July Highlights! (And Birthday Post)

I sound like such a broken record, but when the heck did it get to be August?!!!! I leave for Tigertown a week from tomorrow. As always, I'm recapping my month, but with a little twist because I'm also including what I intended to post on my birthday last week (oops).

|| TURNING 21 ||

 So this was definitely the biggest thing to happen this month, even if it did just happen at the end. I'm finally 21! I've always been the baby of all of my friends, so I feel like I'm finally caught up with the big kids. I celebrated my birthday at the beach with my family on the day, then my first barhopping experience with my best friends this past weekend. It was so much fun, especially going out with my friends since we will all be in different places this year.

|| READING ||

At the end of June, I finally got myself together and went to the new public library in my town to renew my library card and check out some books. Since then, I've been reading a ton! This month alone, I read American Wife by Curtis Sittenfield, The Last Anniversary and The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty, Whistlin' Dixie in a Nor'easter by Lisa Patton, and Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard. Our library has an app where you can check out e-books, so that's how I read Red Queen while I was on vacation - look into whether your library offers something similar. I liked everything I read, but Whistlin' Dixie in a Nor'easter was a definite favorite - check out the recommendation from Nell on Prep in Your Step. I also love a good Young Adult series, so Red Queen was another favorite - it has a lot of twists and turns and wasn't what I expected, I'm itching to start the next in the series.

|| STATS ||

Y'all! The craziest thing happened about two weeks ago, I had a blog post take off on Pinterest. Like over 1,000 views on that post alone. To some people that may seem like nothing, but it's HUGE to me. And I hit a huge goal of mine with the help of that post and reached over 10,000 total views! I'm super close to 11,000 so feel free to share with your friends and family! Also, don't forget to follow me on social media (did you notice my fancy new social buttons in the sidebar? Check em out ;)

Now for the second part of this post, I intended to put it up on my birthday, but I was enjoying vacation. So better late than never, here are 21 facts about me.

1. I am the third of four siblings. My mom calls me her "well adjusted middle child," but I'm not entirely sure what that means.

2. I don't have a good reason for why I chose the college I did. Clemson just felt right in the end, so I acted on my gut feeling and haven't looked back.

 3. Texas country music is the best music in the world and what I will choose to listen to above all else. (if you like country and are looking for something new, check out Aaron Watson, Casey Donahew, or Josh Abbott Band, they're my faves).

4. When I was in the fourth grade, I modeled in a magazine called Discovery Girls. Each month they chose a state and chose girls from that state to feature. We all met in Houston and got to spend a weekend shooting for the magazine, luckily those photos do no still exist online.

5. If I could live anywhere (besides TX, of course), I would live in Savannah, Georgia. It's the prettiest city I've ever been to. 

6. I would love to adopt a child one day.

7. I'm extremely type A, but also a major procrastinator. I have a perfectly color coded agenda, but wait until the last second to cross of those to-dos.

8. If I had to read one book for the rest of my life, it would be Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (the third). It's my favorite of the series, but I'm a huge Harry Potter nerd in general.

9. I would have been born on my grandma's birthday if it wasn't for Gloria Estafan. The doctor had tickets to her show on July 23rd and didn't want to miss it if I took too long.

10. I had my first job at 14 bussing tables at restaurant on the lake nearby.

11. I started this blog with the intention of it being a fashion blog, because I was so frustrated by other bloggers' opinion about what is "reasonably priced." I hope to eventually reach that goal.

12. While I went into college wanting to becoming a psychiatrist, I now plan to go into marketing research, but I never changed my major from psychology.

13. For the majority of my life, I was a cheerleader - either through competitive teams or school. I was even captain of my high school team my junior and senior years.

14. You've probably read about him on here before, but I have a wonderfully sweet boyfriend that I will have been dating for 3 years this November.

15. The most perfect meal, in my opinion, is a grilled cheese and tomato basil soup.

16. While I have grown to appreciate neutral colored clothing as I've gotten older, 9 times out of 10 I will choose to wear something bright colored over a neutral.

17. I have an obsession with all things pineapple - I love the fruit, but mostly my obsession is with pineapple decor or embellishments. I'm not sure where it came from but I don't think it's going anywhere anytime soon. I got a lamp with sequined pineapples on the shade (for my apartment) for my birthday.

18. I have an irrational nervousness (I wouldn't call it a fear) of people overhearing me talk on the phone. I won't have a long conversation with someone on the phone if there is someone else who may overhear, it feels like an invasion of privacy.

19. I'm extraordinarily fair skinned. It seems almost impossible for me to tan. I used to hate it, but it's grown on me as I've gotten older. If only I could find foundation the right shade.

20. I rarely go a day without wearing makeup, but only because I really enjoy applying makeup and it's a relaxing part of my morning routine.

21. I'm extremely introverted and shy to start off with, but once I get to know someone I can chatter on forever.

So there you have it. Some of the highlights of my July and 21 facts about me! What were some of the favorite parts of your month?

June Top 10!

Hello there friends! I can't believe we're already moving into the last full month of summer, where has the time gone??? June seemed to go very quickly and I'm really not sure why, but here we are the weekend before the Fourth of July. While June didn't have a whole lot going on, there were definitely some things I have loved during this month!

1 // At the start of the month, I got to spend a full week with my adorable boyfriend. We live the long distance life during the summer, so getting to spend uninterrupted time together this time of year is rare. We didn't have any big plans for the week, just soaking up time together before he left for ROTC training, but we had a good time together. I'm looking forward to him coming back from training in less than 2 weeks (!!!) and we're planning to fit in a couple day trips before he goes back to South Carolina.

2 // With all the free time I've had since Mike left, I've been trying to read a little more. I picked up Uninvited by Lysa TerKeurst at the end of May, but really dove into it this month. Y'all! Everyone needs to read this book. The message is so unbelievably powerful and it really resonated with me and some of the things I've gone through in the past year. The book is centered around dealing with rejection - whether from friends, a boy, jobs, etc - by finding peace in the promises God has for you. It's an extremely moving book and I think it really helped me take a step towards moving on from past hurts, highly recommend!

3 // My other free time has also been spent watching Netflix, not the most productive, but hey, it's summer time. I prefer to find some sort of sitcom to have as background noise while I'm doing other things and lately that has been That 70's Show. Just a forewarning, it's rather inappropriate. But it's very funny and easy to have playing without having to pay full attention. I've gone through it faster than anticipated (oops), so if you have any recommendations of fun, lighthearted shows to watch, let me know.

4 // I did some shopping this month because I just can't resist a good Old Navy sale. So far, I've only worn a couple of the things I bought, but I think I have a new favorite item of clothing. A black, t shirt, swing dress. Now I'm not a girl who wears black, ever. I'm convinced I'm too pale to wear it. But I bought this black dress because it seems like a good basic to have, and now I want it in every color available! It's so comfy and you look super put together, even though you're really just wearing glorified pjs. So it's pretty much the best thing ever. And it's on sale right now for $15!!!! Some of the other swing dresses are as low as $8! I'm really having to resist the temptation to buy them all.

5 // Summertime is always when I find new bloggers and social media accounts to follow. This summer, I found another Clemson blogger! And there will be another blogger coming in as a freshman in the fall, we have discussed a blogger brunch and I'm all about it. But seriously, Elizabeth's blog - Life of Me, Queen B. - is so relatable! Her outfit posts are always adorable and I love how she shares her faith on her blog. Go check her out!

6 // As for me, all has been rather quiet on the blogging front. It's so easy to get caught in the comparison trap! I constantly think, "well why should I bother writing anything when there are probably a million other things like this out there written by people who are professional bloggers?" That is not a good mindset to have! It seems like so many people in this blog bubble are in it to eventually make money, and sure that would be nice, but that's not what I'm about. This blog has always been my passion project and I've spent some time really reflecting on that and thinking about why I started this blog and brainstorming ideas for my little corner of the internet. Self reflection is always a good idea and I need to do it more often.

7 // I've been writing more this summer, just not here lol. But with Mike being off at army training, letters have been an important form of communication. Y'all it is so much fun to write and receive letters. Everything these days is digital and instant, but knowing there's a handwritten note coming in the mail for you is so exciting. We've exchanged quite a few letters at this point and I know they're something I'll always keep - I also always keep everything, but that's beside the point. I've also been writing in some journals and just putting ideas on paper. It's unbelievably therapeutic and something I should really do more often. Do you have a pen pal you write to?

8 // Summer for me is all about country music! Blasting country jams with the windows down in a car with friends is the most stereotypical summer image in my mind. I've also spent most summers going to country concerts with friends. I took some time putting together a playlist of my favorite summer country jams on Spotify - it has a little bit of Texas Red Dirt country, some new pop-country, and some old classics. Am I missing any good summer songs?

9 // I've also been doing a lot of online browsing in search of the perfect outfit for my birthday at the end of July!!! And the great thing about social media (there definitely quite a few downsides) is that it is so easy to discover small businesses. Since I'm from a tiny town, I tend to have soft spot for small, local businesses. There are tons of adorable online boutiques that have great selections of trendy clothing at really reasonable prices. The newest boutique I've discovered is Hazel and Olive, which is actually based out of Texas. I haven't ordered anything from them yet, but I might soon! This gingham romper would be perfect for the 4th. And this palm print one would be great for your next beach trip.

10 // I am so excited for July to begin! It's definitely my favorite month of the year, probably because it's my birth month. But this year it will be especially good since we'll be starting off with lots of 4th of July (my favorite holiday) festivities, the next week Mike will be back and we're planning some fun summer adventures. And then I'll end July at the beach celebrating my 21st birthday with my family. What are your plans for the upcoming month?

March Top 10!

Happy April friends! Where has the time gone?! I can't believe we're already a quarter of the way into 2017. This year is flying by! I only have a month left until I'm a senior in college...what? Crazy! March was a fun, busy month so I wanted to share some of my favorites from the last few weeks. 

Here is what I've loved this month!

1 // Spring Break was the week before last and tbh I'm still trying to get back into school mode - easier said than done. I didn't have a wild spring break, but I got to spend a relaxing few days at the beach with my boyfriend and some good friends. We had gorgeous weather and a ton of fun. Somehow I also managed to come away from it without a sunburn, which is basically a miracle for me! 

2 // The next best thing of the month happened when I got back from spring break. I got my Clemson ring!!!! For those of you who don't know, the Clemson ring is iconic. There is a ton of tradition wrapped up in the ring and ring ceremony, and receiving my ring was one of the biggest accomplishments of my college career. My mom flew in the weekend before and I got enjoy the end of my break with her, shopping around town and venturing into adorable downtown Greenville. Then on Monday I got my ring! I keep staring at my hand. I can't believe that I've already completed 3/4 of my degree and the countdown to graduation next year is seeming so short.

3 // In preparation for spring break, I picked up some fun spring items from Old Navy. I got this one piece swimsuit - love the ruffle. I also finally jumped on the off the shoulder trend train with this cute chambray top. I wore it when my mom was in town and it was so comfortable and really cute.

4 // I mentioned in my Proactiv+ Experience post that I was switching to more natural skincare that was recommended by Julia of Lemon Stripes. I've now been using these products for about two months and I have seen amazing changes in my skin, it has never been this consistently clear! I'm planning to do a skincare routine on the blog soon, so keep an eye out for that.

5 // With the improvement in my skin, I've been wearing foundation a lot less. Instead, I've been reverting to my junior high days and relying on concealer and powder to cover any little spots that come up. This concealer and this one are my favorites and I love this powder.

6 // Before spring break, I wanted to get a pair of cute, comfy, beach friendly sandals. I picked up this pair from Target for $15. I wore them all through spring break and nonstop since. They go with everything and are so cute!

7 // Like everyone else, I saw Beauty and the Beast this month. If you haven't seen it yet, run don't walk! Belle was always may favorite princess when I was little because she was brunette and liked to read - I could relate to her - so I was super excited to see Emma Watson's portrayal of her. The whole film was stunning. The costumes and music, even the digital effects, were perfectly done. I liked it way more than the live-action Cinderella that came out a while back and it makes me super excited for the other recreations Disney has planned in the coming years.

8 // I don't know if I should be proud or embarrassed of this, but in the last six weeks, I have watched all nine seasons of The Office. I never watched it before and wanted to see what all the hype was about. Well I got sucked in, fast. It's really fun to see the character development over the seasons and Jim and Pam are all of the #relationshipgoals. It probably wasn't the most productive use of time, but I used it as background noise while I was doing other things.

9 // Over spring break I finally had a chance to do some reading for fun. I love to read and decided to pick up a few books to read on the beach. So far I haven't even finished one, but I am nearly done with The Shack by William Paul Young. It's really amazing and I highly recommend it - even though I'm not done with it yet. It's added a new perspective for me and changed the way I look at certain things. Definitely worth a read!

10 // I'm still in denial that within the next month I will be finishing my junior year of college. It gives me chills. I am excited to wrap up the year and all that comes with it - lake days, the spring game, Mike's formal, military ball. There are exciting days to come, I can feel it.

What are you looking forward to in April?

November Top 10!

It's the last month of 2016! Can you believe it? As per usual, since it is the beginning of the month, here is my top 10 for November.

1 // November was equally crazy and relaxing. The first weekend of the month was fall break which meant a four day weekend, which was MUCH needed! Fall break was delayed this year due to the election (they wanted to make sure everyone had the day off to vote), which meant everyone was burned out long before we got a break. Just a week and a half later, it was Thanksgiving. Mike and I headed to his sister's for both breaks. I was not productive at all during the time off, but a full on break was so nice. Occasionally, it's really great to get out of a college town and be around people who are not within the 18-22 age range. 

2 // Another awesome part of November is always the Clemson-South Carolina game the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Clemson broke a seven year losing streak my freshman year and has started a streak of our own! This year, the Palmetto Bowl was a night game (so fun!) and the first cold football game we had. Not everyone agrees with me, but I love getting all bundled up for football games. We were all packed together since there were so many people at the game, so you couldn't even really feel the cold. We spent all day tailgating and then handed South Carolina one of their biggest losses in the rivalry's history. Rushing the field with friends was the perfect way to end another great football season.

3 // Also this month (so many things happened!), Mike and I celebrated our two year anniversary. It's crazy to me that we have been together for two years already. I am so grateful for him and we have had such a great time over the past two years experiencing college and growing up together. For our anniversary we went to a really neat wild game restaurant called Saskatoon. Mike was adventurous and got elk, I was not and just got a steak. The dinner was delicious and we had a nice time going on a fancy date, definitely a treat.

4 // This year I actually did some Black Friday shopping! I wasn't about to brave the crazy to get deals, so I shopped on my phone, in my pajamas, while watching the Gilmore Girls revival. I ordered some new things from Old Navy and placed an order with elf cosmetics. I'm still waiting on my orders to come in, but I'll put up a haul/review once I get everything in.

5 // One of the most exciting parts of the month was the Gilmore Girls revival. I love Gilmore Girls! I would come home everyday in middle school and watch an episode at 4pm on ABC Family, ah memories. I've also watched the whole series on Netflix. Needless to say, I was super excited for the revival. It was good and I liked it for the most part. I wasn't super into the ending, unless they were setting it up for another revival/new series, which I would be down for. 

6 // Early in the month, Mike and I went out to see a movie and landed on Hacksaw Ridge. It sounded like a horror movie, so I was hesitant, but it ended up being amazing. It's the true story of a conscientious observer, a soldier who won't carry a gun, during World War II, who single handedly saved a number of his men in one of the most dangerous battles of the war. It's a great, heart warming and just amazing story. I was so surprised Desmond Doss isn't a more well known figure because of his story. It's still in theaters and I highly recommend it.

7 // On the beauty side, for the past few months, I have been using the Morphe Brushes 35 K - Koffee eyeshadow palette. It is the perfect neutral palette. It has all of the same/similar colors as my original Naked palette with just as good, if not better quality, for a fraction of the cost. I got mine off of Hautelook for around $15!!! I've heard great things about the other Morphe palettes so if you're in the market for something new without paying an excessive amount, definitely look into them.

8 // It finally got cold in November, mainly towards the end, but I was so ready. It has been an unusually warm fall in Clemson and I was dying to break out the jeans and sweaters. For the better part of the last 6 weeks, I have been living in my favorite jeans from Old Navy. Lately I have been pairing them with one of my classic cable knit sweaters from Ralph Lauren and my riding boots.

9 // Also when I ordered my Morphe palette, I ordered a foundation brush. I've never used a brush for foundation before. In high school, I just used my fingers and when I started getting into watching youtube beauty videos, I started using a beauty sponge. Over the past year, I have been watching Jaclyn Hill's makeup video and she recommended the M439 Deluxe Buffer brush for foundation. When I saw it on sale, I decided to go ahead and try it out. Man have I been missing out! Using a brush makes putting on foundation so much faster and easier, especially since this one is kinda large; it's also cheap which is always a plus.

10 // I'm so glad it's finally December! In a matter of days, I'll be headed home for the first time since August. Christmas is my favorite time of the year and I love spending time with my family, especially since I'm so far from home. Having a whole month home is going to be amazing and I can't wait to just soak it all in.

What are you most excited for in December?

July Top 10!

Just like that the summer is over, August is upon us and in less than a week I will be back in Clemson to get ready for my junior year of college. I have loved getting to spend this summer at home, it is truly what I needed. With another month gone, it's time for another Top 10!

1 // I turned 20 this month! I didn't have very high expectations for my 20th birthday, after all it just starts the countdown to 21. It ended up being such a great birthday. My family celebrates every birthday with cinnamon rolls for breakfast. My older brother and some of his friends happened to be in town so they joined us for breakfast. I got to spend the morning and early afternoon lounging in my PJs before going to an early dinner with my parents, little brother, and grandmother at a great pizza place in San Antonio. Cake and presents happened at my grandma's house after. Embarrassing story, I wanted a Boomerang of me blowing out my candles, but my little brother didn't know how to work it so we relit the candles and we still didn't get it to work! On the way home I was able to celebrate with blogging buddies by participating in the #bloggingcollege chat - that chat even inspired my letter to my freshman self. Once we got home, my mom and I packed up quickly before heading to Waco to go to Magnolia Market on Monday. It was a great birthday and I'm so thankful for my family for making it so special.

2 // I tried a few new beauty products this month after going a little overboard on a trip to Ulta. The first was CoverGirl The Super Sizer Fibers mascara. It's a little tricky to work with at first, but it gets better after a day or so. It takes a couple coats to get the full effect, which is pretty normal. Wait a few seconds in between coats; I usually apply a coat then put one on the other eye, once I'm done with my second eye, the first is dry enough for a second coat. I also saw a tip on Influenster that recommended rotating the wand as you apply - this definitely helps distribute the fibers for added length and volume.

3 // I also tried out the Maybelline Color Jolt liquid lipstick in Berry Naughty. It is my new favorite lip product! My favorite makeup item is lipstick so this is saying something. It dries down pretty matte and really doesn't move throughout the day. I want them in every single color!

4 // The last thing from my Ulta trip that I loved was a self tanner. Let me start by saying that I am pale, very very pale. I am perfectly fine with my pale skin, but sometimes you just want a little bit of color on your skin, without the risk of skin cancer. Enter the St. Moriz Instant Self-Tanning Mousse in Medium. I was so worried that it was going to turn me orange, but since the mousse is green based, it looks so natural. Like it took my mom a full day to notice. I just put it on after I've showered and shaved, right before bed, and in the morning I have a nice little tan. It doesn't stay a super long time, but that really doesn't bother me since I wanted something to give me a little bit of color when I want it. Oh and it's $13! Can't beat that.

5 // I have realized lately that my style is changing from more structured and preppy to more comfortable and laid back. Of course, I still love preppy style, but I'm getting more into pieces that can be dressed up or down and just feel more comfortable. I have been living in this boyfriend tee and a few others that I found on clearance at Old Navy. Old Navy is always a favorite of mine and they're in the middle of back to school sales so definitely check out their sale sections.

6 // In July I have been obsessed with two TV shows. It started off with Arrow, a CW series about a hooded vigilante, who happens to be a billionaire, who has returned home to avenge his father's death and keep his city safe. Highly, highly recommend! After just the first season you will want to be Felicity Smoak and marry Oliver Queen. The Flash is the other CW show I have been loving. It explains the beginnings and life of the superhero, The Flash (who was my favorite when I was little). It ties into Arrow so I recommend switching between the first season of the Flash and third season of Arrow. I really love superheroes and think these shows are great! Plus it's something that your brother and/or boyfriend would be willing to watch with you.

7 // Another show I love is, of course, The Bachelorette! The season finale is tonight and I am SO pumped to watch it. I think the show is way overdramatic and all engineered by the producers, but it's just so entertaining. I don't really care who wins either way (my favorites were Luke and Chase). Honestly I don't like Jordan or Robby and think Jojo would be better off without them, but that's just my opinion. I love watching the show because it's bonding time with my mom (we watch together) and my older sister, who I text my commentary to. It's light and mindless and I'm addicted. Oh and Bachelor in Paradise starts tomorrow. It's probably my favorite of the series, so excited.

8 // I recently rediscovered one of my all time favorite movies, My Big Fat Greek Wedding. It's so funny! There is something about 90's rom coms that just never gets old. I haven't seen the sequel that came out in the last year, but after rewatching the original, I would love to. The first is just so cute and heartwarming, perfectly light fluffy movie when you need something happy to watch.

9 // The only song I've really liked this month is 80's Mercedes by Maren Morris. I don't know why I like it so much. The lyrics aren't the best and are kind of cheesy, but the tune is so catchy! I want to sing along every single time it comes on the radio. A friend told me Maren Morris' whole album, Hero, is great so I definitely plan to listen to it soon.

10 // August may just be the craziest month of my life. I will be moving back to Clemson, starting my junior year, participating in recruitment with my sorority, welcoming new members at the bid day I'm planning (so, so, so much still to do). I can't wait to be a junior and I have high hopes for this year. The first few months are just going to be a little nuts. Hopefully with the help of my lovely boyfriend and my new Emily Ley Simplified Planner, I will be able to keep it all together.

Wishing you a lovely August,

June Top 10!

My oh my, it's already July!

Sorry, I enjoy rhyming, but seriously, where is this summer going??? I have always seen the Fourth of July as kicking off the downhill slide of the summer, and that is especially true now that I'm in college because a month from now I will be gearing up to move back to South Carolina for my junior year of college (but let's just ignore that for right now).

As I do every month, here is a round up of my top 10 favorite things from the month of June.

1// In case you missed my Magnolia Dreams post, my sweet boyfriend came to Texas for a weekend and I got to spend some quality time with him and his mom, which included going to Magnolia Market. It was a really nice (but wayyy too short) weekend. 

2 // I started using the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser Concealer and oh my goodness it is worth ALL the hype. I have a lot of trouble sleeping, which leads to horrible under eye circles, but with this concealer, I don't really notice them anymore. I have never had a concealer that worked this well. If you don't have this in your makeup bag already, you need it.

3 // My mom and I went a little nuts in Altar'd State last weekend and I ended up getting 2 dresses, a tunic and a romper (hey they were on sale!) I will be wearing one of the dresses for the Fourth of July and the other I wore to work earlier this week. It's gingham seersucker, does it get more perfectly preppy than that? When I came downstairs in it, my mom commented that I looked like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, which makes sense because it is Altar'd State's "Dorothy" dress. 

4 // I did a lot of interacting with other bloggers this month through Twitter chats. It has been a great way to start forming a community, because as much as I talk to my mom and boyfriend about blog things, it's great to have people who can relate and know so much more than I do about all this blogging business. One of my favorite blogs that I've interacted with is The Swirl by Gabby and Hannah, who are fellow college juniors and best friends. Their blog is adorable and informative. I've followed them since they started blogging last summer and it's so impressive to see how much they've grown in just a year. I so admire them and their hard work. Keep an eye on their blog and you might see a familiar face later this month ;)

5 // My ipsy bag was particularly great in June. I have been getting ipsy bags for almost a year and this was probably the best yet. If you don't know about ipsy, it's a monthly subscription service that sends you 5 new beauty products to test out every month. The products are curated to your tastes and the more you review the bags and the products you received, the more they align with your likes and dislikes. My favorite products in it were a Formula X nailpolish in Wingwoman (the perfect red) and Cake Beauty's Everything Balm, which really does work for everything.

6 // The song I heard everywhere (and loved) in June was "From the Ground Up" by Dan and Shay. Oh my goodness, it is so cute! I'm sure it'll be a popular song on wedding playlists this year. Love songs are my favorite and this is one of the best, in my opinion.

7 // I haven't watched too much tv or Netflix recently, but I did start on The Originals, the Vampire Diaries spinoff series. If you like the Vampire Diaries or things of that genre, definitely check it. I actually like it better than TVD, the actors are better (the accents, swoon) and it is set in New Orleans, one of my favorite places.

8 // This month I started following more bloggers and vloggers on Snapchat. It's really interesting to see more into some of my favorite Internet personality's lives. Emily Ley's snapchat is far and above my favorite, mainly because she's constantly snapping her insanely adorable kiddos. I think the blogger snapchat trend is really interesting and it is cool to see the utilization of different platforms to promote brands. 

9 // I FINALLY got a brand new iPhone! I have had issues with the battery life of my phone for over a year, then I shattered the screen in March, and then it finally croaked two weeks ago. So last weekend I got my first new phone in 3.5 years. I got the gold (they were out of rose gold) iPhone SE and I love it. It is the same size as the iPhone 5, but with updated software and camera. I never liked how big the iPhone 6 was and SE has the same capabilities at a more reasonable size and price point.

10 // July is my favorite month because it holds my favorite holiday and my birthday. I have always loved the Fourth of July and this year will be especially fun since all of my siblings are home for the first time since Christmas. The day is full of family traditions like going to the parade in town and lunch at a friend's house. Then at the end of July is my 20th birthday, otherwise known as the least significant birthday ever. If you missed my birthday wishlist, check it out here.

Happy July!!!

May Top 10!

Happy June everybody! I know we're already a few days in, but monthly wrap up comes better late than never I guess. I can't believe this last month has gone by so quickly. How have I possibly been home this long already??? And felt like I have accomplished nothing so far? It's time to get it in gear and that's what I'm going to do. 

Even though April showers continued through all of May in Texas, it was really nice to be home, so here are some of my favorite things from the past few weeks.

1 // The other weekend, my best friend, Sara, and I participated in our favorite summertime activity, go to country music concerts. For some reason, our area is filled with awesome live music venues that have great lineups all summer long. We saw some of our favorite bands, Josh Abbott Band and Casey Donahew, as well as a couple openers, at a local amphitheater. We've seen them both before. Casey always puts on a fun show. Josh Abbott was great too, but his new album is much more mellow so the concert definitely had that feel too. It was still fun to spend time with my best friend. 

2 // Remember Bath & Body Works? Aside from a random lotion at Christmas, I hadn't gotten anything from there, much less been in a store in years. Until my mom and I needed to get Mother's Day presents, and naturally we picked up a couple things for ourselves too. My roommate this year always had a few of their body sprays that she used and they always smelled great, so I decided to pick up a couple. I got one in the scent Hello Beautiful, which is all fruity and floral - highly recommend, the other is Watermelon Lemonade, which smells good enough to eat and is perfectly summery. 

3 // A few weeks ago I got to go shopping with Sara and one of her friends and managed to pick up a few new things. By far my favorite is this t shirt dress from H&M. It's easy to throw on and so comfortable! I've worn it to work, to a grad party, and it would be so easy to throw on with sneakers for a really casual look. If you're on the taller side, you could easily wear this as a long top with skinny jeans or leggings. I want it in every color. 

4 // My favorite blog to read this month has been Kelly in the City by Kelly Larkin. She normally does mostly fashion related posts, but she's also very open about her life and shows the real side to herself and her life, which I love because like Instagram, people's blogs are usually a highlight real of pretty pictures that don't always give you the full picture. I love it when bloggers are so real and open, because as silly as it seems to say, they are real people too.

5 // This month I watched some documentaries for the first time. I have never really gotten the appeal, I like my movies to be fun, not educational. However I loved the ones I watched and they could not be more different. Both are on Netflix and I highly recommend them! The first was Iris, which is about the life and style of legendary interior designer and fashion icon Iris Apfel. Oh my goodness, she is a hoot. Her style is insane and eccentric, but I love that she dresses for herself, wears whatever makes her happy, and doesn't worry about what the "in" trend is at the time. 

The other documentary I watched was completely different. It's called The Dropbox and it is the simultaneously heartwarming and heartbreaking story of a pastor in South Korea who has installed a baby box where parents who do not think they can raise their child can leave their baby to make sure the baby ends up in good care. The pastor and his family have rescued hundreds of children, and adopted quite a few. The movie also gives commentary on this issue of human rights in South Korea and left me crying and wanting to help these babies. It's truly an amazing story.

6 // Even though it just started back up, one of my favorite shows has been The Bachelorette! I loved Jojo on the last season of the Bachelor and I think she's amazing. It looks like this season is going to be a good one too. I watch every Monday while frequently texting my sister about the episode. I even have a bracket going with her and her friends!

7 // One of the best things about being home is having "real" food. Yes, dining hall food is technically real, but it isn't real good or real good for you. I have been loving having home cooked meals, a stocked fridge and pantry, and a consistent supply of fruit - the only fruit Clemson dining halls offer is grainy apples, bananas and oranges. I tried to keep fresh fruit in my mini fridge but somehow it always went bad before I could eat it. My parents keep a ton of frozen fruit on hand and I have been using my little brother's NutriBullet blender to make smoothies for breakfast on a nearly daily basis. I'm even looking into getting my own for my dorm next year.

8 // I haven't been spending a ton of time on YouTube compared to how much I have in the past. I guess I'm just getting bored with the channels I've been following for a while. However, I did start following two new-to-me channels this month. Eleventh Gorgeous is by a set of hilarious twins, they mainly do makeup reviews and test different "hacks," nothing super ground breaking and different, but their positive, upbeat personalities and the way they interact together makes them fun to watch. I also started watching Tati's videos, because as I said last month, I have gotten really into looking up reviews of things, and this girl harshly reviews everything to let you know what's up and she really knows her stuff. 

9 // Another thing I've loved for the past month is just being home. It can get a little bit boring from time to time, but going to school so far from home, I hardly get to spend any time with my family and I have gotten to spend a ton of time with them lately, especially my momma. There's also something to be said about just getting to be in my own room, my own bed. I've always been a major home body so I've just been soaking that up while I can.

10 // For June (even though we're already a few days in) I'm really looking forward to my boyfriend coming to visit. I haven't seen him since I left Clemson at the end of April. He'll only be in Texas for a long weekend, but a little time together is better than nothing!

Hope everyone is having a fun start to the month!

April Top 10!

I cannot believe that it is already May...and that I'm done with my sophomore year of college!!! I wrapped up exams right at the end of April and came back to Texas . Let me just say, it is nice to be home after four months away. I didn't get very much time at home over winter break, so it will be really nice to spend the next few months at home, working and spending time with my family. 

April was an insanely busy month, and here are a few of my favorite things from the past few weeks!

experience // April involved quite a few fun weekends away from school. My first favorite event happened the first weekend of April, Carolina Cup. For anyone not from around South Carolina, Carolina Cup is a horserace in Camden, South Carolina that takes place every year. There are lots of bright colored preppy clothes, big hats, and tailgating. There's even a college park area, where fraternities from colleges from all over the state can rent tents and set up tailgates. I went with Clemson Delta Chi, my boyfriend's fraternity, and we had a blast! The next best weekend was a few weeks later when we went to visit my boyfriend's sister and her family. They live a few hours away and we got to spend the weekend hanging out and playing with Mike's nephew. As much as I love Clemson, I really needed a weekend completely away, and this one was perfect.

beauty // I have used the same foundation since high school, but this month I found a new option I like just as much (if not more)! I had heard about the Rimmel Lasting Finish 25hr Foundation from YouTube channels I follow, but I never had a need to try it until my favorite Covergirl foundation was out in my shade. I got the Lasting Finish in the shade 091 light ivory (the lightest shade) and it is the best color match for my pale skin I have ever found. It has a bit of scent to it, which made me a little nervous, but it goes away when you blend it out. It is full coverage but feels super light because it has a serum in it. It's also SPF 20! I highly recommend!!!

clothing // Over spring break I jumped on the kimono trend, and let me just say, I'm obsessed! I've been a fan of the kimono look for a while, but since it's so trendy (and I'm typically more preppy and traditional) I was hesitant. I also had a hard time finding one I liked, until I found the adorable Barefoot Boutique at the Ventura Harbor Village when I was in California. I couldn't find the exact one I have online, but I love this blue one from H&M and this adorable lacy one from Forever 21.

song // I wouldn't say I had a  favorite song for April, but there is one that I heard a ton and really like: "Record Year" by Eric Church. It is not the happiest of songs, but the lyrics are a clever play on words and I just love Eric Church's voice.

tv show // I have been working my way through Parenthood on Netflix since Christmas break and I just finished it. Oh my goodness it is so good! I love shows that are on the more realistic side, and this one definitely shows the very real, complicated nature of families. It is sweet and funny and just overall really well done. I might have cried a lot little during the finale. Check it out if you're looking for something new to watch.

youtube // Again I don't have one particular YouTube channel that I've been loving, but I have been using YouTube in a different capacity lately. Of course tons of YouTubers review all sorts of different products, but I had never actively searched out this type of video, until lately.  Trust me when I say there is a YouTube review of everything. The past few weeks I have been debating what planner to get for junior (!!!) year, I don't want to invest in a certain one and end up not liking it so I have been watching tons of reviews of planners I'm interested in. This probably seems super weird, but I heavily rely on my planner and am very particular about them so I want to make sure I get one I will love. Again, there are videos on anything you could possibly imagine so I highly suggest looking into some reviews before buying new items.

blog // My favorite blog (and Instagram feed) lately belongs to Hailey from Hailey Daily. This girl's style is flawless to say the least! I don't think I have seen an outfit post from her that I didn't immediately want. Her style is very girly, sometimes more preppy and others pretty trendy, but always adorable. I always check the like to know it notifications from her posts to see where she finds all her cute clothes.

movie // I don't have a favorite movie I've seen this month. With the end of school, I didn't have much time to see any movies. However, Netflix just added a bunch of new stuff so I'm looking forward to using some of my newfound free time to watch a few movies and maybe start a new series.

random // PLANNERS! I know I used this as my favorite last month too but I am obsessed. A lot of the popular brands like Simplified Planner and Day Designer are releasing their new lines and they are all adorable. I love a good planner because it helps me pretend that I've got it all figured out and that everything is going to go exactly as planned (ha!). Coming off the craziest semester of college I've had so far and heading straight for an insane fall, I know I need something that will really help me keep my sanity. Like I said earlier, I've been looking at all sorts of reviews for different planners so I can figure out which one to get for next year. I love to see how other people use their planners and plan their days. If you want to be occupied for hours, looks up decorated Erin Condren planners. It's amazing.

looking forward to // Spending the summer at home! I love going to school at Clemson, but it is so nice to be home for the summer. I hardly get to see my family and hometown friends when I'm at school so I'm excited to have the whole summer to hang out with my mom, dad and younger brother. My best friend and I are already planning some day trips on the weekends to the beach and Magnolia Market, Fixer Upper stars Chip and Joanna Gaines market, in Waco. It's going to be a nice relaxing break.

I am hoping to get back into blogging now that I am home for the summer!

March Top 10!

Oh my goodness it's already April! This year is flying and I cannot believe it. I only have 2 1/2 weeks of classes left in my sophomore year of college. That's nuts. March was a crazy, busy month but so much fun so here are my top 10 favorites for this month!

Reenacting a childhood photo at the Chinese Theater in Hollywood

Experience // The best part of March, by far, was getting to go to California with my boyfriend for spring break. I spent the week getting to know his family and the places he grew up, and doing a little bit of exploring in the LA area. I was really stressed going into break, so I decided to take a communication/social media break during the week. I logged out of my emails, Facebook, Instagram, and turned off notifications for group chats. This was so beneficial to my trip; I was really able to destress and focus on the experience. If you're ever getting to a tipping point stress-wise, I highly recommend taking a few days to unplug. 

Beauty // My favorite beauty product this month was one I got in my February ipsy glam bag, the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Oil, which you can find here for a pretty penny. This is definitely not something I would have just casually picked up because of the price tag, $42 and it goes under makeup?! But I have been using my tiny sample size on my entire face for two months, it'll go a long way. It sounds weird because who wants to add oil to their face (especially since I have oily skin), but it smooths everything out and makes makeup stay all day, which never happens to me. I will probably have to make the investment when I run out of my sample because it's so good. 

Clothing // My favorite clothing item is actually something I've only worn once so far. It's a black, jersey romper I bought at H&M over spring break. It is so comfy, it feels like pajamas. It is also super versatile. I wore it with a kimono and sandals to a friend's birthday dinner and with a baggy pullover sweater and keds for a comfy look for class. I can't find it online, but you may be able to find it in your local H&M.

Song // I'm not good about listening to new music ever, but one song I listened to a lot in March was People Loving People by Garth Brooks. A few different covers of it have popped up on my Spotify Discover Weekly. It's a great song with a really strong message, part of the chorus is "people loving people / that's the enemy of everything that's evil." It has been a great reminder to be conscious of the way I treat everyone I interact with.

TV show // The Bachelor ended in March, and I was devastated. I was Team Jojo all the way, but I think she's going to be an awesome bachelorette starting in May!!! I really hope Lauren and Ben are one of the successful couples from the show, and it looks like they will be. I know it seems stupid, but I love the Bachelor, my sister and I text each other our commentary and I look forward to it every week. 

TV part 2 // I haven't been loving any particular YouTube channel this month, so I'm including a second TV show that I found because of a YouTuber. In this season of The Amazing Race, all the contestants are people who are famous because of various forms of social media, including Blair Fowler from juicystar07 on YouTube. In the show, they race all over the world facing different challenges and tasks along the way. They go all sorts of places - Mexico, Columbia, France, Switzerland, and Armenia so far this season - and their obstacles relate to the culture of that location. I'm hooked.

Movie // This doesn't really count because I saw it this past weekend, but I finally saw the movie Trainwreck starring Amy Shumer and Bill Hader. So vulgar, but it is absolutely hilarious. If you want a good laugh, check it out. The one liners in it are priceless. 

Blog // My favorite blog lately is Lonestar Southern by Kate. She's a fellow Texas girl, and her sense of style is amazing! I want her closet, she's got the perfect mix of feminine and preppy. She also mixes in affordable pieces so you wouldn't have to pay an arm and a leg for some of her outfits. Kate also does regular "Coffee Date" posts, where she catches her readers up on her life. Her entire blog is so sweet and genuine, I love it.

Random // My planner has been my saving grace the past few months. It is incredibly detailed and color coded, but it helps we keep track of my insane life a the moment. I have the Kate Spade medium weekly planner. While I don't love this particular one, I love planners in general and am currently on the hunt for one I will use next school year. My favorites are the Simplified Planner or the Passion Planner. What's your favorite planner?

Looking Forward To // There are so many fun things happening in April, including Carolina Cup this past weekend, Greek Week this week, my boyfriend's fraternity formal next weekend, his military ball two weeks after that, then finally getting to go home for the summer at the end of the month! I cannot believe my second year of college is coming to a close, but I am so glad it is ending with such a fun month!

Happy April y'all!

July Top 10!

Welcome to my first monthly favorites post! July was a really busy, but very fun month between my boyfriend visiting, my favorite holiday, my birthday and a bunch of other stuff. So I thought I would share my top 10 favorite things of the month! I can't believe it's August already. I go back to Clemson next week! 

1. My favorite event/experience of the month would have to be my boyfriend, Mike, coming to visit me and my family for the Fourth of July (my favorite holiday)! We had such a good time and it was great to see him after two months of only talking over text and FaceTime. I wrote a whole post about his trip, feel free to read it here.

2. My beauty favorite of the month would have to be my Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 foundation. Phew that's a long name. But seriously this is a great foundation. I used it during high school, but stopped when I bought the wrong color when they were out of my shade (there is a HUGE difference between ivory and classic ivory). Anyway, I finally picked up the right color this month and it manages to last all day in the Texas heat, which is awesome! Look for more info about it tomorrow ;).

3. My favorite purchase of the month was my Kendra Scott Elisa necklace in silver with an iridescent drusy stone. I've probably worn it just about every day since I bought it. The stone picks up different colors and is so sparkly. I love it! And it looks so cute paired with my silver monogram necklace since they're different lengths.

4. My favorite song of the month is probably All Night by Dustin Lynch. I have been listening to Spotify's Summer of Country playlist non stop and I always start singing and dancing around my room when it comes on.

5. My favorite YouTube channel during July has been Aspyn + Parker's vlogs. Aspyn Ovard is a youtube beauty guru, but this channel is her and her boyfriend's everyday lives. They're so cute and it's just kind of fun to see all the cool stuff they do. 

6. My favorite blog of the month is Seeking the South. Emma actually found me on Twitter because of the link I shared to my post a couple weeks ago about what being in a sorority means to me (read it here). She's a Theta too! Her blog is really clean, and well done. It's all about her college life and experiences as she moved from Kansas to Texas to go to TCU. Her blog is a realistic look at college life; I feel like a lot of blogger's glamorize everything or feature expensive things that normal college girls can't afford. Definitely check out some of Emma's posts!

7. The show that I was a little too obsessed with this month (or maybe just the last week...) is Unreal. If you're a Bachelor/Bachelorette fan, like me, you'll probably like this show. The writer of the show used to be a producer on The Bachelor, so this show is about what you don't see on camera. It definitely makes you question the "reality" of The Bachelor and Bachelorette, but it's really interesting. Be warned though, it's definitely on the (really) inappropriate side, so it's not for everyone. 

8. There were quite a few movies I saw during July that I loved. For my birthday my family and I went to the local drive in, which was so much fun, that has double features on each of its screens, so we saw Minions and Inside Out. Inside Out is extraordinarily well done, I think the whole concept is amazing and creative. I would not be surprised if this one the Oscar for best animated movie next year. My other favorite would have to be the newest Disney Channel movie, Descendants. I heard about this movie a while back and when I found out that it came out this past Friday, I made sure to record it. The movie is all about the children of Disney's fairytale couples, and villains. When Belle and the Beast's son is about to be crowned king, he makes the decision to allow the children of exiled villains to rejoin the kingdom and go to their boarding school. The concept is so cute and I loved some of the songs (Did I Mention and the new version of Be Our Guest were my favorites). This is probably the best movie Disney Channel has had since High School Musical.

9. My random favorite for this month has been painting. I've been painting a lot lately in anticipation of getting my sorority little sister(s) this fall! I can't wait to share all the things I've been making because I'm so pleased with how they're turning out. I'm sure I'll do a post showing all the gifts I'll give during big little week after I have my little or littles.

10. I decided that, assuming this will become a regular thing, I want to finish off my favorites with my favorite things I'm looking forward to for the next month! A lot will be happening in August with the start of school so there is a ton I'm excited about. I cannot wait to be back in South Carolina (1 more week!!!!) and spend time with all my friends, and especially my sweet boyfriend. Also August means recruitment! And I cannot wait to welcome the newest group of girls to the Delta Phi chapter and share with them my amazing sorority!

Happy August y'all!