Tag: family

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Fabulous living

Summer Recap 2019

I can’t believe I am writing my summer 2019 recap. This has been a wonderful and packed full summer. When I moved back home in May, I didn’t know what this summer had in store for me. Yes, I knew there would be work, fun, and friends but other than that, I was open to any opportunity that presented itself. I accomplished a lot these past few months, from working at home, working at school, lots of family time, seeing a lot of friends from high school and college, weekend getaways, and trying new things. Let’s take a look back at my summer to do list and see if I accomplished everything. 

Get license renewed

  • Yes, I got this done the first day I was home and was so happy to get it done. 

Work/Internship

  • Yes, I worked at the same job I have been working at since high school and I got a lot f projects accomplished while I was there. I also volunteered for a Campaign this summer and it was interesting to see all the behind the scenes that goes into it. 

Make College photo album 

  • Yes, this was such a fun project and I’m glad I have all my pictures in one spot for the future, plus it was cool to look back on all the memories made. 

Celebrate 21

  • Yes, One of the highlights of my summer was celebrating my birthday with all my friends in Pittsburgh, it was so fun to spend the weekend with my people. You can read all about it here.
Celebrating 21 with my girls

See friends from college and high school

  • Yes, I made a few trips to Pittsburgh for work or to visit friends and it was so good to connect with friends outside of school. I also managed to hang out a lot with my high school friends whether it was weekend trips or fro yo runs. 
  • High school buds
  • College besties

Portfolio (BLS)

  • Yes and No, I am still in the process of completing this project for school but it will be done this semester. 

Work Study

  • Yes, I worked a lot for my school and it was great to be kept up to date on what was going on at school and do something I enjoy. 

Read 12-15 books

  • Yes, this was one of my favorite ways to spend the summer. I read a lot and enjoyed unwinding with a good book. You can read my summer book review here!
One of my favorite ways to enjoy the summer

Download pictures to laptop

  • Yes, another task I wanted to accomplish and I finished it early on in the summer. 

Spend time with family 

  • Yes, I got a lot of family time in between family vacations, good meals, and weekend adventures. There is nothing better than quality family time. 

Day Trips

  • Yes, I got in a few day trips to visit friends and work at school for a few days in the summer, one day trips were perfect to do something fun and get work done. 

Start Healthier habits

  • Yes, this summer I snacked a lot less and tried to get outside as much as I could, whether it was for a walk, jog, or even hitting the gym when I could. I was not as consistent with working out as I am in the school year but still felt good about creating healthier habits.  You can read about my summer habits here.
I always love going on hikes in the morning or evening

Go to a concert

  • No, I didn’t get to a concert in the summer, but I have plans for one in September which I am very excited about. 

Beach days

  • Yes, I made it to the beach with my friend Bailey twice, and then spent an afternoon at the beach which was so fun. 
ALL the beach vibes!

Family Vacation

  • Yes, I finished off summer with a family road trip. So fun and many laughs and memories were made. 
Much needed getaway

Find a new show to Binge watch

  • YES, I was obsessed with Outlander this summer. It was such a good show to watch and I became invested in the show fast, I can’t wait for the new season in 2020!
I am still talking about this show

Take more walks outside

  • Yes, I took more walks in the summer, whether in the woods, the beach or my own backyard. It was so good to get fresh air after working inside all day.
Not only did I spend more time walking outside but I also tried kayaking and loved it

Weekly facetime calls with friends

  • Yes and no, I didn’t get in weekly facetime calls but my friends and I stayed close by visiting each other and texting every day, plus you know you have a solid relationship when weeks go by and you can pick up from where you left off. 

Try something new

  • Yes, I did a lot of solo traveling this summer so that was definitely a new and rewarding experience that I was so lucky I got to gain more independence in this area.

Try new recipes 

  • Yes, to see some of my favorite recipes you can find my salads here, pizzas here, and snacks here. 
  • From smores
  • Pizza
  • and salad

Entertain Friends/family

  • Yes, I love to help host and entertain, this summer I did quite a bit from having family, friends, or college friends over, whether it was for dinner, a weekend, or just snacks, it’s a lot of work but it pays off in the end. 
I love entertaining from the prep, event and satisfaction of a job well done

Do something spontaneous

  • Yes, although I don’t have an exact time I was spontaneous, there were many times this summer that I stepped out of my comfort zone to try something new. 

Be Present

  • This was huge for me. This summer, I was more present and intentional with what I was doing. Some of my favorite summer moments there are no pictures of because I was in the moment and not on my phone. This was huge for me. 
Focusing on the here and now.

Looking back this was a packed full summer filled with new experiences, memories, work and fun. I have grown by trying new things while being present and spending time with those who matter most to me. Although, the school year will be busy, I know I will always have these memories to look back on. Thank you summer 2019, senior year… here we GO!

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Fabulous living

Summer Goals

Hey guys!

I hope your week is off to a great start. It has been so nice to settle into a new routine for the summer months.  Every summer I try to set realistic goals for the summer months. They can be anything from activities, projects, trips, and small tasks. I start out with a basic list as summer begins and will add things if necessary as the months go on. At the end of the summer, I love to look back and see everything I accomplished and all the memories I created.

Summer 2019…you are just beginning…let’s take a look and see what my summer goals are:

Get license renewed

                  -A small but necessary task and I got it done right when I got home! 

Work/Internship

  • Although summer is for relaxing, I plan to work through the summer. I like to stay busy and working through the summer will definitely keep me busy.

Make College photo album 

  • Through my college years, I have been saving photos and organizing them into years. This summer, I want to get them all printed and organized since my time in college is coming to a close.

Celebrate 21

  • I’m really looking forward to celebrating my 21stbirthday this summer. I’m so lucky I get to be home to be with my family, but I’m looking forward to celebrating this milestone with my friends in Pittsburgh!

See friends from college and high school

  • Speaking of friends, I am making seeing my friends both from college and high school this summer, whether it’s coffee dates or day trips, friends are so important and I want to make them a priority this summer.
We didn’t even say goodbye at graduation because we knew we would be seeing each other through the summer

Portfolio (BLS)

  • Another requirement for school that I need to get done before school is back in session for 2019!

Work Study

  • This summer I will be working remotely for a job I hold back at school. There are a few projects that I will be working on that I am excited to get started on.

Read 12-15 books

  • I am an avid reader and I am really looking forward to reading a lot over the summer. I already made a stop to my local library to check out a few books to get a start on summer reading.
First book of the summer…

Download pictures to laptop

  • Again, another task, it won’t take long but I want to make sure I have all my photos from this past year saved to my laptop.

Spend time with family 

  • Since this is my last summer home I want to make sure I soak up as much family time as I can, whether it is family dinners, soccer days, or pool days. I can’t wait to get some quality family time in.
Looking forward to a full summer with the fam!

Day Trips

  • I love taking day trips, whether it is to the city, in the country, or to see family and friends. I’m hoping to spend a few days going to new places this summer. 

Start Healthier habits

  • I have gotten into good routines while I am at school and I want to continue those routines at home, whether it hitting the gym several days a week, eating healthier foods and meals, or just setting time aside to relax. Getting into a good routine is something I’m looking forward to this summer.

Go to a concert

  • I have a concert planned for September with one of my best friends, but I want to try and hit up another summer concert. Anyone with suggestions, please let me know.

Beach days

  • I may live close to the beach, but that doesn’t mean I spend all summer there. Last summer, I went to the beach on the last day I was home. I want to make more of an effort to go to the beach, whether it’s for the sunset, sunrise, or a day in the water.

Family Vacation

  • I have been reflective in the past few months with everything that has been changing and I’m looking forward to getting away with my family for a summer trip. Where and when that will be is still up in there air, but none the less, I’m looking forward to making some memories.

Find a new show to Binge watch

  • Every summer, I always am on the look for new shows to binge watch. I’m currently finishing up Dawson’s Creek-an oldie but a goodie! I’m now on the hunt to find a new show to watch this summer. Any good suggestions?

Take more walks outside

  • In an effort to spend more time outside, I want to take more walks, whether it is at sporting events, at the end of the day after work, or around lunch. I’m looking forward to enjoying the outdoors more.

Weekly facetime calls with friends

  • Back to the friends…can you tell I miss my college friends?!  A few of my friends from school and I have suggested doing weekly facetime calls to keep each other in the loop with what’s going on. It’s a weird feeling going from seeing your BFF’s all the time to going weeks without seeing each other.
You mean I won’t be seeing my friends every day….thank gosh for FaceTime!

Try something new

  • Leaving this one up in the year. I want to try something new and pushed from my comfort zone. We will see what happens and what I try.

Try new recipes 

  • I love to cook and bake. This summer I want to try some new recipes and even come up with a signature dish. I am into salads right now, so I have a feeling I will be making lots of different salad combinations this summer.

Entertain Friends/family

  • I love to host people at my home and I learned it all from my mom. In the summer, we love to have friends and family over and I’m looking forward to doing some entertaining this summer.

Do something spontaneous

  • This goes along with trying something new, even though I love my schedules and routines. I want to be spontaneous and more flexible. I’m hoping to accomplish that this summer.

Be Present

  • After a stressful and busy semester, I want to be present and just live this summer. There will always be things to do and tasks to accomplish, however, I want to make an effort to just be happy where I am at.
Made this my background for my phone to only focus on the positive things in life

That concludes my summer goals. It may seem like a lot, but overall, I think it is a good mix of realistic and mental goals. Overall, I want this summer to be one filled with happiness, love, laughter, friendship, purpose, and maybe even a dance. 

Have a beautiful week! xoxo

Categories
Fabulous living

21 Wishes…

Another year, another birthday, another milestone…tomorrow I am turning 21! I am very excited not only to celebrate another year on Earth but also to join the big kids club. Haha! I’m the youngest out of most of my friends, so I am looking forward to going out with them to celebrate. If we are being honest, I think they are more excited than me. LOL!

I’ll be heading to Pittsburgh in a few weeks to celebrate with my friends, but for tomorrow, I am celebrating with my family. Last year, I shared 20 things I learned in my 20 years of life, you can read it here. Today, I’m sharing 21 wishes I have for this next year of life.

Cheers to 21!

1. Surround myself with people who lift me up and motivate me to be the best version of myself.

2. Make every moment a memory.

3. Live in the moment and don’t get distracted.

4. Stop dwelling on what happened in the past, and focus on the future.

5. Graduate College.

6. Get a job in my field.

Always looking to the future

7. Be happy where I am at in life and not where I think I should be. 

8. Travel somewhere new with friends.

9. Listen to more podcasts and learn from every opportunity I get.

10. Be spontaneous and try something I’ve never done. It’s okay to step out of your comfort zone.

11. Go to more concerts.

Finding the joy in the little things in life

12. Spend money on experiences, not material things. Those will create the real memories.

13. Truly enjoy and take advantage of my last semester as a college student. 

14. Be more vulnerable when it comes to opening up to friends and family about things that are bothering me. If you listen to your friends, they will listen to you.

15. Forget the schedule/routine and just see what the day brings.

16. Be more intentional with my time spent with family and friends. Put down the phones!

17. Pick up a new hobby.

I know I’m where I’m meant to be

18. Have more conversations with people instead of just sending a text. Quality over quantity.

19. Turn my passions and dreams into realities.

20. Show more appreciation to the ones I love. If you love ’em, tell them you love ’em!

21. Be open to whatever the future holds for me. 

A smile is the best accessory

Some are more realistic than others, some will get achieved while others will be things I’m constantly working on. At the end of the day, I want to make these days count. We often get caught in the day to day life that we forget to stop and appreciate the life we are living. Cheers to 21 and to living my best life!

Que sera sera
Categories
Fabulous living

TWO Years of Blogging

Two years…it’s amazing how much has changed since I started this blog after my freshmen year of college. Just to show how much I have changed, here’s my first ever post. I started this blog as a way to talk about transitioning and adjusting to college life along with fitness, organization and fashion and it has become so much more than that. I’ve become a better writer, more open, a stronger person and stepped out of my comfort zone with this blog.

 I’ve shared about the places I’ve travelled to, like Washington D.C., Chicago, andRome. 

  • Me in D.C.
  • Chilly in Chi-town!
  • ROMA

I’ve talked about ways to decorate your dorm room,organize your makeup, and prepare for college exams. 

  • Junior Year dorm room
  • Makeup Organization at it’s finest
  • Finals prep

I have shared over 100 different outfits, they have ranged from semi-formal looks, outfits for the office, clothes for thewinter, spring, summer, and fall.

  • Semi-formal
  • Professional
  • Winter
  • Fall
  • Summer
  • Spring

I have talked a lot about college living,summer internships, and the adjustments to living in college.

Getting in front of the camera too at my internship

Some of my favorite posts have been my semester recaps,summer recaps,and fun facts about me. 

  • Making memories with family
  • Many moments with friends
  • Trips Abroad
  • Time spent studying
  • Family trips
  • Trips to the city

That is just a look into my favorite posts that I’ve covered these past two years. I opened up about being homesick, getting used to college life, and home life, and back to college life. I have shared my friends, family, dogs, and favorite things with you- from tv shows, books, and ways to have fun.

This blog has been a great stress reliever, whenever I would be stressed or I wanted to share something new I learned, my blog was my go-to.

 I truly wouldn’t be here without you all! Thank you for your love, support and for reading my posts every day whether it is about fashion, fitness, or day to day life. I have had so many people and friends tell me they have read my blog, follow it, or make a suggestion for it. It means so much to me that you take the time out of your lives to read about my life. This next year of blogging will be different as I will be graduating college and entering a new phase in my life. There will also be some surprises in this next year, there will be new content, different types of posts, and so many fun things in the future so stay tuned!! But not to fear, the blog is not going anywhere. I’m going to taking it day by day as I start a new adventure and I hope you will come with me on this journey. 

Thank you for reading, the love, and support

Here’s to TWO years of ups and downs and taking it one day at a time. 

Categories
Fabulous living

Spring Semester Recap

Hello friends and family!! 

Happy Tuesday! 

Well, that’s a wrap on my junior year of college! This year flew by, I can’t believe that the next time I will be back at school, I will be a senior. It seems like just yesterday I was walking on campus for the first time, now in August, I will be moving in for the last time. College is an interesting concept, it’s amazing in a few years how much we grow, change, learn, and live. I can honestly say that I am a completely different person now than when I moved in 3 years ago. I can’t wait to celebrate and enjoy my last semester of college in the fall. 

My mood though Junior year…well most of the time.. haha!

Today’s post is my favorite types of posts. Another semester has gone by, which means it’s time for another recap. To see what I was up to last semester, you can read about it here. I love to do these recaps to show you what I have been up to, as well as reflect on how much I have accomplished both in an out of the semester. This semester was a busy one, but filled with so many fun memories. The best way to describe this semester is the fact, I typically go to the gym on Saturday’s and Sunday’s, I always had things going on during the weekends that it wasn’t until the last weekend of the semester in May that I made it both days, I honestly wouldn’t have it any other way.

As I was preparing for this post, I realized how many things I did, that I didn’t take pictures of. Although, I wish I had pictures to document the fun times and moments, it is nice just to be present in the moment and enjoy who I am with, without capturing it all for social media. So, let’s recap this semester…

First day of the spring semester…cold and quiet

January started out with freezing weather, a few cancelled classes (which was unheard of for our school) and lots of working weekends. The cancelled classes did result in some spontaneous adventures with my friends, whether it was brunch, going thrift shopping, or heading to the mall. I’ve learned this semester that some of my favorite moments were the ones that were unplanned and spontaneous, whether it was grabbing dinner with my friends, seeing a school musical, or shopping whether it was at the mall or the comic book store. 

Heading into February, classes and work were on my mind, I spent a lot of time working on my Capstone biography video, which you can watch here.

Hard at work on my Senior Capstone

I also was able to have weekly lunch dates with my sweet friend Sharon, who graduated in December and weekly dinner dates with my friend Bailey, who spent this semester student teaching. It was so special to be able to see my friends even with their busy schedules.

SO thankful for this friendship
I love getting lunch with my sweet friend Sharon

I was able to sneak home for a quick visit before I left for Rome. 

No shame in admitting this is my only photo that weekend at home…what can I say…I’m a dog lover

Moving into March, I spent the first several days in Rome. If you missed my recaps on the eternal city, you can read part one here and part two here.

Take me back to simpler days…

I came back to school after an incredible trip and got back into the swing of classes, work, and friends. I had one of my most memorable weekends of the semester with my friends at our Semi-formal dance, which you can read about here. The weekend included dinner, hanging out with friends, dancing, grilled cheese at midnight, sleepovers, hitting the gym and brunch.

One of the BEST weekends of the semester

I jetted home for another visit with my family which was much needed after returning from abroad. 

Are we really surprised that my only picture from being at home is with my dogs?

April brought lots of the end of the semester activities. In between school work, I was able to head to a bowling outing with my friends, get dinner, go on some fro-yo dates, spend a day volunteering, and get Inducted into a Communication Honor Society.

A day spent volunteering with my best friend Danielle
  • Lambda Pi Eta
  • A more up close picture of the outfit
  • A quick picture with my parents who came out to support me!

I also got the opportunity to tour our Library at school which is under construction and interview our school’s president about the renovations. You can watch the interview here.

Interviewing the President of my school in the new Library

Our school also hosts a spring family weekend which as so fun, I got to see and hang out with some of my closest friends, watch a few bands perform and got pied in the face for charity…definitely a messy moment of the semester.

With some of my close friends Sharon and Bailey
Spring family weekend
It took a long time to get the whipped cream out
Like I mean three showers later…it was finally all out

April ended with Easter ended at home.

Surprise…not a picture of me and my dogs at home, but with my brothers for Easter

I finished out the last few weeks of April and May with end of the year dinners, from Honor Societies, to Department dinners, and senior celebrations as well as finals, I’m so lucky I was able to participate in these senior festivities since so many of my close friends are seniors. Next year will be different without them.

One last DQ and catch up session with this girl!
Laughing our way into Senior year…
Celebrating senior year with my friend Olivia!
Thankful for her friendship this year, my girl Bailey, always there through thick and thin.
It wouldn’t be the end of the school year without a trip to one of our favorite places, the SP…a hidden gem near our school

The year ended with working the last few days after finals and attending graduation. I was so happy I could watch all my friends graduate, although it was sad to see them move on I know they are going to do amazing things.

Gonna miss these girls next year!
Working graduation with my sweet friend Danielle, we are up next!

Whew…and that’s a wrap. Junior year was by far one of the best years and I think a lot of that has to do with a mindset. I called junior year my year of joy and I wanted to find joy in every day. Even on the days that were rough, emotionally and mentally draining, or I wanted to go home, I still looked for the joy in every day.

Although, it’s so good to be home and not think about school for a bit, I’m going to miss my friends and being at the same place with everyone. I do have some pretty exciting plans for this summer and next semester, so stay tuned!

To everyone who made this year and semester the best one yet…THANK YOU! Have a beautiful day friends! Sending love to everyone near and far…xoxo!

Categories
Fabulous living

Three Favorite Things

Hey guys!

Happy Tuesday. I found this fun quiz/ survey from Mix and Match Mama’s Blog. I love learning things about other people, especially fun or unique facts and I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to do one for myself. I borrowed some from Shay’s blog and made up a few on my own. Let’s get to my three favorite things!

MOVIES (This one is soooo hard-but current favorites)

A Star is Born

Such a good movie

Life Itself

Again, another life changing movie

Love Actually

One of my favorite movies of all time especially around Christmas time.

           BOOKS

                                     Year of Yes 

Another life changing book

                                     Grace not Perfection

Grace Not Perfection- an inspiring book for all

                                     Pride and Prejudice 

A romance that never gets old

                                     TV SHOWS (OF ALL TIME)

                                     Bones

One of my favorite shows of all time

                                      Grey’s Anatomy 

Old photo but I can’t get enough of this show

                                     This is Us

Another fantastic show

                                     RESTAURANTS (FAST FOOD-ISH)

                                     Chipotle

                                     Panera

                                     Chick-Fil -A

                                     PLACES I’VE VISITED

                                     Rome, Italy

                                     Hershey, PA

Getting away for a bit at my favorite place-Hershey, PA

                                     New York City, NY

One of my last visits from NYC, can’t wait to go back soon

                                     PLACES I WANT TO VISIT

                                     Paris, France

                                     London, England

                                     Dublin, Ireland

                                     FAVORITE HOLIDAYS

                                     Christmas

Christmas morning spent well, the tree all lit, a warm cup of hot chocolate and time spent with family

                                     Thanksgiving

Forever thankful for family on Thanksgiving

                                     Fourth of July

Rocking my Red, White, and Blue for the 4th

                                     THREE THINGS I ALWAYS HAVE IN MY PURSE

A closer look at what’s in my purse

                                     Earbuds

                                     Phone Charger

                                     Wallet

                                     FAVORITE DESSERTS

My favorite fall dessert made by my mom

                                     Warm, homemade chocolate chip cookies

                                     Chocolate cake

                                     Apple Crisp

                                     FAVORITE WAYS TO MAKE TIME FOR MYSELF

                                     Read

I always like to read after a long day

                                     Do my Nails

Nothing makes me feel better than a fresh coat of polish

                                     Watch a movie/latest tv show I’m binge watching

Such a good mini series that I just finished watching

Well there you have it, some of my three favorite things. If you guys liked it, let me know and I will do it again, this was so much fun and it really made me think about my favorite things. Pick a few things and add your responses to the comments below! Have a great start to your week!

Categories
Fabulous living

Let’s get REAL: Transitioning from Home Life to College after a break

Hello Everyone! 

Happy Tuesday. I hope you week is off to a great start. Classes started back yesterday so I am in the process of getting into a new routine for a new semester. This semester is going to be a busy one, but I have lots of fun things planned, I’m looking forward to what the semester has in store for me. I always love putting everything on my calendar and seeing what things I’ll be doing. There is no better feeling than a clean and organized calendar. You can see my system for organizing my calendar and planning here. One thing I try to do with this blog is be open, honest and real with you all. The good, the bad, and the real life stuff.

Although, the start of every semester is new and exciting I always experience a few days of transition between going from home life to back to school life. When I am at home, I am constantly on the go whether it is at work, running errands, carpooling, or spending time with family. Although, it may seem overwhelming and a lot to manage, I love it. I’ve always been used to a busy home life, so it seems natural to always be on the go and taking care of others and pitching in to help.  After all, that’s the importance of family, always being there for each other. When I was home over break I got a lot of family time in which I love. But, when I come back to school after a long break it’s always weird to go from constantly being on the go and being surrounded by my family to just taking care of myself. It’s definitely a lot quieter and I have a lot more downtime. Although, this can be nice and relaxing, at the same time, I don’t always know what to do with all my free time before classes start. These days of transition are always interesting to navigate. Of course, I have commitments and meetings that keep me busy and I am catching up with friends, but these days are weird.

I was talking about the odd in between days with a friend and they felt the same way, they described it as the Sunday feeling, the feeling when you know you have a new week (or semester) in front of you and you have a lot to do and you want to get started, but at the same time you want to relax and not think about that long to do list. I was so happy to talk to someone who shared the same feeling as I did. It was encouraging to hear that my feelings and thoughts were shared with someone else. 

I started this blog to share tips and tricks I had with organization, fashion, and fitness but also to share about life as a college student. The good, the bad, and the real-life stuff. I hope if you ever felt the same about the transition days between home and school you find comfort that you aren’t alone with your feelings. Now, that I am back into the swing of classes and a new routine, the in between days are behind me.

Always remember that there are so many adventures to be had, but there is truly no place like home. See you on Thursday for new wintery look of the day! Have a great week!

Categories
Fashion

Look of the Day #83

LOTD

Hello All!

How has your week been? Full? Stressful? Busy? Same here. I can’t wait to share this outfit for today. This outfit is perfect for traveling to see loved ones. Not only is it comfortable but it is also fashionable. Let’s start breaking down this outfit.

Casual and comfortable

I love this shirt. I got it from Marley Lilly last year. I love the tunic feel and the fabric is so comfortable. Plus, I love anything monogrammed so my initials in the corner is the perfect addition. Another great thing about this top is that its big enough that it covers your booty if you are wearing leggings like I am wearing in this picture.

Since I wore such a dark top, I wanted to break up the bottoms. I decided to wear these leopard print leggings with this top. I got these leggings from Old Navy, I had had them for a few years and they are still in great shape. The dark colors complement each other but it is not super overwhelming.

I wore a gray pair of boot socks to bring out the gray in the leggings. I also got these boot socks from Old Navy as well. You can wear these boot socks with leggings, a dress, or skirt.

My favorite fall boots

My boots are my favorite part of my ensemble. I got these boots last year at the end of the season on sale at DSW. I always  try to get new things at the end of season sales. I had the same boots for about four years, so I knew it was time for an upgrade. I love the heel on these boots, you can really dress up an outfit with these boots. I have worn them with leggings, dresses, and jeans. Besides, how good they look, they are also super comfortable. I was on my feet for 10 hours in these boots and my feet were fine by the end of the day. That’s a major win for my book.

That’s a peak into my closet this week. I have a fun weekend planned ahead that I can’t wait to share with you all next week. I hope you all have a relaxing weekend.

Categories
Fabulous living

Fall Semester Recap

What a semester it has been. That has been my catch phrase these past few months. Finals are over, I am home for a well-deserved break and I’m taking the time to reflect on this past semester. I was excited for the new semester to start back in August, I had interesting classes lined up to take, I was looking forward to spending time with friends and last year, I really felt that I had found my place and I was looking forward to growing more. For the most part, all those things came through. I certainly grew more this semester. This semester definitely tested me, I took on a heavier course load (18 credits) , took on a few more leadership roles (with clubs and Honor Societies and leading meetings) , got more involved with my school, and started a new job (I both work study for a professor and tutor). However, I quickly learned a new balance with all the new stuff going on and I really managed to get into a good routine that worked for me, I also made sure to take care of myself too. I managed to get all my classes done, work in, and still managed to have a social life. 

This was my reaction when I realized how much I took on…yep, I may have taken on too much. 

A few highlights of this semester include lots of fun memories, from inside jokes with classmates in classes, late nights at work, dinners out with friends, early mornings at the gym followed by breakfast, movie nights, staff bonding events, nights out in the city, and so many more. 

Staff photos with Sharon to kick off the semester


Early morning trips to the gym
An Ed Sheeran concert in the middle of the semester was much needed
This is how I spent most of this semester, work, work, work
Early morning walks to class
Trips to fall fests
Halloween Dances
More Halloween festivities
I seriously don’t know where I would be without this girl. We may have met through work but she has become one of my closest friends, and yes, I have no idea what I’m going to do once she graduates.
Another one of the many things I did this semester was help work on our news program at school
One of us was working and the other one was supposed to be doing homework…yet we still managed to hang out on a Friday night
Light Up Night in downtown with the best
I think this describes our friendship and semester in a nutshell


Well that wraps up my semester. I learned a lot, made so many memories, grew more confident as a person and with my decisions and really did my best to be social and step out of my comfort zone. Through my time in college, I have learned that it’s most important to take advantage of every opportunity, make memories, and step outside of your comfort zone. Next semester will be different as many of my friends will be graduating, studying abroad, or student teaching. It will be different but I am up for the challenge. I’ll have another look for you on Thursday, then I will be taking next Tuesday off for Christmas. Have a great weekend. 

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Fabulous living

Christmas Prepping and Gift Giving Tips

Hello! Hello!

Happy Tuesday! It is finally December, bring on the shopping, gift giving, cookie baking, and decorations. I am so ready for Christmas but first I have to make it through finals. The next few weeks will be busy with classes, papers, meetings, and wrapping up the semester. Stay tuned for my semester recap and best of 2018 in the next coming weeks.

For today I’m sharing my tips for when it comes to buying gifts, staying organized and being on budget. Here are my three tips for making it through the holiday season as stress free as can be.

  • Make a list (and check it twice 😉 )

Whenever I start my holiday shopping I always make a list of who I need to buy for, whether it is family, friends, gift exchanges etc. if I don’t write it don’t I wont remember it. I always keep a running list in the notes section of my phone so I always have it with me. I write down who I need to buy for and what I am buying/bought, the status of it and where I bought it, I do this to keep track of everything. Since I am still in school for most of December this helps me keep track of everything no matter where I am at. With that being said, I always set a budget for myself and try as hard as I can to stay on budget.

Just to preface, this is a FAKE Christmas gift list. None of these gifts are real, I just made this up to show you how I set up my gift list-who to by for, what I am buying, where it’s from, and the status of it.

  • Shop when it works best for you

I always love going in the stores to browse and get all my gifts but with school being super busy I have done a majority of my shopping online. Amazon has been my best friend this Christmas season. I have really utilized the Shopping list in Amazon. I have been able to put things that I like or am interested in in my list throughout the whole year and have it in one spot. For example, I was on Amazon in October and saw something that was a perfect gift for someone, I put it in my shopping list and ended up buying it a few weeks ago. The shopping list is private so only you can see it and no one else can see what you are buying. Since I have done so much online shopping something else that has helped me is sending gifts that I am buying to school or home. For gifts that I am buying for my friends I send it to school. For gifts for family, I ship them to my home. This way I’m not bringing things back and forth and all the gifts are in the right place.

Once again, another fake look at my shopping list, this is actually my list of things I want. Haha. But it shows the things you can add and when you added them. Super helpful!

  • Take Advantage of Sales

I am a sale lover and I have utilized sales so much this year. I did a lot of my buying depending on what sales were going on. I always try to keep my eyes open for discount codes, flash sales, and cyber Monday sales in order to stay on budget and keep my costs low.

I did a lot of shopping with sales from Cyber Monday. I always love a good sale

Whew, that was a lot. Overall, my tips are: Make a list, set a budget, take advantage of sales, and stay organized. What are your favorite tips or tricks to staying organized for shopping for the holidays? I would love any insight you have! Have a great week and wish me luck on a last week of classes before finals!