Fall/Birthday Wish List

As Fall is approaching, I am starting to get in the mood for the change in fashion. The pastels are getting old, and I'm almost ready to break out the cozy sweaters. The only thing I'd like to keep for a little longer is the warm weather. After being in Paris and London for a week of 60-70 degree weather with only two pairs of jeans, I am really enjoying being back in the warmth! 

I'm trying not to get too antsy because I know that once the cold comes, it is going to last forever here in Michigan! I will be wishing I was back in the current weather once November rolls around. Although I am going to hold off on buying these pieces for now, I like to look around at what I may be wearing this season. My birthday comes at the perfect time because in October, fall is just getting good, and I'm ready to stock my fall/winter wardrobe. It's the perfect excuse to hold off on buying the things I think I need now :). These are some of the items on my wish list at the moment. I'm still on the hunt for some fall booties. 

(If you click on the photo, it will lead you to the site so you may see info on the product.)

Fashinspiration

Hello world! As some of you may know, I will be leaving for Europe in three days! I will be traversing Paris and London with my parents and my sisters. Unfortunately, my husband Brent will not be able to come due to his job. Even more sad is the fact that he will be leaving on a business trip to China for four weeks the exact day that I arrive home from Europe. How lame and incredibly bad timing is that?! Well, they say absence makes the heart grow fonder, which is what I hope will come out of this trip. 

With that said, hit me up in the next month to come visit me, hang out and do fun things, and catch up with long phone conversations! I am all yours, and I'll be very lonely by myself in Michigan! There has not been much friend-making yet, and it'll be even harder without Brent here. 

While I'm on the subject, I hope to be getting a job in the next few weeks or as soon as possible. If you know of any openings in Michigan or you have suggestions of places for me to apply, I'd greatly appreciate your knowledge! It's a struggle here deciding what to do after college, which I'm sure lots of other people my age are experiencing. Especially in my case since I have such a specific educational background and I need my masters to practice in the field. Prayers would be appreciated that I would be accepted into the program in January!

This weekend is sure to be one of the best so far this summer! Date night with Brent tomorrow, a friend's wedding on Saturday, and off to Paris on Sunday. I'm in the process of packing right now, and did some research on what to wear in Paris and London so I don't totally stand out as a tourist! Here are some tips that I have found. I'll let you know what I see once I am actually there :).

Paris: 

1. High fashion!
2. Knee length skirts and dresses highly recommended. 
3. Flats, gladiator sandals, ankle boots, but definitely no sneakers!
4. Espadrille edges...avoid the stilettos unless you want to be stuck in all the brick and cobblestone.
5. Dark skinny jeans and slouchy tees or an oversized sweater
6. Go for unisex-looking pieces
7. Motorcycle leather jackets or a trench coat
8. Logo-free bags/purses
9. Scarves, hats, and accessories please!

London:

 
1. Bring out the quirky and eclectic pieces in your wardrobe!
2. Avoid looking overly prepared for hiking or for a rain storm
3. Sundresses are a go-to
4. More dark colors...black is always good
5. Chic sunglasses and scarves
6. Try to avoid jeans and go for something more exciting!
7. Overall, try to dress nicer than your normal casual standards in the U.S.

Trust in Him

Monday calls for comfy clothes. This lovely Monday, I enjoyed getting a chance to wear my new sweater and spiky necklace along with comfy leggings and boots. It was great because I was very busy with my three classes, meeting with a professor, lunch with a friend, and lots of other random errands and meetings. Mondays are always very busy for me. I can't believe I am up right now writing this! I am going to regret it in the morning...

Being weird, as usual :)

I do not have any really exciting to say today, so I'd like to share a little saying that is on a plaque next to my bed. A resident gave it to me last year as a gift. It was such a nice gesture! Speaking of being an RA, it has been an amazing experience, and I'm so thankful that God allowed me to serve in this way! I think that I am a good person for the job, and I truly have a passion for my residents. I really do want to be there for them when they need help, and I love every opportunity I get when they actually come to me. Don't get me wrong, I will be so happy when I am not responsible for dealing with drunken girls vomiting and having to lock the kitchen due to too many messes, but these are not the majority of issues that I deal with as an RA. Most of the time I just get to know a very unique group of women who all have different backgrounds and stories. I am going to appreciate being responsible for myself only once I graduate, but I do love the opportunity that I have now. Anyways, here is the verse.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3: 5-6

This verse is very pertinent in my life right now because I am at a point where lots of decisions are being made for my future, and my life is going in a whole new direction. Lately, I've been praying for direction in where I am supposed to go to graduate school, and where Brent is supposed to work. This verse gives me encouragement in my worries. God has control over the plans, and I will trust that he has my best interest in mind. I've seen him lead me to the perfect places many times in my life, and I have confidence that he will do it again. It is such a relief to know that I am being taken care of! On that note, I hope that all of you reading this are trusting God with your lives, and are following his direction. I know that he has led me to know you, and I am very thankful! I would not be who I am without you!

It was an amazing fall Saturday yesterday! I had a fantastic day! It started off with stopping by Brent's house to play with their dog Maggie. After some puppy stress therapy, I joined Courtney and Megan Uptown to see Pitch Perfect at the Princess Theater. I will miss this place when I graduate! For those of you from my home, it is most similar to Woodstock Theater. It has only 4 movies showing at a time, and is very tiny. The movie ended up being even better than I expected! Being a previous musical person myself, I really enjoyed the acapella and the dancing. After seeing the movie, we decided to enjoy the beautiful day and get some coffee. We sat Uptown with our first pumpkin spice lattes of the season and enjoyed the scenery of the colored leaves while talking. When the clouds started to appear and it got colder, I went to meet Brent at Buffalo Wild Wings with some other friends to watch the Miami football game. We had fun hanging around there for three hours, but were disappointed to see Miami lose. We gave up in the fourth quarter and opted to rent a movie instead. Brent and I watched 21 Jump Street and he had his typical movie snack, which is popcorn and m&ms. It was a very relaxing day, and I enjoyed not being too worried about homework looming over my head!

Today I wore one of my favorite and most comfortable outfits yet this fall! I think I'm going to be bringing back the shorts and tights frequently! My new sweater and scarf were so comfortable and warm for this chilly fall day. So glad sweater weather is here!

Denim on Denim

Busy busy day today! Basically busy life in general. Sometimes I think I am over-committed, but there's really nothing I can drop right now. Right now I'm working two jobs as an RA and a waitress, I am the president of a ballet club, an educational programming chair in NSSLHA at Miami (National Student Speech Language and Hearing Association), going to church, and still taking 6 classes. Along with that, I've got to apply to graduate school, study for the GRE, and make time for friends. It's been a crazy year, but I try to take it day by day so that I do not get overwhelmed.

Today was booked, but I enjoyed my day. I think often times if I shower and put together a nice outfit, my attitude for the day is so much more positive. I told this to Brent today, and he said, "You're such a girl." I'm about as girly as it gets! It is something that I like about myself most of the time.

Today, one of my most fun events was interviewing my Grandma for a gerontology paper. I asked her lots of questions about aging, her views on her life at this point, and her background. It was so interesting to talk to her about these issues because they do not normally come up in a typical conversation. I enjoyed learning more about her and hearing about her life!

Funny moment of the day/ confession...while doing a group project in one of the therapy rooms in the speech clinic, I spilled half a bowl of ramen on the floor. It's going to be a fun surprise tomorrow when people go in there to do therapy and it reeks of artificial chicken flavoring!! To all you speechies at Miami, don't tell on me! ;) (For those of you who do not know, "speechie" is the name we call a person studying speech pathology).

Here is my outfit post of the day. I'm being crazy and sporting some denim on denim! It was my little fashion risk today :).

 Love these jeans because they have zippers and pockets on the side, which make them unique.

Not a clear shot, but a cool night photo of the quad.

Bling and pink of course!

Calm and Cool

Have you ever just sat with your window open and listened to the rain? Personally, it is one of my most favorite things! I wish I could take a picture of the amazing downpour out my window right now, but it wouldn't be clear. Tonight I was lucky enough to actually be home and able to enjoy the rain! After being a big pain in the butt and putting in three reports for a screen in my window, it was finally put in. Now my window can be open without bugs and leaves flying in. My favorite relaxation activity is doing my reading homework in bed while listening to the rain. Another bonus with the rain is wearing rain boots. Unfortunately mine have recently ripped :(. I'm too poor to buy new ones, so they'll be on my birthday list.

Speaking of birthday....MINE IS IN 13 DAYS!!!! I'll be 22!!! The most depressing age so far in my life of birthdays. It means no more privileges to look forward to on future birthdays. I'm sorry, that is a lie. I believe at 25 you can rent a car, so that's something to be excited for! It's official though, I'm an adult. The real world is coming in about 7 1/2 months. Going to enjoy college while it lasts! Grad school will not be the same experience.

On the subject of birthdays, here are some of the items on my wish list/ to buy list for this fall once I have money. Of course, I am requesting no presents this year since I'm so old. Parents, here are some hints if you so happen to need any ;). Just realized how many shoes are on my list...

1. Gold leaf bangle bracelet from Bip and Bop on Etsy

2. Steve Madden "Troopa" in Stone Leather

3. Name necklace like this one, can be found on Etsy. 

4. Gift card to MAC for some new lipsticks!

5.  Steve Madden "Olympiaa" in taupe...my #1 most wanted gift!

6.  Sperry "Pelican Too" rain boots in quilted black

7. Also, a new camera! Mine has been broken since last March. I want an updated one that takes quality photos and has cool settings. 

Fall Adventures

I am not as good with getting the blog up on the weekends. It is a good thing because that means I'm too busy doing fun things! This weekend has been really great! Although I worked Friday afternoon, and all day today, I made some money and had fun.

After having a very crappy week of fashion, I decided to shower and put some effort into my outfit. Dressing nice to me makes me feel good, which gives me more self-confidence, and puts me in a better mood. Some may call me a diva (my Taylor friends, you know who you are), but it makes me feel better to be clean and look my best. The other part that I enjoy is following fashion trends, shopping for what I want, and putting together unique outfits that not everyone would think of. I try not to completely follow the crowd. Making a subtle statement is fun for me :).

Blue button-up shirt, dark jeans, black boots, cream leather jacket. 

Statement necklace from Forever 21.

New studded bracelets (one of my favorite purchases of my shopping day). 

Friday after work I got to spend some time shopping with Courtney. We went to Kenwood Mall and enjoyed a successful and relaxing shopping trip. We took our time in many stores and came out with a fashionable fall wardrobe! Can't wait to wear the items that I got! I loved every one :). We went on a hunt to 5 or 6 stores to find Courtney some short black boots that were decently priced, and we were not successful. In order to make us feel better, we took a dinner break where I enjoyed this yummy Chick-Fil-A!

Saturday, I got to spend some quality date time with Brent. We went to Bob Evans for lunch (a typical Saturday or Sunday brunch for us). Then we ventured off to Hueston Woods, a state park near Miami, where we rented a two-person kayak and spent an hour and a half paddling out in the lake. It was the PERFECT day for it! I wish I had pictures, but I did not want to risk bringing my phone into the boat. The weather was about 73 degrees and sunny, and the trees surrounding the lake were all starting to turn colors. It was the most perfect day we could ask for to kayak! The other great part about it was that it only cost us $10! Such a unique and cheap date idea that I would recommend! 

For dinner, I met up with Courtney and Megan and we had delicious mozzarella and pesto grilled cheese on sourdough, (recipe thanks to pinterest), and tomato soup. For my last event of the night, I met up with Brent and our friends Matt and Megan at McDonalds to have some ice cream. It was a great weekend! So much fun time spent with Brent and my friends. I am so glad that I was able to enjoy the weekend, but now I've got to crack down and study for my exam tomorrow. Wish me luck! We'll see how this goes!

So here is what the days of my week feel like...

Wednesday = basically the weekend

Thursday = feels like Friday because I have no classes Friday

Friday = feels like Saturday

Saturday = bonus day!!

So today was basically Friday for me! I enjoyed a fun night with some of my ballet members at our pasta party! Yummy pasta, garlic bread, salad, and cookies with some great times getting to know each other. So happy to have gotten to spend some time with these ladies! Then my night continued with some quality time with my friends Courtney, Joanna, and Hillary. Great night! Can't say that my day was productive, but sometimes that is okay :). 

Outfit post of the day...

Skirt- TJ Maxx

Shirt- Old Navy

Jacket- Tobi

Necklace- JCrew (lookalike, not real)