{realtor riner} spring has sprung. no joke.

spring equals warmer weather, flowers blooming, birds chirping, and the sense of anew. but in real estate, spring means january/february. i'm not kidding. spring has sprung people and it's time to act.

most people tell me they want to start looking for a home to buy or consider putting their homes up for sale in the spring. but the problem with waiting until march and april is that so is everyone else. you aren't the only one that will be out there looking or listing your home. so, like any other area of life, be proactive and think ahead. it's kinda like the above picture. would you rather have your home for sale when inventory is low and it stands out or when everyone is putting their home on the market and it's just a number? would you rather be looking for a place to buy when you're one of the few looking or do you want to deal with multiple offers and escalation clauses among a sea of offers?! it's kinda a no-brainer.

so while this blog post might be short and sweet, it's all about making you aware as the public. most of the reports on the housing market are at the very least 3-6 months behind what we are seeing on the frontlines. see reach out to your local real estate expert (ahem, LAUREN RINER, ahem) and start the process. i can promise that you'll thank me later.

xoxo Lauren

{boozy bevvies} official drink of kenny

first let me state fact. when i, or anyone for that matter, refer to kenny, i am not referring to the following: kenny loggins, kenny rogers, kenny from south park, or kenny g. there is only one kenny in my book.

mr. kenny chesney. every year, my best friend and i look forward to girls' weekend where we can 'sit in the sand with a drink in our hands' and enjoy the BEST CONCERT of the year. we seriously make a long weekend out of this concert. since i live in northern virginia and she in charlottesville, we both make our way to virginia beach and relax beachfront. seriously- if you've never taken a trip with your best friend where it's just the two of you, i highly recommend it. it's so rejuvenating and relaxing and SO MUCH FUN.

kenny trip circa 2011

we just found out this week that he's coming back to virginia beach after taking a year off from the venue. why? i do not know. BUT WE ARE SOOO STINKIN' EXCITED!!!

kenny trip circa 2012 - show in dc. found some strangers. ;-)

now back in the day, when we first started attending said concerts, we were young and wild. not saying that we're not wild when we get together now- it's just a little less. ha. here's us one year at buffet.

buffet trip circa 2006

so young, wild, and poor. what do you drink and tailgate with on said concert going excursions?! what my dear friend meghan likes to call, jolly ranchers. yum. yum. yum. can't wait.

jolly rancher

margarita mix

mango rum

mix to your hearts content and enjoy. just don't drink too many or you'll end up like this:

wild lauren circa 2006.

xoxo Lauren

{friday fun} everything zooey.

this weekend was the kick-off of awards season with the golden globes. so as i sat with my two GBFFs watching the red carpet, we immediately began asking each other who looked the best. i loved both of the dresses worn by the ladies of nashville and, of course, kate hudson looked smashing in her simple black stunner. but the one that really stood out to me was zooey deschanel's red princess dress. i loved it because it was soooo her. this girl never forgets who she is and her style- but isn't over the top with it either. she didn't look like she was playing dress-up. it looked like she took her style to a next level.

i realized though that there hasn't been too much she has done that i DIDN'T like. i loved (500) days of summer, she & him, and, of course, new girl. now my tv preferences are all over the map. i love sci-fi, medical dramas, family comedies, period pieces, and the occasional reality show. but new girl has to be one of my current favorite shows on tv right now.

this is a group of adults my age that are dealing with the same ridiculous issues- and make it look hysterical and not-so-serious. take their constant ragging on each other for their jobs or the nick/zooey relationship. i can point to different areas of my life at this very moment and share their similarities. but i will not. that's my secret and i'm sticking to it. ha.

i love zooey's character jess, but it's her relationship with her 3 dude roommates that just adds a whole other layer to the show. nick. winston. schmidt. o. m. g. where do i begin with schmidt. here's a video to give you an idea because i can't really verbalize him. truth.



if you haven't checked it out, i HIGHLY recommend you do so.

another one of zooey's projects is the ah-may-zing hello giggles. this is literally a giggle-inducing website. no joke. they tackle touch subjects with heart. they review old movies that i may or may not own on VHS in their 'old lady movie night.' and they make fun of themselves along with others. so for your {friday fun}, i give you their realistic, hysterical, and logical review of jessica simpson's music video for her early hit, i think i'm in love with you. if you aren't about to fall out of your chair with laughter while reading it, there may be something wrong with you. seriously- you need to get it checked. i have a great doctor to refer you to if need be.

xoxo Lauren