l o v e

why don't you have a boyfriend {interchangeble with husband}  yet? 

Ladies and Gentlemen, a constantly recurring conversation with my mother and grandma. I'm sure we have all {don't deny it:: all} been asked this question. Every time I hear this question, I turn into a fifth-grade, nervous wreck, sweaty palms, blushing adolescent girl who is frozen with fear. The truth is I do love. I l o v e like a little kid loves a puppy. I have so many things in my life that I love and that I honestly put before my love life. So for all y'all in the same boat as me {I know you are out there}, we all love things more. What do I love?

My blog (obvi)

Family

Mac 'N Cheese

Friends 

F.R.I.E.N.D.S Reruns

Ugly Betty Reruns

Long walks on the beach

Ben and Jerry's 

My blog (obvi)

Donuts

Starbucks

A good book

Beach

Candles 

Organizing

Snail Mail

Monograms

Laughs {lots and lots of them}

Puppies

City

Sweatshirts

Good Songs

Pinterest 

Movies that make you cry

Movies that make you laugh

Movies that make you cry & laugh

Photobooths

Memories

well this isn't my full list, but this is what i l o v e. you can't just love one thing and you can't just live your life without having a little love in it. Love with come to us in different forms: in a love-r, an unexpected letter, a treat from the local bakery. we will all find our l o v e. 

what do you l o v e?

Cleanse

I love cleaning. I know it sounds crazy, but organizing things makes me so happy and makes me feel so good. This past week, I have been doing a crazy "fall cleanse" and getting rid of all my old clothes that don't fit. Not going to lie, I'm a hoarder when it comes to clothes that I love. I just remember all the fun memories I had in them {cheesy, I know} I finally had to get rid of some of those clothes that were taking up space and make room for some new ones {shoppin' spree!!} I know it is a hard "task" to grasp, but getting rid of all the old clothes made me feel so so so good. I was able to donate 1 garbage bag full to Goodwill/Salvation Army and another as hand-me-downs to my sweet cousins. Cleaning my room/old clothes was great motivation for me. I try to honor the "take one out, one goes in" motto so my closet doesn't get too packed. When I started, I didn't have one extra hanger for clothes, but know after getting rid, I have a few more and weight has been lifted. 

Have you ever done a big "clean/donate"?

5 Simple...but Relaxing Breaks

This has been the strangest of weeks. I've been pushed to my limits this week. I have been so busy with all this work and it keeps on piling up on my desk. It doesn't seem to end. Papers needing to be filed, work to be done before deadlines, catching up with my daily social media fix, having a social life: these things just don't seem to end. We all need a break here and there to catch our breath and save ourselves. Here are some of the 5 Simple...but relaxing breaks to take to make you feel better...and fast!

#1: Go for a walk: Seriously? A walk with all this on my plate? you think. It will help. Sitting behind a desk for too long without moving will just tire you out. Taking a few laps around the block with get your brain moving again and the endorphins will boost your attitude. Bring a coworker or friend for a little mid-day conversation and catch-up while your at it. 

#2: Grab a Treat: We all need a pick-me up. Once that 3:30 feeling hits, I'm a goner. My personal fav is a quick donut from Dunkin' Donuts. It makes me feel so happy and energized. Don't have more than one: too much sugar and you will definitely crash! 

#3: Pinterest: Can I live in Pinterest? Scrolling a few pins will give you a little boost of happiness. Pinterest is a great place for inspiration and browsing through them always makes me feel so good. Hint: My favorite is Humor/Kids. They always give me a good laugh when I need it. 

#4: Exercise: Exercising gives you endorphins! Endorphins make you happy. Happy people don't kill their husbands. Legally Blonde moment: it was needed. Hopping on the treadmill for a quick workout will get the blood flowing and the endorphins moving through your body. It is a guaranteed way to relieve stress and make you happy. If you can't get to a gym, do a few laps around your local park or track. 

#5: Netflix: We all have a guilty pleasure we love to watch. (Kardashians anybody? Ugly Betty - I'm down!) Most of these shows are on Netflix streaming. When I'm down in the dumps, an episode can bring me right back up. Don't watch more than one or you'll be having yourself a movie marathon which is really hard to get out of. If you don't have Netflix or a service like it, find a show you like on Youtube or on cable. 

What are your favorite simple...but relaxing breaks?

Fall Favorites

Although I am very a little sad that summer has come to a close, I'm really looking forward to fall. Summer has had some amazing memories, but honestly, I was almost expecting more. Obviously, some things were great, but others just made me wanting fall to be here. I hope next summer has more in store for me. Regardless, I'm stoked for autumn. I've started to pull out my sweaters from dust bags under my bed (eep!) and bring my Patagonia out of hiding. I love having a "go-to outfit for the winter, so I thought I would break down a few of my classic fall favorites!

School/Work Day: In the morning, I have absolutely zero time for mistakes, so having this outfit idea tucked in the back of my mind for when I oversleep is key. It is so simple and the simplicity makes it look like you thought it out! This outfit is perfect for a lazy study day too.

Black Patagonia

Long-sleeve college tee

Leggings

Riding Boots

Pearls

Long draping necklace

Side Braid 

Night Out: On Fridays, I am so (let me tell you so) ready to just relax with friends, so having a nice outfit thought out for dinners and get-togethers makes life a breeze. 

Creme Sweater

Skinny Jeans

Bean Boots/Riding Boots

Silver Necklace

Dangly Earrings 

Paired with a light jacket if needed 

Fancier Event/Church: On these types of occasions, it is nice to have something that requires no effort what so ever. 

Long-sleeve dress

Light coverup

Heels/ankle booties

Pearls

Necklace

What are some of your Fall Favorites?

 

Infinity

To Infinity and Beyond has always been a "catchphrase" that has stuck with me. Iconic line of Buzz Lightyear from Pixar Studio's, Toy Story, I have always loved infinity - never ending. Some of my most favorite things in life are pieces of jewelry. {rings and necklaces are by far my favorite} I have an adorable infinity sign necklace and a infinity sign ring {which is on loan to me} I am not sure what I love so much about infinity, but it probably the immortality about it. I know how cheesy it sounds, but it really love it. 

What is your favorite symbol?

Toxins

I know I just gave a whole talk about new beginnings and about how beneficial they really are. However, toxic friendships have definitely on the brain. I, unfortunately, have had my share of unbelievable toxic friendships. Most of the time, they started off perfect. Once the honeymoon period wore off, people started getting really "catty" and it gave me a lot of stress. I was anxious about how to deal with these situations. I found myself holding in a lot of the anger and frustration I built up. It was unhealthy for me to have all these negative relationships in my life and this anger around me. I was irritable and frankly, just plain rude. I realized that these toxic friendships really stemmed from toxic people. I know that sounds just down right horrible to blame the entire thing on one person, but there isn't much someone can do if they don't cause a toxic relationship. Toxic people often don't care much about others which makes it hard to have a lasting relationship. A few years ago, two good friends I had made on particular sports team. We created a bond and it felt so great to have such great friends on the team that were in my grade. The following year, they teamed up and created this ultra-clique between themselves. They blocked me out and bullied me all the time. I didn't want to go to practice and I dreaded seeing them in school. When I called them out on it, they would ignore it and they would laugh at me behind my back. I was so frustrated and blamed it on myself. These toxic friends did not stop until an intervention from my coach. One of them felt so horribly that she wrote an apology note, while the other avoided (and still does) the entire situation. It makes me upset that they didn't "got away" without more of a punishment, but I am a strong believer in karma. What goes around comes around.  These toxic friends are out of my life and I can finally breathe again. The storm is over and I couldn't be more thankful for that. It is never hard to break about relationships that aren't working, but when you are in over your head in toxic relationships, enough is enough after a while. It wasn't the easiest process facing people who bullied me, but killing off those relationships has honestly been the most healing and rewarding thing I've done in a while. I found my group and the positive friends who bring out the best in me. It has taken me a while to find them, but I am ecstatic that I've found them.

Lovin' Lately: August

With August [sadly] wrapping to a close, it is time for Lovin' Lately, a post about all the amazing things that August has had in store. Sadly, school is just around the corner. My blood pressure skyrockets when I pass the "Back to School" decorates the floor of Wal-Mart. However, August has always been a crazy month and I've found my favorite five for this month.

1) INSTAGRAM: There is nothing better than catching up with people you haven't seen in a while. Instagram is a great way to keep in touch via photos. The filters make it so great too and it is a great way to see what your friends are doing through their eyes.

2) MAKE-UP MIRRORS: These things are life-savers. They help you see that small things you are missing in a normal mirror and make your overall makeup look a whole lot better. They sell them in different magnifications. I try to avoid the super magnified ones because they hurt my eyes. 5x magnification is the best in my opinion.

3) CAR MARKERS: This is definitely the sign of school starting (at least for my school) - when seniors decorate their cars with car markers. My favorite car markers are the Crayola Crystal Effects Car Markers. They are so cool. When you first write, the color looks a little faded and dull, but within a few seconds, the color brightens and crystallizes. It is definitely worth the purchase. I got mine at Wal-Mart.

4) BELVITA: These breakfast energy bars are the best! Four biscuits are in one package and they keep you full until lunch. They are great and come in delicious flavors. Perfect for super fast mornings when you oversleep your alarm (happened)

5) GROOPDEALZ.COM: I can't put any words together that would accurately share my love for Groopdealz.com. It is basically an eBay geared towards women. You make an account [for free] and each item is posted for a two days. You "buy the item" you want and they ship it to your house.

What are your August favorites?