and when i make a mistake (and i will make many),

please remind me that i can find that stability, 

and that happiness again. 

that's all.

xoxo.

a holiday update

it is hard to believe christmas is already here! 

finished the last of my holiday shopping... yesterday...

nothing like leaving it to the last minute, right? 

this past week has been a blast. 

celebrating with friends.

snuggling my favorite pup.

being reunited with my very, very best friend after her travels abroad.

delicious treats.
christmas vacation has begun.

taking in all the festive sites seattle has to offer around the holidays. 

now it is off for some quality family time.

p.s. dear santa, my car really REALLY really needs an oil change. 

love always, megan.

a letter to mom

"'being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs...

since the payment is pure love' said mildred vermont.

i previously wrote a letter to my dad, detailing childhood memories

and silly stories, providing a brief glance into our relationship. 

with the approaching holidays (when the importance of family is paramount),

i wanted to do the same for you, mom.

though our relationship is far from perfect, i am grateful to have you as my mother.

not only are you my mom, but also my friend, role model, and mentor. 

i remember us baking cookies when i was little;

you always let me lick the spoon.

i remember you driving me to school, curling my hair,

and helping me with homework each day [...]"

you can read more of my letter to my mom here.

xoxo.

*image found on google

giving thanks

giving thanks for this little pup today.

seriously, i love her.

thank you to my friends and family, too;

i am so grateful to have you in my life. 

now it is time to bathe and prepare for the epic food coma that will ensue shortly :)

happy thanksgiving everyone!

xoxo.

thankful

today i am thankful for my family...

thankful for the food mom left me while she is out of town.

thankful for a warm bed with clean sheets to sleep in.

thankful they call to check up on me. 

thankful for their ever-present love and support.

thankful for the time i will spend with them as the holiday's approach.

thankful they still take pity on me (on occasion) and buy me paper towels and toilet paper.

thankful for their encouragement.

thankful for their on-demand (i may have rented a movie... or three).

and especially thankful for the little pup that lives here. boy do i love her :)

xoxo.

*image found on google

letters

tank, sweater & skirt: nordstrom, flats: thrifted

dear teen girls,

for the past two years, i have had the pleasure of volunteering at camp.

as the end of summer approaches,

i anxiously await our very special weekend together.

i am grateful for the time we shared and feel honored to have met you.

i am in awe of the honesty and humility expressed when sharing your stories;

i admire the courage it took to tell your peers about the loss

or losses you experienced.

i wish i could dry your tears, lesson your pain, and rewind the clock so you could share more time with the person or persons you lost.

i wish i could restore the carefree and happy childhood 

so many of you have become deprived of.

losing a family member at such a young age shows what an unfair place our world is.

 ( to read more of my letter, please visit here )

dear hair,

please grow.

dear room,

please clean yourself.

dear mom, 

thank you for helping with the baby today, buying me new bath towels (!!!!!!!!),

and filling up loui. 

i cannot remember the last time he had a full tank of gas.

i am a creature of habit - $5 here, $10 there... but never a full tank! 

thank you again.

dear credit card bill,

go. away. now.

i'm back!

after what felt like 281830 million hours on the plane(s) last night, we made it home! 

it was an immensely enjoyable and relaxing trip.

i am so grateful for the time i spent with my family and our dear friends.

can i go back?

when tom asked what we did,

i told him "well, we went to the beach...

...i read four books

...took several naps

...laid in the sun
...went to a farmers market

...swam in the pool

...and went to the beach."

nothing too exhilarating, but the perfect amount of relaxation! 

{ just a few more pictures, i promise }

fortunately, i can continue to enjoy the sunshine in seattle :)
now back to work for this girl.
xoxo. 

our zipline tour

on thursday we went on a zipline canopy tour with big island eco adventures.

despite our near encounter with death on the drive up to the ziplines

(the bus nearly tipped over multiple times),

the copious mosquitoes, 

on again - off again rain,

and epic heights, 

it was an incredible day! 

we had the opportunity to "zip" eight times,

with each zip getting progressively longer and faster.

at one point, we actually jumped off a platform and into the air!

it was hard not to feel at peace amongst the gorgeous surroundings :)

only a few more hours in paradise before heading home.

...not quite ready for that...

xoxo. 

*image found here

a hawaiian tradition // the luau

 romp romp rompin' around at the luau

we went with our dear family friends to a luau last night. 

we enjoyed hawaiian music, hula dancing, and delicious food.

we even watched the pig (pictured above (in the ground)) as it was removed from the

"earth oven." everyone loved it.

i tried it, too... as odd as it smelled, and as gross as it looked being removed from said oven.

i suppose it is better not to think about such things...?

the best part of the luau? (aside from the hula dancers)

the gorgeous sunset! 

please excuse me while i return to my food coma.

good night!

xoxo.

a glimpse of paradise so far

we finally arrived - after what felt like 921038029130 hours of travel.

thank goodness for movies on airplanes...

my brother and i watched the hunger games.

it made the flight(s) go by much more quickly! 

after going to bed at 8pm last night,

i am ready for a day of sunshine and relaxation.

it is gorgeous out, and i could not be more thankful to be here with my family :)

see you soon! 

xoxo.

*quote found on google

little vacation

aloha! 

i am off to hawaii for a few days with my family. 

i packed swimsuits, flip flops, and books.

thus, i have several guest posts planned for you from some of my favorite bloggers :)

stay tuned, and have a great weekend.

xoxo. 

*image found on google

a sad day

i drove to my parent's house this morning

and was greeted by this...

a giant "sold" sign :(

i've known their move was imminent,

but seeing that the house is (officially) no longer ours was disheartening. 

you see,

that house has been home for the past fourteen years.

and soon it will be home to a new family.

please excuse me while i go ponder this a bit...

perhaps i, too will join my brother's boycott and refuse to say goodbye. 

xoxo.