looking down

For me I feel like I spend a lot of time looking down. Sometimes physically and sometimes just with my outlook on things. I spend a lot of time <just like anyone else> looking down at my phone to make sure I am not missing out on something on one of the million different social media apps I use. I appreciate modern technology a lot but the week I spend at camp every summer when they take our phones is such a blessing. No one tries to get a hold of you and you don't have to worry about checking in with anyone because they know where you are. It's a truly brilliant plan on the camps part. You spend a lot more time in the moment and I think that's why some of my favorite memories are from camp.

I am always one that has struggled with self-confidence/esteem. Whether if it's when I am getting dressed in the morning, on the beach or anytime a good portion of my stomach is exposed I can't help but staring down at it. Sometimes I wish it would just shrink itself but I know it takes a lot of hard work and dedication for this to happen. <reference to the time I dropped 30 lbs> It's times like this when I was I could see how I truly look from someone else's perspective. We all view ourselves differently than how other people are seeing us. This goes hand-and-hand with the love/hate <mainly hate> relationship with the scale hiding currently in the closet of my bathroom. It's an evil demon that should rarely be released.

Me when I get the scale out

 

Other times I forget to count my many blessings. I have a lot to be thankful for. I live a comfortable life due to my amazing parents who support me in many ways. In life it's hard to not look down on certain situations. Negativity comes easily to me. That's just the way I have always been. I think it's because I have high expectations of other people and I've learned this probably isn't the best way to go about it. People let you down. It happens. Move on and get over it people! <Tough love>

I am her <Leslie Knope// Amy Poehler>

There's so much more to be happy about then relying on someone else to fulfill you. Happiness comes from within. It's very much so an internal thing. As I get older I believe that I am slowly learning that it is waste of energy and my time to be so darn negative. There's too much beauty in every situation rather than getting yourself hung up on the one little part of it.

lent not lint

Today marks the beginning of Lent. I am actually not Catholic but this year I have decided that I want to partake in Lent. Maybe I just need a reason for giving up mainly diet coke but I am almost positive that all soda will follow suit.

I believe that a lot of people like my friend Bailey (see below) tend to get lint and Lent confused.

One just happens to be something that is commonly found in belly buttons and on your clothes and the other is according to Bing is:

the period before Easter in Christian calendar: the period of 40 weekdays before Easter observed in some Christian churches as a period of prayer, penance, fasting, and self-denial.

Why would we get these confused? I thought that the following two pictures were appropriate.

 

While finding the above two I stumbled upon these somewhat funny pictures.

 (the kind of funny that is only funny when you are extremely tired and bored)

Who doesn't love a good grumpy cat?



Day 21// The Meaning

Day 21: The Meaning of Home

 

 

Home is where your heart is. I have never heard a saying that is more true. There's nothing I love more than the comfort that being at my own house brings me. I love spending time with my friends but I prefer to do so at my house. I don't have anything against going to other peoples' homes but I just feel safe when I am home. Maybe I am crazy. Hopefully there are some people out there that share the same feeling as I. I love being home. You can control the temperature of your home, the types of food you bring in your home, and you can sleep with all the fuzzy blankets you want. Another big part of why I love being home is because of my two cats and sometimes my dog. They are so comforting and sometimes tend to harass me. They don't mean to constantly be in my way, but they are. The biggest reason I love my home is because of my bed. There's nothing like sleeping in the middle of your own bed. You can stretch out as much as you want/need to!

 

 



Day 20// A Story Without Words

Day 20: A Story Without Words

Today I find myself sitting in the school library. Not a usual hide out of mine but given the circumstances of the situation I am seeking refuge here. The class I am the teacher's aide for has a substitute, therefore leaving me without anything to do. It's actually really peaceful here in the library. I have never taken advantage of it before. Of all my days here at school never a once have I voluntarily come here. It's strange because on TV all of the time you see the students constantly going to and coming from the library. When you think about libraries as a whole they are kind of underrated. Our world today is overcome with an endless amount of technology that could very well replace our libraries. You have almost every possible book on a digital format so why would you want to take the time to make a trip to the public library? The process of checking out a book is kind of a daunting task in my opinion. You have to search either physically or electronically for the book through countless aisles/ pages of results. Once you find the book- if it's not on hold- you proceed to make your way to the check out counter. You have to be a library card holder which is a big responsibility in and with itself because who keeps up with their library card? You use that sucker once every 3 years and by the time you need it, it has vanished or needs to be reissued. Once this part of the process is over, the less than cheerful librarian will tell you with a scowl that you owe some crazy amount like $5 in fees. How in the heck does one owe that to a library that you maybe have visited 5 times in their whole life? Well, what libraries (or at least our public libraries) don't tell you is that if you don't pick up the book once it is off hold then they will start charging you for you lack of ambition on doing so. Crazy right? So you pay the fees, get your book and pray to God that you remember to return it on time.

Although there are many stipulations when it comes to the tangible flipping of the pages, there's something special about having the book in your hands. The touching of the worn edges and the scent that really old books give off. It's kind of magical really. Or at least I think so. I can't remember the last time I have checked out a book. Normally I just buy it off Amazon or download it to my kindle app. There's so much more worth into checking out a book. It kind of reminds me of my childhood which is something I am sure of that we all miss dearly. It's simple because at that time in our lives we didn't have the responsibilities placed on us when it comes to the process of going to library.

If any of you readers have seen the Sex and the City movie (another great one that I can recommend to my older audience) then you can understand the parallel between this and Carrie Bradshaw. In the movie there is a scene where her and Mr. Big are talking about why she goes to the library to check out books. Here is a snapshot from the scene.

I guess that I kind of avoided today's prompt. I cannot help it. I guess that I also told a story all about words rather than a without them. I love reading and writing. Why would I ever want to rid myself of them?



19 of February

Day 19: Little Known Facts 

As I am writing this post I am sitting on my parents bed and I can't help but have a small amount of writer's block. I want my posts to leave lasting impressions in my reader's minds but I haven't found one particular subject lately that is something exciting. I have been half staring at the computer screen, half watching the new episode of pretty little liars. I am too invested in this darn show. I am over here all emotional. 

I really like watching kind of lame sitcoms. I watch Melissa & Joey, Reba, and The Middle more than I should. Emma is my partner in crime when it comes to these shows. No surprise there, right? When I watch these shows I cannot help but to relate to some of the characters. On Melissa & Joey I tend to see myself a lot like Lennox. She's witty and dresses cute. Maybe I would like to think I am as funny as her. Reba is one of my favorites. I have not a clue why. Maybe Reba's fiery attitude is what keeps me coming back to watch. I think by now I have seen every episode at least 5 times. I feel like my grandma with NCIS. When it comes to The Middle I think I can be a mixture of all of the characters except at different times. You have got to watch these shows. I know I make so many recommendations but I am serious on all of them! You should take my word for it. 

A second little known fact about me is that I spend hours a week aimlessly roaming around Target. I hardly ever buy anything. You should probably know that Target hardly ever changes. They only get so much new merchandise every week and I promise you I have seen it all. I like to walk around dreaming of all the things that I could have in a future house. I like being imaginative like that. It's kind of an escape. 

I believe that it's important that everyone has their one thing that is a go to for an escape. This idea of "little peaceful moments" came to me while I was about to die in the shower last week when I was sick. I was just laying in the shower thinking about all the great things that are taking place around me. At that moment I couldn't have felt anymore relaxed. It was a glimpse into what true bliss those kind of escapes can bring you. I like to do yoga a lot. It regenerates my body in a way that makes me feel amazing. This is another thing that can bring you one of those blissful moments. I'm hoping that all of you readers has an escape from the reality that we are all living in!

Have a fabulous Wednesday!

Love Always,

Alex

day 18 of 28

Day 18: Describe Your Style

My style is greater than my budget. I tend to like certain clothing stores that are more expensive! Here a collection of some of the websites for the places and things that I love <3  

Ralph Lauren 

Urban Outfitters

Pacsun

Old Navy

Gap

Banana Republic

Target 

Free People

Which of these is your favorite? 

Blog Everyday in February// Day 17

Day 17: Five Favorites

Happy President's Day! We have almost finished February! I cannot believe it! It feels like yesterday it was New Years! 

My Five Favorite things right now are as follow:

1) This awesome picture of a cat edition of That's What I Call Music. I hope so much that this is real! 

2) Coloring! I drew this coloring page myself and colored it! Isn't it beautiful! I miss coloring and being little so much!

3) The Fault In Our Stars! The book is amazing. I cried. If you haven't read it then you most definitely should! I cannot wait to see the movie. I can only imagine how great it is going to be! I love you Hazel Grace. 

4) This faux award! I think it is just hilarious!

5) This little happy baby panda! You should be mine Mr. Panda! Come live with me!

Blog Everyday in February// Day 16

Day 16: A Hard Lesson Learned

As I am getting older I am growing and learning everyday. There are things that I know now that sometimes that I wish I didn't know. Recently I have learned that as you get older that the amount of true friends that you have will decrease as time goes on. It is hard to find good friends these days that are honest, trustworthy, and real with you no matter what. I am blessed to have a small circle of girls that I love. After many trials of betrayals throughout life (I am sure that everyone could relate to) I have learned that I wouldn't want it any other way. I much rather have a small group of friends than have a ton of friends that are nothing more than surface level friendships. Just remember that sometimes your siblings make your best companions. I have also been blessed with the best sister/ best friend that a girl could ever have. I love her so much. You all that read my blog regularly know the love I have for her. I don't know what I would do without her. She is my workout buddy, my baking buddy, my snuggle buddy and everything else. Emma you're the best (hopefully you actually read this far into my blog posts).

I love you crazy girl!

Blog Everyday in Feb// Days 13 & 14!

Hello Friends! 

I have been slacking big time on the blog everyday in February- probably because I have been rather sickly lately. I went to the doctor on Thursday and learned that somehow I have strep throat. I thought getting your tonsils taken out would cure this but apparently not. Since I am now recovering after a long weekend of working despite my illness I thought that I should catch up.

Day 13: A Favorite Quote

Another tricky thing. I don't think that I have a particular favorite quote. There are a lot of quotes that I like a lot and some that I even love but none that stick out in my mind as I am reading this prompt. While browsing the Internet the other day I stumbled upon this picture and I couldn't help but think about how true this really is. 

A lot of people I know- myself included- have been the ladies in the third row. I feel as if it is important that you take chances and take every opportunity that is brought to you. There is nothing wrong with being the ladies in the front row. Live your life on edge people! I would much rather be them than anyone else!

Day 14: Happy Valentine's Day

Again to reiterate, I was sickly on Valentine's Day so there are no pretty pictures of me all dolled up out to dinner or anything. The boyfriend and I along with my parents got take out and watched Runner Runner.

If you haven't seen it yet I highly recommend it! Justin Timberlake is in it so you most definitely will want to check it out! It is an action movie so it keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout the whole movie.

Here are some cute Valentinesy things that I have found.

Cute babies!

Boyfriend on Valentine's day!

Dad surprised us with these on Thursday night!

Blog Everyday in Feb: Day 12

Day 12: What's In Your Bag?

This is my purse! After months and months of eyeing it in the local Target, I finally got it as a Christmas present! So thankful that I did because I am absolutely in love with this purse!! (You can find it here with many other colors- perfect for spring)

I keep so many things in here because of the vast amount of space it offers me!

Things In Some Blonde's Thoughts Purse:

* Motrin

 * Lipgloss

* Lipstick

* Hair ties

* Agenda

* Cough Drops

* Bandaids &

* Waffle House coupons

Yes. You read that right. It does say Waffle House coupons. Hey. You never know when you are going to be going to Waffle House so it's better to always be prepared. 

Love Always,

Alex

Blog Everyday in Feb: Day 11

Happy Tuesday friends! Hope you are having a great day (or night depending on what time of day you are reading this). 

Day 11: A Story of Traveling

This past summer our family had the opportunity to revisit North Myrtle Beach. We could not have been more excited to put our toes in the water and butts in the sand! There's nothing like soaking up sun that makes you feel 100% better. Everyone looks good with a little bit of a tan. 

We loaded up the minivan and took off. A trip that should have taken 9.5- 10 hours took about 12. Don't ask me why- I have no idea. Seems like no matter where I am going it takes forever to get there. I think I must have a traveling curse or something. 

We had a whole car full of people and luggage. We even had to put some of our luggage on top of the minivan. Hey. I can't help it that I have to bring my whole closet with me. What if I get there and I don't have something that I needed? That would just about be the end of the world- wouldn't it? ;) 

Finally we made it to the condo after our lovely GPS rerouted us about 1000 times. I hate her stupid voice. *Rerouting* *Make right turn in 800 feet* *Make a U-turn* NO LADY. I know where we are going now. Please shut up. 

Anyways. Vacations are always well worth the traveling. Or at least I believe so.

Here's a few snapshots from the trip! Enjoy!

L-R Mckayla, Myself, and Emma

View from the pool

Putt Putt!!

Back of my shirt! Thought this was so cool!!

Sis & I

Beach!

Pool day!

Face in the hole!

Strawberry daiquiris by the pool with Emma!

Another dinner picture! Nana is awesome

Love Always,

Alex

Blog Everyday in Feb: Day 10

Day 10: What Are You Learning This Season

I have learned a lot this winter. Some big things about myself and about a lot of people in my life. I think I read about it somewhere and they called it growing up...hmm weird.

I am going to take this opportunity in this post to talk about something little that I have learned. I know I mention Emma a lot in all of my posts but that's because she's one of my bestest friends and I love her more than she will ever know. Emma has taught me a lot. Big things and small things. This is a small thing. Emma loves to bake. I wish I would have acquired this skill that she has inherited from my grandmother but unfortunately I didn't. Over the holidays Emma challenged herself into learning how to bake an apple pie.

Recipe that she found on an app on her iPad!

Ingredients all pictured above! Those apples look so good!

All the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl!

Apples after pealed and cored! 

Apples mixed with all the yummy goodness!

Emma and I could not get our old food processor up and running to make our own pie crust so store bought was the route we had to go on this one! 

Before the top pie crust was added!

Pie in the oven!

Final product! Wish you could see a picture of my smiling tummy after eating!

I really recommend you trying out this recipe! It was amazing! Emma is such a great baker. I swear that she should open up her own place when she gets older. If you ever need anything sweet- Emma is your go to girl! This pie did not take long at all to make and prepare!! Such an easy thing to do for anyone! And remember that I am not bias in the slightest :)

Love Always,

Alex