Happy Presidalentine's Day!

This is so good.

For a lover of love and Presidential geek such as myself, I don't think it gets much better than Valentine's Day falling on President's Day Weekend. I'm in heaven. And though three day weekends aren't quite as special as they used to be since I started working from home, I still plan to snuggle with my sweetie on Saturday and pay homage to George and Abe (and all the others!) on Monday. Want to combine the two?! Well thank goodness for THIS.

Also, have you seen this commercial?! Obviously as soon as I saw it I was like "I MUST LEARN THAT SONG!" and so off to the world wide web I went to find it. 

Success.

Wishing you a wonderful Valentine's Day filled with love and a Monday fit for a President (whatever that means!) xox

Hump Day Distractions

hehe.

What's a week without a hump!? Let's get over it together with these goodies from around the web. Enjoy!

* Get ready to salivate

* For anyone you know that's in the market for a wedding dress (eghm, Sis!)

* I might have to take a trip to London just to see THIS in person!

* Is it better to go fast or go far when you run?

* I want to wear you.

* This kid does not give a damn about meeting the President of the United States. You do you kid. 

* The truth behind a perfectly manicured Instagram life

* The perfect picture is all about the moment you go "click"

Hooray for Independence Day!

1776 inspired.

July 4th is one of my absolute favorite holidays. Maybe that seems like an odd choice, but between the delicious eats (burgers, hot dogs, seafood, corn, those ooey gooey mayo-based salads!), sunshiney locales (beach, boat, pool, lake!) and fireworks (FIREWORKS!!!!) I don't think there is a more relaxed and lovely day set aside for getting together with friends and family all year. (Plus, I heart me some founding fathers/American history. Seriously). Here to ensure your Independence Day celebrations are plenty red white and blue-y are some goodies from around the web.

15 (awesomely patriotic looking) Recipes for the 4th of July from SMP Living HERE.

Everything you need (and where to buy it!) for a patriotic picnic from Oh Happy Day HERE.

* Ever wonder where the best place in your state to watch fireworks is!? *

* Click HERE and HERE for some nifty facts about
the history of our independence day and how July 4th became a holiday! * 

How about an adorable Patriotic Mini Pie!? Learn how to make em HERE.

This simple craft is perfect for little kids who need to be entertained while you man the grill!

And don't forget to start your day with breakfast and a side of patriotic flair! (Inspiration HERE and HERE)

Peace out Homies.

Woop woooooop!

Hooray for Friday! Hooray for long weekends! Hooray for the Presidents!! Is there anything better than the anticipation of a 3-day weekend (followed by a shortened work week!?) I mean look at this, I'm EXPLODING with exclamation points over here!!! To kick off the holiday weekend, I thought I'd share some ideas for passing the time and celebrating the great Abe and George. Also, I've had a particularly inspiration-filled few days, so be sure to come back next week (starting Tuesday of course, bloggers need time off too!) for some awesome Merry Meri musings. Happy Friday my friends!

You guys remember how much I love me some American President right!? Well in the spirit  of patriotism and acknowledging February's most underrated holiday, HERE are some crafty ways to celebrate President's Day. I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner, but perhaps a Presidential Theme Party should be planned next year!?

Looking for some great movies to entertain you while you lounge around on your couch this weekend? I recently watched both of these flicks for the first time and loved them. I somehow missed Everything Must Go starring Will Ferrell when it came out, but the funnyman pretty much nails it in this dark comedy. And if you're looking for something totally different, consider the 1950s classic Sabrina which captures the charm and beauty of Hepburn and Bogart along with the simplicity of early Hollywood film.

Rich in experiences (& spare change)

What a brilliant and simple project to transform all of that spare change you brought back from overseas into a piece of decor and conversation for your home! All you need is glue, an inexpensive frame and your piggy bank (you know those foreign coins are sitting at the bottom!) to make this craft your own.

Music, drinks and tacos. NICE.

Once, way back when, a (super cool) friend took Dr. H and I to Union Pool in Brooklyn for a concert. It had totally fallen off my radar screen until last night when another (super cool) couple asked if we wanted to join them for a night of dancing at the Pool. Superb DJs, excellent concerts, and the tasty El Diablo taco truck make Union Pool one hip place to hangout. Check it.

On this day...

Inauguration Day 2009 - Before sunrise

... we, as Americans, have a lot to be proud of, and much to hope for.

Last time, I was there:)

"With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations." - Barack Obama, January 20, 2009

"As we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead."

Here's to the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the hope that our past trials will lead to a brighter future for all those who dare to dream.

We the people...

Voting. So hot right now.

I've spent a lot of time debating whether or not to get political on SeektobeMerry. As you might imagine, this girl (a Washington DC university attending (go GDubs!) poli sci major, who digs a good constitutional conversation and crushes on George Washington) is acutely focused on the current Presidential election and has some well researched and highly opinionated thoughts on all things Obama v. Romney. However, I have made the executive decision (a "Blogger Executive Order"!?) to make this a non-partisan space. Politics can be very divisive and with a mission to make you merry, I don't think my political opinion should be part of our conversation. 

But the fact is, I care. I care deeply and I think that you should too. Are the Democrats or Republicans a perfect embodiment of all your political beliefs? Probably not, but at the moment they're what we've got. Are either of these candidates going to make dramatic changes to your everyday life? Again, unlikely, but their actions will impact you and the actions they each intend to take are VERY different. I think you should be informed and you should exercise your right to have an opinion and cast a vote (a right which people fight to the death for in other nations). Your vote isn't going to fix the economy, end discrimination or stop terrorism, but it is a tiny piece of the puzzle that you get to be as an American citizen (and we all know that puzzles with missing pieces are the WORST). So this fall, take a moment to educate yourself on where these two candidates stand on issues that you feel passionately about. Few of us will have time to know every detail (lord knows I'm trying!) but we can think about things that have meaning to us (education? financial reform? gay rights? the environment? student loans?) and cast a vote for the candidate who comes closest to representing our beliefs on those issues. We the People must always believe in the possibility of a more perfect union, and we must do what we can to achieve it. VOTE!

* To check your voter registration status, find your local polling place or request an absentee ballot, click HERE.

I love George Washington.

Seriously, he's my favorite President. (Yes, I have a favorite President.)

FRIDAAAAYY! Woop wooop! Hopefully most of you are anxiously awaiting a three day weekend like I am, or maybe you're one of those lucky few that's about to get an entire week off (damn you educators!) However long you'll be celebrating the great Presidents Lincoln and Washington (LOVE me an American President) I hope you've got something awesome on tap. In honor of the holiday (and because I am truly a dork at heart) here's some Presidential greatness to take you into the weekend:

Someone PLEASE make me this
(I'll take that rad print chair and red accent pillow as well please).

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Did you know that George Washington's favorite foods were pineapples and Brazil Nuts? 

(I have not verified any of the information on this website, but I do believe everything I read on the internet.)

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Reason number bajillion why uncommongoods.com is the coolest place to shop

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Did you know that Abraham Lincoln was the first President to have a beard?

(*I told you, everything I read on the internet.)

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Does anyone want to come over and do arts & crafts with me? (I'm only half kidding)

Dream a little dream for..?

I spend a lot of time dreaming and scheming. I can’t help myself... on a daily basis I think about all the things in this world I wish I could do or be or visit. All of this dreaming makes for quite a mental “to do” list so I’m wondering - how do we know which of our dreams are worth chasing? Assuming we take the arguably downer, but (let's be adults here) realistic view of our personal dreams, we know that some are probably not going to pan out (be the first woman President) and some just might be within reach (see the northern lights). And once we've mustered up the courage to select that big dream worth chasing (be bilingual) when is the right time to go for it? I have so many more questions than answers!!

I think being a dreamer is a good thing, but maybe it leads to more disappointment than it’s worth. On my honeymoon, Dr. H and I hiked for 4 days to Machu Picchu which is something I’d dreamed of doing. It was a big dream, a big adventure and 4 of the best days of my life. On the flip side, I dreamed of being a Moot Court all star in law school and when I didn’t make the team I was devastated. In the end, I believe “you’ve got to play to win!” and I think that applies to dreaming big, but that’s just me. What about you? Do you place constraints on your dreams or is the sky the limit? Will you be chasing a dream this weekend?

Dream on merry readers!

(Image via Pinterest)