newest obsessions

I have been accused of having a somewhat obsessive personality. I don't deny that, yes, I may have a slight tendancy to become... eager over belongings or foods to colors or anything of the like

Obsessive? Maybe.

Okay. Probably.

But only a little. And nothing dangerous (unless you count giant purses dangerous, which some might).

And so, in the spirit of my slightly obsessive personality, these are currently the things in my life that I have become obsessed with.

This awesome yellow airport bag* I picked up from Target for only $12.99.

*Y'all do know what an airport bag is, right? No? Just my own Megan-ism? Well, let me explain one of the great inventions of all time: the airport bag.

An airport bag, is, esentially, a large tote bag that one would use on a trip to carry all of their belongings through the airport. You know, because one requires a lot more things while going on a trip to the airport than they normally do on a day-to-day basis. I picked up this particular airport bag for my recent(ish) trip to Wisconsin. However, I personally use my aiport bag every single day of my life.

I tend to accumulate a lot of things.

There's probably some correlation between having a giant purse and carrying more things around. But, as a good psych major, I know that corrleation does not equal causation.

Besides, this bag is cute, fun, and perfect for summer. Especially in that bright, cheerful shade of yellow.

Yellow might just become my new pink.

Maybe. Though, I don't look good in yellow (the curse of being a fair-skinned blonde!) so only yellow accessories will have to do.

This bag is not only good for carrying around all the essentials one might need (ya know, water bottle, umbrealla, cell, keys, etc, etc) it's also stury enough to tote around all 12 pounds of War & Peace.

That's no small feat, I assure you. Neither is reading it. But that's another post, for another day.

This is my other new obsession: these awesome vintage-esque rainboots with little pink birds on them. So, they combine two obsessions into one awesome thing: birds and rainboots. These were another Target find. As soon as I saw them, I knew they had to be mine mine mine.

Of course, it's rained all of one time since I've had them. Um, hello, where's my rainy summer weather that I ordered?

I've also been made fun of by my best friend and a few others, but that doesn't stop me from loving these boots! Besides, I think it's just their jealousy shinning through.

Sometimes, you just need to make sacrifies for fashion.

ikea: like disney world, only better

Sunday, I forced my parents (I needed my dad's truck for all the grand plans I had) to drive me an hour north to this place of wonders.

I'd seen pictures on the news - crowds lined up waiting for the doors to open each and every morning. Of people camping outside, days before the grand opening, only a month earlier. It was like no one had ever seen a discount furniture store.

Or maybe no one had ever seen a Swedish discount furniture store before.

I wanted to see what all of the hype was about. I also wanted to get me some discount furniture - and yes, Swedish discount furniture at that. Especially since I'll be moving in a few short weeks and the only furniture I have to my name is my bed and a bookshelf I picked up at Target.

And so, I had lofty expectations for this Swedish discount furniture store.

We arrived to an empty parking lot Sunday morning. I considered that all of the hype had been exaggerated, no one really wanted discount Swedish furniture. But then, I considered that we were two hours early and the store didn't open until 12 on Sundays.

After driving aimlessly around town for awhile, we ventured back to the promised land and found, much to our amazement, the parking lot begin to fill. Even with an hour left to open.

Then, the line began to form.

Then, the rain started to pour. With the rain pouring in, the crowds began doing the same.

Finally, at 11:30, the doors were opening and we trickled inside with the rest of them. We were given a map (shown above) of the maze that is IKEA and tiny pencils in which to mark our findings.

My mom and I executed a game plan. My step-dad commented on the losers surrounding him. We reminded him he was one of them.

With hundreds of other thrifty shoppers, we began our way through the maze that is IKEA. Ushered from one room to next without even realizing it. Gazing at everything from couches to throw pillows to kitchen cabinets to vases.

It was crowded. It was overwhelming - with everything there was to see and experience and to browse. It was just like Disney World.

Only better.

Especially for a frugal soul like myself, looking to furnish her first apartment as inexpensively as possible. IKEA, the Swedish discount furniture store, was just the place for me.

It was like finding my mother ship.

In only two hours (it could have been much, much, much longer, but we were ushered quickly through by the man we had brought with us) we'd made it through IKEA.

And for only $300, I walked away with 2 end tables, a coffee table, an entire bed, a pillow that had the map of the world on it, 2 lamps, a rug, and 3 tiny stuffed animals and burp clothes for a certain someone I learned was expecting that very morning.

Not too shabby.

So, for that, IKEA became my version of the happiest place on earth.

After all, discount Swedish furniture is bound to make anyone happy.