Brown Sugar Brunette

Case of the Mondays

2012-09-10T11:03:00.001-05:00

I am one grumpy girl this morning. It must be a case of "the Mondays". But I grabbed a bagel with pumpkin cream cheese before class this morning, I've got a vanilla hazelnut coffee on the desk beside my laptop, and The Boyfriend is sitting beside me laughing at our professor's jokes. Suck up. ;) Slowly, I am getting into my routine as a student with 2 jobs. It's just taking some time. I'm a senior and sometimes my motivation level is a big fat ZERO.

I'm feeling random today, so that's what y'all are getting. A list of random stuff that I found fun this morning. Because studying and writing lesson plans is SO overrated.

The Color Of - Type in a word or phrase, and this program will gather photos from the Internet to give you the "color of" that word/phrase. Pretty neat huh?

Dog Shaming - People post photos of their little rascals and the "crime" they committed. This one had me silent laughing in the quiet section of the library.

Sweet Southern Charm - Love this girl's Tumblr. She posts such cute things. Great for Southerners, or those who aren't so lucky to live down here. ;)

Vanilla Joy - It's already the 10th of September and that means we are officially getting into Cardigan Season. Here's a cool (and super easy) tutorial on how to make a cardigan out of a pullover sweater that doesn't fit quite right. This is great for re-purposing those "meh" items in your closet!

Dancing Twin Babies - Have you seen this YouTube video of twin babies dancing to their dad's guitar playing? Ugh. So precious.

Well that's all I've got for today...my next class is starting now so I should probably pay attention. And I just noticed that my laptop has approximately 32 minutes of battery left. Great. Gotta go...

Happy Monday!

One reason why I love Elf

2012-09-07T13:58:00.000-05:00

No, I'm not talking about one of these guys:

I'm talking about EyesLipsFace, an awesome makeup brand that is actually affordable for even the tightest college budget. I recently ran out of my favorite mascara (Maybelline's LashBlast, which is also pretty awesome), and for some reason decided to try something new. Maybe it was the fact that there was no makeup on sale at Target...$9.00 for some black goop in a colorful tube? No thanks. Anyway, I found myself wandering over to the ELF section, where I found this:

No, not my tea, although it was pretty good too. It's ELF mineral mascara for only $3. Not a typo. I bought it with a hint of skepticism, wondering how well a $3 mascara could work for my lashes. But then I put it on and realized that it's pretty dang great. See the proof below.

Sorry my before photos are a bit blurry. I think it's a combination of an old camera, incompetent user, and barely-there lashes. But you can tell it definitely made a difference. BTW all I'm wearing here is the mascara. There's something about makeup-less closeups that makes me shudder. So y'all should feel blessed that I shared these.

Anyway, my conclusion is this: ELF mineral mascara will not make you look like you have falsies. But it's perfect for day makeup, and I'm sure with more coats (this was only one coat...seriously) it could become more intense. It swiped on easily and I didn't have any problems with clumping. The color was nice and dark. For $3 I'll definitely be picking up another tube when this one runs out. That is, unless I find another treasure in Target. That seems to happen to me a lot.

It's been a super busy week, but after 1 more hour here at work I'll be free for the weekend. Mine included a Blake Shelton concert with The Boyfriend last night. Of course I forgot my camera. Dumb. Tonight we're hopefully going to pick up an adorable ~~baby~~ dog. Then tomorrow is the horned frogs' first football game of the season AND first in our gorgeous renovated stadium! I'm excited for what the next 60 hours has to bring. :)

Anyone else have exciting plans?

What I've been up to...

2012-08-30T07:38:00.000-05:00

So at the beginning of July I took a break from blogging. It was becoming a hassle to keep up with everything and honestly I was beginning to feel like a fail blogger. And it wasn't just blogging, it really was all technology. I decided to step back and just live my life without being tied to my computer all day. Here's what I've been up to:

A little bit of baking...

Some painting...

Eating a lot of great food...

Hitting "big" driving milestones (50,000 miles in 5 years!)

Spending time with the people I love...

And being clumsy.

Yes, my bejeweled, cracked screen, 5 year-old phone is now sleeping peacefully at home where I accidentally left it. About a month ago I was getting ready to call Momma and dropped my phone in the pool. It was only submerged for 3 seconds tops but the damage was done. It still turns on but I can't do anything with it. Sad day. So when I went home at the end of July I went to the Verizon store, then left with a phone in my hand and no money in my bank account. *sigh* Adult life is so fun. NOT. But I like my new phone...except I'm still trying to get all of my contacts back. I was that person on Facebook who posted a status telling people to message their numbers. Ugh haha.

Oh yeah, and I also started my senior year of college. WOAH. I know. It's the 2nd week in and I'm already just a little stressed. Maybe a lot stressed. But hopefully I am back to blogging and y'all haven't forgotten about me.

Comment please so I don't feel like a loser who lost all of her friends?

I love y'all!

July Photo-a-Day

2012-08-02T11:20:00.001-05:00

Holy Smokes I can't believe it's already August. I'm a day late with the "July Photo a Day" photos BUT here they are!

1. Self portrait - I really should stop making faces like this

2. Busy - At work...always multitasking

3. Best part of your day - Coffee and spiritual growth

4. Fun - Going out for breakfast at 11pm

5. On the floor - My shoes are on the floor more than they're in my closet

6. Chair - Redoing some dining chairs I was gifted

7. Garden - Not mine but I stumbled upon it during my walk around the apartments

8. Lunch - Freebirds...yum.

9. Big - Opening an Etsy shop. Big and scary.

10. Favorite color - Purple, of course

11. Letter - Freebirds again...wow I eat here a lot haha

12. Texture - My laptop case feels so cool

13. Open - Old recipe book open to my grandmother's cookies

14. Building - Cool Barnes & Noble downtown

15. Finger - My little pinky!

16. Sign - Gash on my ankle...a sign that I should be more careful while iceskating

17. Addiction - Pinterest...I'm on every single day

18. Plate - Zoes hummus and salad plate for dinner

19. Animal/insect/pet - The weird looking bug that was outside my front door this morning

20. Eyes - Big eyes and a silly face

21. 9 O'clock - Washing dishes at night

22. Upside down - The gross wasps making an upside down nest at home

23. Mirror - My mom bought me this cool mirror. I'm kinda in love

24. Stranger - A stranger's car. I love hockey so I couldn't help but take a photo

25. Heart - This boy stole Little Sister's heart (precious!)

26. Sunshine - On the fruit Momma cut up for breakfast

27. On the road - I hit 50,000 miles WOAH

28. Cup - Buc-ee's cup is essential for traveling (and Big Red Icees)

29. Last thing you bought - A delicious burrito on my trip home

30. Calm - Bible study on the comfy couch

31. Toothbrush - I love this pink toothbrush...and actually looked good this morning haha.

*AUGUST IS HERE! Get the list for this month here*

I guess this means I'm back to blogging haha. It feels good to be back. That break was just what I needed.

BRB

2012-07-09T10:14:00.000-05:00

Re-evaluating my life right now.

Blog posts may be spread out (even more than usual).

Please don't hate me.

Or unfollow.

I promise I'll be back soon.

Hopefully with something awesome.

I'm crossing my fingers and saying a prayer.

I'd appreciate it if you would too.

I love all of you even if I don't personally know you.

Thank you for your support.

PS: Beth @ Home Stories A to Z is having a pretty sweet giveaway for you DIY-ers...~~don't enter because I want to win~~ go check it out! ;)

Puppy Love

2012-07-06T10:05:00.001-05:00

I am a self-proclaimed "dog person". But it's almost more of an obsession. When I was younger my family always lived in rent houses, so we couldn't have pets. I got away with a small bunny for a while in first grade, but my parents gave him away to someone with a farm. I'm convinced they sold him to a keychain factory, but they've stuck to their farm story. Every birthday, I blew out my candles and wished for a puppy. Every letter to Santa included a puppy in my list of Christmas wishes.

When I was 11 we moved into the house my parents live in now, and I finally got a puppy. His name was Max, and he was the most loved Westie you have ever met.

Unfortunately, he suddenly got very sick one day and we had to put him down. I was there until the end, and was crushed. For a few years my parents were dog-less; then a woman from church asked if we wanted her dog. She worked and couldn't take care of him the way he needed, and her little girl was getting tired of him. That's how we acquired Louie. He is seriously my parents' third child, their pride and joy. He's a great cuddle buddy, runs like a greyhound around the living room when he gets excited, has an entire basket of toys, sits on your laptop if you're not giving him enough attention, loves to go for ~~walks~~ mad dashes around the neighborhood, and is the smartest dog I've ever met. Can you tell I love him?

But now that I'm at college more than I'm home, my apartment can get kinda lonely sometimes. The Boyfriend's great, but sometimes I just need a small fluffy to snuggle with. I have a serious case of puppy love. I go to our city's pet adoption website at least once a week, and frequent the pet store at the mall so much they probably think I'm trying to rob the place. But our apartment complex is mean and makes residents pay a kajillion dollar pet fee. Plus once school starts I won't be at the apartment much, and it wouldn't be fair to a puppy if I left it alone all day. So for now, ooh-ing over the animals will have to do. Maybe I'll start volunteering at the animal shelter or something. Stray fluffies need love too!

Have any pets? Tell me about them! I love hearing everyones' stories. :)

Have a Fantastic Friday!

Seersucker in the South

2012-07-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

After spending a few days in the South, you're bound to notice both women and men wearing seersucker. While it can quickly become a little bit "5 year old on Easter Sunday" for me, I definitely don't hate it. It's preppy and great for the summer.

Neely at "A complete waste of makeup" is giving away a monogrammed seersucker coozie...Go check her out and enter to win!

Happy Independence Day!

Let's go to the Beach Beach, let's go get away

2012-06-29T11:06:00.000-05:00

That Nikki Minaj song is terrible but so catchy...darn. So I'm linking up again for Friday's Fancies @ LongDistanceLoving. Sorry posting is so sporadic...I'm at camp right now and our campers arrive in 1 hour yaaaayy!!! But that means most of my posts (if they happen at all) will be short and written on little sleep and lots of caffeine. Bear with me. Thanks y'all!
Here are two beach looks: One for the active beach-going girl, and one for the glamazon. Because I consciously attempt to dress modestly, I hope these outfits reflect that somewhat. I know you can't wear jeans and a sweater to the beach, but I try to at least somewhat cover up. I'm at the beach to have fun, not get googled at. ;)

Which one of these looks speaks to you?

Weekend Recap

2012-06-27T07:00:00.000-05:00

Even though it's already the middle of the week again (I seriously cannot believe it), here's my recap from last weekend. Thursday afternoon, Little Sister, The Boyfriend, and I drove home to spend the weekend with my family.

Friday was our beach trip to Galveston with friends...between sand castle building, ~~failed~~ kite flying, getting knocked over by the huge waves, and rubbing sand on each other, we had a blast. And only a little bit of sunburn.

The rest of the weekend consisted of watching movies, cat-napping on the couch, playing Apples to Apples until we were silly tired at 1am, eating a lot of my Momma's great food, and enjoying Sunday worship services with my home church family. The Boyfriend and I were pouting when we finally had to leave, but I had work yesterday so we had to be semi-adults and come back. Boo. :P

On a happy note, yesterday was my last day of work for the week. Frog Camp training starts today; I can't wait to facilitate the TCU class of 2017 as they begin their college life! So pumped!

Motivation on a Monday

2012-06-25T11:17:00.001-05:00

So...I've been bad. No I'm not talking about the fact that I haven't blogged in 5 days, although that is pretty bad. I've been bad because I haven't worked out in over a month. And while I was home I ate a lot of butter and sugar. And when I say a lot, I mean even Paula Deen would say "Oh my stars". My Mom is a true Southern woman, so I didn't stand a chance between dishes like homemade mac-n-cheese and Texas sheet cake. Oh, dear.

BUT...beginning today I am going to get back into the swing of things. That means healthy eating and working out.

Insert my newest workout motivation:

Click on the photo to go to their site, and watch the video. I couldn't help but smile while watching it. They don't time it, and proceeds go to a local charity. What could be better?

Anyone else in? Lemme know, especially if you're in the DFW area.

Have a Marvelous Monday!

Lions and Tigers and Bears!

2012-06-20T13:00:00.000-05:00

In less than an hour, Little Sister, the Boyfriend, and I are going to the zoo! Of course I did the zoo run in April, but I haven't actually walked around the zoo since my freshman year of college. It's definitely time I visited the animals again. In honor of our zoo trip, here are some cute animal-themed photos that I found and loved. Rawr!

via, thebeautydepartment

via, mycakeschool

via, bananarepublic
Sadly, this cardigan was from the MadMen collection at BR, and is no longer available. :(

via, rifle paper co.

via, whatiwore

via, michaelryandesign

via, elizabethmckay

Well, I'm off to pick my 2 favorite people up. It's zoo time!
Have a Wonderful Wednesday!

Currently...

2012-06-19T11:54:00.002-05:00

Got this cute post idea from Designed to Love , and thought it would be perfect since I have a crazy case of writer's block.

I am currently...

{reading} The Great Gatsby
This was one of my favorites in high school, and since the movie is coming out this Christmas (check out the trailer, it looks fabulous) I decided that it needed to be read once again. After this I continue through the Harry Potter series with The Prisoner of Azkaban.

{watching} Pretty Little Liars
New episode tonight, but I'm waiting to watch it with Mom and Little Sister when we go home on Thursday. Love. This. Show.

{anticipating} The beach!
Little Sister, the Boyfriend, and a couple of our best friends are going to Galveston for a beach trip this Friday, and I could not be more pumped. It's the first time we've been this summer, and we're gonna have a blast. High of 93 and mostly sunny = perfect beach weather. I'm already planning what to pack in the cooler. I'm thinking bottles of homemade sweet tea, chocolate chip cookies, fruit, and chips. Any other ideas?

{laughing about} God's way of working things out
Hi, my name is Lauren and I'm an over-worrier. But seriously, if something can produce stress you can bet I'll stress about it. Lately I've been wondering why things have turned out a certain way, doubting decisions, and just really hating myself. Then last week things started falling into place, and are continuing to do so this week. It just makes me laugh because I can almost hear God saying, "See Lauren? This is what happens when you stop trying to control everything and give it to me."

{listening to} Fluffy music
Oh you know, One Direction, "Call me Maybe", songs with a crazy beat...they're almost required for summer. Lots of in-the-car karaoke and dancing will ensue. Obviously.

{eating} Breakfast at my desk
For breakfast this morning it was Honey Bunches of Oats with Almonds, along with half a tablespoon of chia seeds. Chia seeds are so weird. I heard someone compare them to fairy eyeballs one time and haven't recovered. They're okay if I just don't think about their sliminess. *shudder* At least they're healthy, right?

{working on} Re-doing my dining chairs
I've been working on them for 3 weeks, but I'm still not finished with those dadgum chairs. Lemme just say that you've never faced a challenge until you decide to spray paint chairs on a tiny rental apartment porch. Anyone have a tutorial for removing spray paint from surfaces? Oops.

{wishing} I was off of work

Little Sister is currently at my apartment, probably eating a PB sandwich and watching a movie while still in her jammies. And the Boyfriend is most likely doing something similar. I, however, am in a chilly office with pretty much nothing to do. It's a super slow day, and I'm practically the only one here. Now I can't complain too much because obviously I'm lucky to have a job. But while it's great to make money and be self-sufficient, part of me wishes I was with the two people I love most right now (besides my parents). At least I get off soon. 1 more hour until freedom!

Friday's Fancies: Pretty Little Liars

2012-06-15T13:44:00.002-05:00

I don't watch much TV. I don't have cable, and could honestly care less about most shows that are on right now. Pretty Little Liars is the exception, big time. I love the drama, I love that it's a little bit spooky (try watching it alone at night and you may agree), and I love the outfits.

I envy Hannah's glamour, Emily's comfy cuteness, and Aria's ability to pull off even the most crazy outfits. But even when reading the books, I related most to Spencer. She's a stressed out overachiever with a stubborn must-win attitude, and I kind of love her. Maybe that's because I'm a lot like her. She's also a pro at looking polished and preppy.

Here are 2 outfits Spencer has worn recently that I decided to create:

I like these looks because they're easy, yet put-together. Perfect for going to class, running errands, or casual Friday night fun.
I am so pumped for this weekend. Rodeo & BBQ with The Boyfriend's parents tonight, then road tripping with the Boyfriend tomorrow to pick up Little Sister from camp and bring her back with us. You don't know crazy until you get Little Sister and I together. The best part? She has no idea we're coming to kidnap her. Yay, surprises!
Happy Friday!

It's OK Thursday

2012-06-14T06:00:00.000-05:00

{It's OK...}

*To go to Target multiple times a week

*To roam around Central Market on a weeknight just because you have nothing else to do

*To be annoyed by the immaturity of teenagers, even though you're not much older than them
(was I really that annoying?)
*To be ready for bed by 9pm (yawn)
*To LOVE grocery shopping just as much as cooking
*To be completely UN-inspired - some days are just like that
*To turn on your fan and wear a minimal amount of clothing so you can turn your
AC off as much as possible
*To eat that ice cream even though you haven't worked out in a month
*To justify the not working out by lending your sister your only pair of running shoes
*To want chips and salsa every. single. day. Hey, it's practically a vegetable! ;)
*To have a little bit of doubt sometimes. Just don't let it stress you out, kay?
*To really be looking forward to a 6 hour road trip, even if it starts at 2:30 in the morning
*To look in the mirror and say, "You are awesome and smart and beautiful". Just try it.

What are you Ok with today?

4 Months and Counting

2012-06-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

Fair warning, this post isn't what most people would call "girly". But I was sucked into the hockey world and am currently just a little obsessed. Any others out there proving that you can be girly and truly enjoy sports at the same time? Anyone?

Okay. Well, with a win in game 6 Monday night, the Kings snatched the 2012 Stanley Cup from the Devils, making Stars fans everywhere (including the Boyfriend) groan and think "that could've been us". But lets not dwell on that fact for the moment. Now that hockey season is officially over, fans are definitely feeling a void. Am I right? And I know what that means: it's time to plan for next season.

The planning of watching parties has begun. At this rate, I'll be more than ready come October. ;)

Coffee Tables

2012-06-11T12:35:00.000-05:00

I can't tell you why, but I have a growing obsession with cute coffee tables. Maybe it's because I actually drink a lot of coffee and would use one. Or because I like doing my homework sitting on the floor at my coffee table in the apartment.
I'm especially fond of these tables. They're all a little bit unique, and I would be glad to have any of them in my future home.

With the marble top and scrolled white bottom, this table would fit perfectly in a romantic shabby chic living room

This plush ottoman/table would provide extra seating for guests, and I love the nailhead trim and tufting

This one, even though it looks old and worn out, is kinda cute. It would be great in a farmhouse or refurbished barn. Plus, it would be easy and cheap to DIY

This would be so easy to recreate: a pallet, glass cut to fit, and 4 wheels attached to the bottom

This one is supposed to be for kids, but it's rugged enough to be a coffee table in a grown-up living room. Plus I love the concealed storage. I have a lot of junk :P

Have a Marvelous Monday!

Friendship Bracelets

2012-06-08T13:05:00.000-05:00

If you're a 90s kid, friendship bracelets are old news. They were swapped between classes and summer camp, came in every color, and were treasured by girls everywhere.

Now, arms stacked full of these grown up friendship bracelets are one of this summer's biggest trends. Here are a few I found and absolutely love!

{Click on the photos to see how they're made!}

And of course we can't forget the friendship bracelet wrapped headphones...I heard it takes forever, but they're great for keeping the cords untangled!

I've already made the 5th bracelet and it turned out great! I can't wait to pick up some embroidery thread and try the rest of them out. :)

In other news...it's Friday! And I get off of work right...now.

Have a fabulous Friday afternoon!

Wedding Videos

2012-06-06T11:11:00.001-05:00

Linking up with Something Charming for Wedding Wednesday today. :)

I was cleaning my room at home the other day when I found my parents' wedding video. It was neat to look back on that day, especially since I wasn't there (obviously!). It got me thinking about wedding videos, and how you just don't see them much anymore. People are more concerned about the photos. I used to think that I wouldn't want my wedding videotaped, but my mom told me something interesting. She said that while photos are nice, there's something about videos that's special: the sound. It's hearing the voices of special people who have since left us, hearing yourself make those important vows, hearing people wish you and your husband well. That really struck me. I mean, photos of the shoes you wore are nice, but I'd much rather be able to watch my wedding over and over again.

And so began my hunt for wedding videos. But I found that the most viral ones were not my style at all. They seemed over-produced, over-thought, and just a little bit fake. Maybe that's just me being cynical, but they were not my cup of tea.

Then I found this stop motion video and fell in love. This video is amazing. It told the wedding story from beginning to end without any cheesiness or lipsyncing or over-the-top acting/dancing. And of course the stop motion was done very well.

Then this one made me tear up. It's one of the most sweet, heartfelt videos I've ever seen. Ugh. So cute. Plus she had a gorgeous and modest wedding dress.

This last one is a combination of video and still photos, which was interesting to me. They used a Bon Iver song for this wedding video, which automatically makes it awesome. It perfectly captured the feeling of their romantic beach wedding.

What do you think about wedding videos? Did you/do you plan on having one? I think these videos might have changed my mind.

Fortune Teller Chic?

2012-06-04T11:03:00.001-05:00

I don't believe in supernatural happenings, but the whole thing is really intriguing to me. Tarot cards, horoscopes, David Blaine and his crazy magic...I enjoy all of those things, but am a total skeptic. However, when I get a fortune in my fortune cookie, I am all over that. But those things are always scary accurate for me. The Boyfriend probably thinks I'm crazy, and so do the people at Pei Wei. But I think I'll keep on believing in the magic of fortune cookies until proven otherwise. Anyone else feel this way or am I crazy?

Well even if you don't believe in any of the above, here's a cute hairstyle I have named "fortune teller chic". I found this tutorial on how to tie a turban on the French Etsy blog and so desperately wish it would look as good on me as it does on this girl. It's so elegant, so easy, and so summer. It would make my ~~third~~ second-day hair look polished for work without having to spend a lot of time on it. That means an extra 15 minutes of "snuggling in my cozy bed" time. Win-win-win.

So easy, right? I feel a thrift store trip in my near future. Got to find a cute vintage scarf...now.

Photos from May

2012-06-01T13:52:00.001-05:00

It's time for my month's photos once again. This time I'll be recapping May in 31 days and 31 photos. Here we go...

1. Peace - I tried taking a photo of something that represents peace for me, but this was a stressful day. So I just threw up the cliche'd peace sign for y'all

2. Skyline - The lovely city I call "homeish" for 9 months during the year

3. Something that you wore today - My 2 favorite rings, and the remnants of a tie-dying experiment

4. Fun! - SpeechPath end of the year dinner

5. Bird - 2 pretty birdies flirting in the pet store

6. You - Trying out a giant poofy bun

7. Someone that inspires you - The Boyfriend is just one of the people who I'm inspired by daily

8. A smell you adore - My lavender vanilla sleep spray...I put it on my bed almost every day because it just smells so good!

9. Something you do every day - My morning routine: take off glasses & put in contacts, take multivitamin, put on face moisturizer & makeup

10. A favorite word - "Laugh"; I think we should all laugh more often (it's good for you!)

11. Kitchen - My corner of the kitchen at home, where I do most of my cooking/baking

12. Something that makes you happy - My baby Louie always puts a smile on my face

13. Mum - Cooking with Momma in the kitchen

14. Grass - By the big oak tree in our front yard

15. Love - I love Little Sister, my bestie. :)

16. What you're reading - Currently re-reading the Harry Potter series...now on book 3!

17. Snack - Corn and bean salsa I made earlier this month...so yummy!

18. Something you made - Modest scalloped shorts

19. A favorite place - Home sweet home

20. Something you can't live without - My Bible; it's the lamp for my path, the light for my life

21. Where you stand - On my new coffee themed kitchen mat; Momma bought it for me

22. Pink - A stack of pink ribbon next to an antique candle holder on my craft desk

23. Technology - My laptop (with my FB page up, of course!)

24. Something new - New fabric for my dining chairs; I can't wait to cover them!

25. Unusual - The candy jar is almost empty; There's always candy around at my parents' house

26. 12 o'clock - I dogsat during Memorial day weekend; Here's one of the cute puppies

27. Something sweet - Cookies from the high school Bible study at our house

28. The weather today - Beautiful blue skies with puffy cotton ball clouds

29. A number - 2012 graduates are gearing up for the end of the school year

30. Your personality - A lamp; I'm not fancy & don't stand out, but people come to me when they're lost and need help

31. Something beautiful - I actually took this photo earlier in the month when the Boyfriend and I went to the botanic gardens...that fountain is so pretty!

You can find the June Photo-a-Day list here. Have fun!

Friday's Fancies: Work in White

2012-06-01T00:00:00.000-05:00

Because I'm working 2 jobs this summer, I'm really interested in creating cute outfits that work in a semi-professional setting. This outfit is absolutely perfect for a summer spent at a desk. I love that a majority of the pieces are white, with a nude shoe and a burst of navy in the top.

I forgot to add a cardigan, but this top is modest enough that you wouldn't need one unless your office is cold. Mine reaches meat freezer-like temperatures, even when it's 100 degrees outside. Needless to say I would definitely need a cardigan.

In other news, can y'all believe that it's already June??? I seriously can't believe it. 1 month of summer gone, 2 1/2 fabulous ones to go. The fun has just begun! I'll have my photos from the May Photo-a-Day challenge up either later today or tomorrow morning. Be on the lookout!

Hope everyone has a Fantastic Friday!

Lace on top

2012-05-30T10:24:00.000-05:00

When I was younger, I used to obsess over bridal magazines. I would check them out from the library, run up to my room, and pore over each and every glossy page with wide eyes. Even though I've grown up, a beautiful wedding dress still makes me swoon just like it did when I was a little girl.

The dress trend I'm most fond of at the moment is the lace neckline. It's romantic without being fussy, and modest without being frumpy. Although this trend was revived by Princess Catherine's wedding dress over a year ago, I think it's here to stay for a while.

Those were a few of my favorites. What do you think about this trend?

Sunday Sunrise

2012-05-27T07:01:00.000-05:00

Right now I'm dog-sitting for a couple at church while they're on vacation, and although it's been mostly smooth sailing, there have been a few "moments". Like when one of them threw up twice on the carpet. Or when they decided that they didn't want to eat dinner until 10:30 at night. And this morning they woke me up howling at 5:45, then decided that it was time to get up 15 minutes later (even though we didn't go to bed until 1am).

Mumbling under my breath and rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, I opened the back door and let them out. Then I saw it: the most beautiful Texas sunrise I've caught in quite a while. Although I got up before the sun many days while I was in school, I was too tired or too busy to notice the sunrise. But this morning, wow. Made me fall in love with Texas all over again.

Then I realized that if the dogs hadn't woke me up an hour and a half early, I wouldn't have seen the sun rise at all. I've been praying to God for help in being patient and appreciating what I do have rather than what I don't have. So maybe this was Him telling me to appreciate little things like a gorgeous sunrise. Or maybe He just knows how much I've missed watching one. Either way, I'm glad I got woken up. Besides, there will be time to sneak in a nap this afternoon. ;)

PS: Unfortunately this photo isn't mine, but looks exactly like the sunrise I saw this morning; I got it from here, and it was taken in Frisco, Texas

'Merica!

2012-05-25T00:53:00.000-05:00

Ok so...this huge American flag shorts trend? I'm not sure how I feel about it. I'm more into subtle accents, not something I might see at a NASCAR event (sorry if you're a NASCAR fan!). Nevertheless, it seems to be running rampant, especially among college students. At least they're being patriotic?

After searching online, I found out that this extends far beyond a simple pair of shorts. Behold the wealth of American flag clothing I found:

And sadly, that's not even everything I found. Now a few of these pieces are actually wear-able...the others (how about those leggings, eh?) feel too costumey. How do you feel about this trend? Yay or nay?

Snack Attack

2012-05-24T10:32:00.000-05:00

Since I've been home, my parents have been trying to "fatten me up" before I have to leave again. Plenty of desserts, bread, and butter-flavored veggies have found their way into my mouth during the last week and a half. But while I can't refuse my mom's home-cooked dinners, I can fix some healthy snacks to enjoy during the day so I don't overdo it.

However, I am in total laziness mode now that I'm home. All of the stress and lack of sleep during the school year caught up with me in a big way, and afternoon naps on the couch while my mom watches TV are my new thing. So any recipes I try while home have to be pretty easy. Well this recipe is seriously the easiest, yummiest snack I've ever made. No really. It's pretty rad.

All you do is combine these 7 ingredients in a medium-sized bowl:

1 (15oz) can of black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15oz) can of corn, rinsed and drained

2 small tomatoes, finely diced

1/2 red onion, finely diced

1/8 cup lime juice

1 tsp cumin (or to taste)

1 tsp garlic powder (or to taste)

Now serve with tortilla chips/pita chips/veggie chips...whatever you desire. Or you can eat it with a spoon like I do. It's quick, good for you, and tasty. What more could you want??

I took a double batch of this to a Bible study the other night with a bag of tortilla chips and it was a huge hit. There wasn't much of it left, which kinda made me sad because a small selfish part of me wanted it all to myself. It's just so good! And I love that I can eat it without feeling guilty. Which is more than I can say for those pecan pie bars sitting in the kitchen right now. I will resist, I will resist...