Sunday Funday.

Hey out there! I hope everyone had a great week and are ending this weekend with some relaxation. I on the other hand slept for nearly 14 hours last night! This last week was my finals week and boy was it H-E-L-L. I slept about 4 hours each night and lived on coffee and tried my best to eat somewhat healthy - bananas and strawberries with cottage cheese for breakfast, burritos made with whole wheat tortillas, salsa, black beans, and avocado, and then luckily the bf took care of dinner for the week.

But finals are over and I can sort of relax for Spring Break. I still have a lot to do that just doesn't involve school. I am working most of the week, have some shopping to do for my boyfriend's cousin's bridal shower, two interviews (yayyy!), and I have some catching up to do on my workout routine! Here are some daily calisthenics to add a little something extra to your workout:

   

   

  

 But I am doing to start off my Spring Break tonight with my FAVORITE SHOW: MAD MEN. I cannot remember being this excited for any other TV show. Need a recap to? Here are some that will definitely jog your memory if you have seen it before or help you get a foundation if you are just starting to watch tonight. Season 1 & 2  --  Season 3  --  Season 4

I am definitely going to be drinking a Manhattan while watching the 2-hour premiere tonight on AMC!

Catching Up!

Whoa, it has definitely been a while! Life has been incredibly hectic and on top of that I am super sick. I cannot shake this sickness for some reason and it is coming at the worst possible time - I have 2 finals and a 10 page research paper due next week! So lets play some catch up, shall we?

My blog internship with Pierce Mattie Public Relations has been amazing! I have had some awesome pieces published. From this experience alone I have witnessed the maturation of my writing and I am loving it!
Pretty Shiny Sparkly
Fitness Tips for Marathon Training
Fitness Tops to Get the Most Out of Your Workout
Beanty Trends: Neon for Spring and Summer 2012
Ingrid & Isabel: Maternity Fashion
Spring Fashion Trends: Floral
Man-Gagement Rings
The Hunger Game Movie

I have my FIRST big girl job interview next Monday with a public relations firm that has over 80 locations worldwide! This has been a big waiting game and I am excited that I am finally starting to hear back from some of my top choices! Keep your fingers crossed for me!

I made the MOST DELICIOUS goodies the other day. So good that I could only eat one and I took the rest for my sorority to enjoy! It is a brownie stuffed with a chocolate chip cookie and an Oreo. Decadent, right? Yes.

- Get jumbo size cupcake doilies and put them in a muffin pan.
- Make your favorite brownie recipe! If you are short on time you can totally use a box recipe. I used this recipe for Beantown Baker.
- Pour the batter to cover the bottom of the cupcake doily.
- Take an Oreo cookie and press it down into the batter.
- Make your favorite cookies! You could use the break off dough from the store if you are short on time. I used this recipe (with only 1 stick of butter and only semi-sweet chocolate chips) from Under the High Chair.
- Make a small ball of dough, flatten it, and stick it on top of the Oreo.
- Pour the rest of the batter over the your creation to cover the cookie dough.
- Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes (for the brownie to be gooey) or 30 minutes (for the brownie to be thoroughly cooked).

Well that is all for now! I need to focus on the end of my quarter! When I am finished with that we will talk Coachella! Fashion, camping tips, hair trends, the artists, etc!

Grammy Fashion.

If you didn't get a chance to watch The Grammys here is a recap:

- Adele stole the show! Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Pop Solo Performance, and Best Pop Vocal Album. And she sounded amazing after her surgery!

- Jay-Z and Kanye weren't there to accept their award for Best Rap Performance of Otis. 

- Taylor Swift actually sounded great! You can usually hear the nerves in her voice when she sings live but she sounded amazing! I love TEAM TAYLOR!!

- Skrillex won for Best Dance/Electronica Album and Best Dance Recording. Electronic music is making its way into the Grammys!

- Bon Iver won for Best New Artist...even though they aren't new?

My top 5 fashion picks:

1. Carrie Underwood in Gomez-Gracia - effortless beauty!

2. Kate Beckinsale in Zuhair Murad - look at those legs!

3. Kelly Rowland in Alberta Ferretti

4. Alicia Keys in Alexandre Vauthier

5. Rihanna in Armani Prive - loving her new look!

 What did you think of the Grammys?

Superbowl Sunday.

There are two things I love about the Superbowl: one, football season is over and I will once again regain control of my television; two, an excuse to eat!

Since the San Francisco 49ers didn't make it to the Superbowl I was completely emotionally unattached this year. Being a native Californian, having two East coast teams playing in the Superbowl was a bit underwhelming. 

However, I decided to cheer on the Patriots for a few reasons:

1. The boyfriend was cheering for them.

2. I love Gisele.

3. My Pop (my great-grandpa) passed away in 1999. An avid football fan, he would always say "When I kick off [insert rest of sentence]" instead of "kick the bucket" or some other morbid saying. Ironically, he passed away on Superbowl Sunday in 1999 when the Patriots beat the Eagles. So in memory of my Pop, Go Patriots! 

Sadly, the game was not as fun as I had hoped but I sure did enjoy the company and the food! 

Honestly, the best cookies I have ever made. You will not be disappointed! (I only used one stick of butter and only semi-sweet chocolate chips.) Recipe here, compliments of Under the Highchair.

I thought I should finally put my Crock Pot to use (it has been sitting in the box since Christmas). In honor of Superbowl Sunday I decided to make pulled pork sliders. Easy to make and incredibly delicious! (I used Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce and Hawaiian Sweet Rolls instead of making my own.) Recipe here, compliments of I Adore Food.

Delicious sliders with Kentucky beans (compliments of our amazing friends from Kentucky). 

Needless to say, I had to change into sweatpants at half-time. I hope your Superbowl was just as delicious as mine was!

Whose side are you on?

So I am sure you have heard of the recent controversy between the Susan G. Komen Foundation and Planned Parenthood. If not, here is a brief overview.

I have always been a supporter of Planned Parenthood; from early last year when congressmen and women were fighting to cut all funding to Planned Parenthood to this recent Susan G. Komen fiasco.

I can remember being in 7th grade when a representative from Planned Parenthood came to talk to my science class about safe sex. I was squirming in my seat and my whole glass was giggling at the mention of "penis" and "vagina." But I also remember feeling like I had a friend, an adult friend, who wanted me to make safe choices about my sex life.

After this whole Susan G. Komen cuts funding for Planned Parenthood news broke I was furious. How could they do such a thing? After a little research I found that part of the reason they were cutting funding is because the new Planned Parenthood Vice President for Policy, Karen Handel is very pro-life. Not only is she pro-life, but during her failed attempt to run for governor of Georgia she campaigned on a promise to defund Planned Parenthood and was endorsed by Sarah Palin (enough said). Something just didn't make sense to me. Susan G. Komen is pro-life (maybe not the organization itself but the people who make the organization's decisions are) but they are cutting funding from Planned Parenthood who gives 750,000 breast exams a year, meaning that there are going to be 750,000 women (and men?) who will may die because they were unable to receive a breast exam. Sounded a little hypocritical to me.

But I knew I had to do some more research because there is always 5 sides to a story.

After a little more research and some tweets, I found this. It is an article that talks about Americans United for Life President CharmaineYoast and her groups report "The Case for Investigating Planned Parenthood" that led to Planned Parenthood being investigated by the Energy and Commerce Committee. Because of this investigation, Planned Parenthood is in violation of one of Susan G. Komen's new rules that bar funding from groups under investigation.

So it is not necessarily Karen Handel's political beliefs that are to blame, at least fully, but Charmaine Yoast has played a significant role.

After posting a link to the first news article on my Facebook page, one of my very good friends called me to talk about it. She wasn't necessarily agreeing with my point of view, but she wasn't completing challenging it either. She brought up a book, Unplanned by Abby Johnson, the former director of a Planned Parenthood clinic in Texas. My friend explained to me that Abby Johnson dispelled information about Planned Parenthood such as "they are closing all clinics that do not give abortions because abortions are their main source of revenue" and "they go into schools with a plan to turn young girls against their parents and turn to Planned Parenthood instead."

Now, like I have said, there are 5 sides to every story. This whole "they are closing clinics that do not give abortions" thing is kind of mind blowing - if it is true. According to numerous resources, only 3% of services performed by Planned Parenthood are abortion services. Maybe 3% is an under-exaggerated number and maybe Jonhnson's state is a little exaggerated. So let's meet somewhere in the middle.

In my opinion, regardless of how many abortions Planned Parenthood is performing each year it is their biggest source of revenue and they are a business and at least these abortions are being performed by professionals in a safe and sterile environment! (I have read that they are a non-profit, but I have also read that they are a for-profit, so I am just going to go with calling them a business.) In conservative's eyes, abortions are wrong so they should it is wrong that they are being given money to fund and give abortions and make money from them; but I don't see very many conservatives whining about big corporations making a ton of money from loaning people money they won't be able to pay back, thus leaving them broke and homeless.

On a side note, this is something I have never understood about conservatives. They want the government to tell people they can't get married and tell women they can't get abortions, but they don't want the government to regulate banks and businesses. It doesn't make sense to me but conservatives probably think I am crazy too.

As far as Planned Parenthood going into schools and "turning young girls away from their families" on issues about sex, I think this is completely ludicrous. One woman cannot say: I do not support Planned Parenthood because they are going to talk to my daughter at a young age and turn her away from talking to me about these issues. I understand where you are coming from, I will probably have similar feelings when I am mother. But Planned Parenthood has to take a stance on one side, and the sick reality is that many young women live in homes where sex is taboo and if they come home pregnant they will be thrown out of their house. Planned Parenthood is trying to provide a safety to those young women who have nowhere to go.

If mothers do not want Planned Parenthood to "take their innocent daughters away" then mothers need to create that safe place and safe relationship with their daughter- because if they don't, girls will go to Planned Parenthood instead of talking to their mothers. But do not blame Planned Parenthood if your daughter ends up there - reevaluate your relationship with your daughter. Does she know she can talk to you about sex? Does she have someone like a mom, such as an aunt or older cousin that she can talk to if she is uncomfortable talking to you?

Also, mothers need to think about when they were 16 and 17. Be a great mother to your daughter, and instead of hurting your relationship with her with your strict rules and absurd boundaries, relate to her because one time you were that age too.

All in all, I will support Planned Parenthood until the day I die. If they are giving more abortions because that is where they make their money, then so be it. I am pro-choice and I would rather a woman go to a physician at Planned Parenthood than shove a hanger up her vagina. You may not agree with abortions and some of the things Planned Parenthood stands for, but for some people this is they only care they receive. Women need to get breast exams, women need to have pap smears done, and women need access to birth control and family planning materials - and if they do no have adequate access to health care (a whole other issues!) then for many this is their only option.

After this investigation of Planned Parenthood is done many new facts and figures will be dispelled and we will see where many people stand then. But I am in support of safe and adequate sex education and facilities and that is what Planned Parenthood is providing.

On a final note, I have read numerous arguments about how Planned Parenthood is handling this situation is a disaster from a PR standpoint. I, on the other hand, this it is pure genius. After the some people at the federal level wanted to defund Planned Parenthood people were angry! Planned Parenthood read the feelings of their supporters and fought Washington, and WON. This time around, they are channeling that same angry audience. It worked once, why fix something that isn't broken? I predict that Susan G. Komen will reinstate their funding for Planned Parenthood by the summer.

Where do you stand?

Getting Ready in a Hurry!

So like I have said in my last posts: I have been incredibly busy! I haven't been able to wear sweats and a pony either since I am working at my internship everyday. So I just wanted to share with you how I manage to get ready fast (and still look cute!)

First of all, I have been taking showers at night to give myself more time in the morning. So to make my bed head presentable I have my go-to styles:

1. The Bombshell Rod Curling Iron by Sultra:

 It cuts my hair time down by about half! It it uh-mazing! Spritz with a little Bumble and Bumble Spray de Mode for a playful finish!

2. The Bun! Now, I have really thin hair so my buns have always looked weird...until I came upon the Running on Happiness blog and saw her bun tutorial. Give it a try!



Then there is the makeup! I don't usually wear a lot of makeup (being a student who rolls out of bed 10 minutes before class) but being in a professional environment I have found some key items!
1. Laura Mercier Foundation Primer
This does AMAZING things for my skin. I feel like I am putting a shield on my face before I put anything else on. It is soft, fresh, and blends easily.
2. Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer  
If you are not a fan of cake-y foundation, definitely give this a shot! It comes in a ton of colors and will easily blend with your skin. It will give your skin a beautiful glow :)

3. Hourglass Aura Sheer Cheek Stain: Flush
Just dab a little of this on your fingertips and blend along your cheek bone to give your skin some fresh color! A little bit goes LONG WAY!

A few other things I never leave the house without applying (and have been my favorites for a few years) are:
1. Maybelline Lash Stilleto
2. MAC Select Coverup
3. MAC Lipstick in Angel


My go-to outfit for the last couple weeks has been either skinny jeans (I recently purchased a new pair of Hudsons that are so comfortable I could sleep in them!), skirts and tights, or leggings (I have a thick pair of Paige leggings that are to die for! Pockets and everything); a pair of heeled boots or flat boots; a basic v-neck long sleeve or short sleeve; one of my many cardigans; and then top it off with a circle scarf, necklace, and a watch.

On another note, here are a few more of my blog posts that have been published:
Amy Zerner Jewelry, Amana Furniture, SAHA Swimwear, and Wedding Hairstyles.


Until next time! xx

Working hard.

Goodness gracious I have been so busy! But GREAT news, two of my posts got published! One about Lee Angel Jewelry and the other about personal trainers.

This is such an amazing opportunity. I get to do what I love: blog. I get to work on something that can always be improved: my writing. And I get to add this to my resume to (hopefully) make me more competitive on the job market come June.

Two of my post graduate internship apps are due in the next few weeks so I have been working hard to perfect them and hopefully land a job! The fact that I do not know where I will be living or working in 5 months from now is CRAZY. It stresses me out! But everything will work out, it always does!

Music to get you through the day.

Hi! Sorry I have been so MIA lately! With school starting, my internship (20 hours a week), and my new internship (I am writing 5 blog posts a week for a PR firm...I will let you know when they get published!) I am overwhelmed with life!

But with the Coachella lineup out all I can think about is music lately. Time to start my Coachella outfit shopping!

Music is what is getting me through my 12 hours days (along with a strong cup of coffee!) lately. Here are some songs I have been listening to on repeat:

1. Take Over Control by Afrojack
2. Sofi Needs a Ladder by Deadmau5
3. Everything Before by Deadmau5
4. Niggas in Paris by Jay-Z and Kanye
5. Midnight City by M83
6. Mr. DJ by Phive
7. With Your Friends by Skrillex
8. Save the World by Swedish House Mafia
9. Mind Eraser by The Black Keys
10. All This and Heave Too by Florence

Have a great weekend :)

My LAST Winter Break.

I am getting old. I am having a hard time believing that tomorrow will be my last day of my last winter break. EVER. The cover letters and post-grad internship applications seem never ending. I am having such a difficult time committing to sitting down and getting them done. I am in denial I think. Denial that I am actually graduating in June and will be a real person in the real world. The good news: once I get the cover letters done I will be able to apply to a bunch of public relations firms, as most only ask for a resume and cover letter. But a few of the firms have (paid) executive training internships that require multiple short essays and writing samples. And after this weekend my life will once again become very hectic. So I really need to work on my time-management skills. These applications should come before The Bachelor. Maybe I can multi-task?

A month ago I was under the impression that my last winter and spring quarters at UC Davis would be a breeze. Winter quarter I only need 12 units (most of my classes are 4 units each) and Spring only calls for 9 units (or 12 if I want to be full-time); my positions on campus and in Delta Gamma were over; and I had vowed to take some "me" time and focus on school and fun for the last 6 months. I must have been crazy. There is NO way that would have ever happened. I go crazy when I don't have 5 things going on at once. So as the quarter starts on Monday I am enrolled in a Gender & Law, Juvenile Delinquency, and a 2-hour a week internship class; I am currently a marketing intern at Technology Sciences Group in Davis where I will be working 20 hours a week; and now I am a social media intern for Pierce Mattie Public Relations which requires me to write 5 blog entries (for their firm) a week (I will try to not let it take away from Crushworthy too much!). So that whole thing about taking "me" time...Ya, not gonna happen. But honestly, I am the most happy when I am busy (and when I have gotten sleep).

These next 6 months have so much in store for me! I have 2 internships, I am going to Coachella in April, boyfriend and I will be going back to UCSB (his almamater) for alumni weekend, and we are planning a trip to Italy in May with his family; and I will hopefully find out a few of the PR firms want to hire me as an intern (maybe even as a full time employee?). Bust most importantly, I will be graduating from UC Davis.

While all this is going on I need to continue to make time to work out and eat healthy! A few bits of advice (that I need to follow as well):
1. Just wake up and go! You will feel worse if you sleep more and don't get a chance to work out.
2. If you don't get the chance to work out in the morning make sure you have time to work out in the evening.
3. Even if you only work out for 30 minutes a day, DO IT!
4. Find a work out buddy to hold you accountable. Thanks, boyfriend!
5. Make more food than you will eat so you have leftovers for the days you don't have time to cook.
6. Plan your meals and shop accordingly! If you have all of the ingredients you will be less likely to go out.
7. Set dinner/date nights with friends, roommates, or loved ones to encourage eating in.
8. Don't deprive yourself. But have self-control.

GOOD LUCK :)

Ringing in the New Year with the Best.

I hope everyone had a fabulous New Year! I don't know about you guys but I had the hardest time finding something to wear. The mall had nothing that caught my eye and everything I ordered online was either too bulky or looked cheap and ugly. I had finally decided on a simple little black dress when I came across the most beautiful purple jumpsuit. And now I have a new favorite brand: Bar III. It is Macy's store brand and their young, fresh and fashionable line. My boyfriend loves the suits and I didn't realize they had women's clothes until I was walking through the store. I fell in LOVE! (Sorry, I forgot to take a full body picture of the jumpsuit!)

 Boyfriend and I before heading into the New Years Eve Party at the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco.

My friend Alex and I before going into the party.

Midnight kiss :)

This New Year has already started off great! My marketing internship is continuing for the next six months and I recently got hired as a social media intern for a HUGE public relations firm where I will be writing blog posts. More to come later!

Unfortunately, I also got a call from my doctor telling me that my blood results showed high cholesterol. One more reason for me to get in shape and start eating healthier! I am going to sign up for the Davis Stampede 10k for February 5th and the Napa Valley Silverado Half Marathon in Napa Valley in April! Time to get in shape and get that cholesterol down :)

And the BEST NEWS OF ALL: THE BACHELOR STARTED YESTERDAY. I have a sick obsessed with reality tv but especially with The Bachelor. I already have my favorites and my spreadsheet. I will talk about it some more once we weed out the boring ones!

Goodbye 2011. Hello 2012!

11 Best Memories from 2011:

Ringing in 2011.

Seeing one of my best friends marry her best friend. Congrats Jessica!

Going to Santa Barbara to visit old friends. (And do "the loop.")

Watching my brother graduate from high school.



Shooting a gun for my first time. 



Meeting new friends: Drew & Julie.

Taking a limo wine tasting for Brittani's 21st birthday. 

Going to Vegas for my first time as a 21 year-old for my best friend's 21st birthday.

Surviving (and loving) fall recruitment.

Meeting my beautiful niece, Peyton. 

Getting a 3.47 GPA fall quarter.

2011 was a great year! But as I say every year, "I am so ready for next year!" I have my resolutions, will be graduating college, and plan to begin my future as a real adult. One of my biggest accomplishments this year was starting this blog! I can't wait to see where it goes in 2012. 

Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays.

I hope everyone had a great Holiday! I unfortunately was incredibly sick and could not taste any of that delicious Christmas food. It was seriously the worst timing! DayQuil helped me through Christmas Eve and then I was only able to make it to one family get together on Christmas Day! Fortunately, I have the BEST boyfriend in the whole world who ordered Chinese food and rented 5 Redbox movies for us to keep us occupied for the day. I did manage to sleep for most of the day but from what I remember Horrible Bosses and The Devil's Double were both great movies!

I did end up with some amazing presents though. Some of the highlights: My Mom and brother gave me starbucks giftcards (technically one for me and one for the boyfriend...but I took both. I'm a addict) and a GORGEOUS coat! Pics to come soon because it is definitely a new staple! The boyfriend's parents gave me these stress remedy drops (I'll let you know how they work! They swear by them) a gorgeous scarf, and then gave both the boyfriend and I gift certificates for trips with them for wine tasting and snowmobiling. Now, if the snow would only fall... Then the amazing boyfriend did a great job with gifts! He got me a crock-pot (us gift? recipes to come!), much needed new make-up brushes, a "mophie" which is a compact portable charging station for your iPhone, and a gorgeous Michael Kors iPhone wristlet which will be perfect for New Years! Not to mention, the boyfriend and I scored some martini glasses at his family's Christmas Ever white elephant exchange! I am definitely blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life :)

I am finally starting to feel better today and am just suffering from minor congestion issues. Good thing I have this whole week off from work so I have the time to relax and take care of myself.

Congratulations to the boyfriend's cousin who just engaged! And congratulations to one of his fraternity brothers who also just got engaged! I love weddings! My Pinterest wedding board says it all :) Where's my ring? (Just kidding...kinda.)

Here are some pics from the last couple days!

An amazing family that treats me like their own. Love you guys!

 KINGS GAME! 12/26 BLACKOUT! 

Our NEW seats. NOT surrounded by Laker fans. GO KINGS!

Take that, Lakers! #KINGSALLDAY

Italian Meatballs. Nice chunks of garlic and parsley!

The Sauce.

The final product :)

After having these at a friends house I was hooked. So I made some for the boyfriend. These meatballs are amazing! We had a spaghetti squash so we did half spaghetti squash and half whole-wheat spaghetti noodles. It also calls for ground turkey! A+ in my book! Recipe here. 

Time to work on some post-graduate internship applications and hit yoga later! 

Lazy weekend.

I have officially been done with school for 10 days. 10 days already? Yes. Unfortunate. But tomorrow is the day that I start actually doing things with my mornings and evenings. I swear. Tomorrow. I would start today, but it is Sunday. And who wants to start anything on Sunday? Not me.

Tomorrow I am going to wake up and go running. I recently got an internship with an environmental consulting firm and my schedule for winter break is Monday-Thursday from 12-5 so I need to start being more productive in the mornings. So I need to start running, going to yoga, or going to Crossfit. Once I do at least one of these things I will get back into the swing of things. It usually only takes one "high" from working out to get me re-addicted.

I read this saying today to that will hopefully get me motivated: I'm not fat, it's just that I could look 10x better than I do now. Whenever someone who isn't fat calls themselves fat people laugh and make comments such as "omg, shut up. No you're not" but that person feels like they are fat. This quote will hopefully change how I look at my body and can maybe help you too.

But on the topic of "fat talk," I had quite the episode in the kitchen today. I went on a baking spree. I love to bake and I am so thankful that I have a job now where I can take all my goodies for other people to eat. However, my banana bread and fudge did not turn out so well... I have made the banana bread a million times but somehow got distracted and didn't stick a fork in it to make sure it was done. So I had to bake it some more after it cooled. It still tastes fine, but it totally collapsed in the middle. The fudge on the other hand...well let's just say that might have to go in the trash. But the banana bread recipe is delicious! The boyfriend's Mom shared it with me so I will pass it along to you:

- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Beat 3 eggs until thick and foamy.
- Add: 1.5 cups of sugar and 1 cup of canola oil.
- Stir in: 1 cup of non-fat cottage cheese, 2-4 ripe (aka very brown) bananas*, 1/2 chopped walnuts**.
- Sift together (in a new bowl): 3 cups of whole wheat flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder.
- Add wet and dry mixture and stir until combined.
- Add 1 cup of semi- sweet chocolate chips***
- Spoon into non-stick or buttered**** loaf pans.
- Bake about 45 minutes. Stick a fork in the middle at about 40 minutes. Bake until the fork comes out clean.

*The browner the bananas the more banana-y the bread will be.
**Optional
***Optional
****I like to save the wrapping of butter sticks and use them to butter the pans. 




Had a great time this weekend at DJ R3hab in Sacramento, a wonderful holiday party, and a friend's birthday! Wine and pizza with some family tomorrow and then another friend's birthday on Tuesday! No wonder I feel like I "haven't had the time," actually the energy to workout.

So far I have 3 of my 4 grades for this last quarter and all B+'s! Couldn't be happier. This quarter was so hectic and busy I am so glad to see all my hard work paid off. It will be smooth sailing until graduated in June!

On top of working out I need to start writing some essays for post-grad PR internships! Thankfully I have all my Christmas shopping done! But I need to find a dress for New Years... this New Years will be BIG!

Catching up on LIFE.

Is this what life is? Not living in the library for 15 hours a day? Not living off coffee and sandwiches from Zia's and Nugget? I'm not quite sure which life I like more. Since school has ended I have found myself completely unmotivated to do absolutely anything. Which is not good considering I have a million things I should be doing.

I recently started CrossFit at their Davis location and fell in love. I have never done so many squats or felt so sore. However, after my 6-intro sessions I found lost the motivation to get up at 7am and get my butt there. While procrastinating for finals I made myself a workout schedule for break: 3x a week @ Crossfit, 2x a week @ yoga, and 1x a week @ running. Today is only my second day of break so I guess I haven't slacked off that much. But I really should get up and do something. 

My birthday was yesterday so I have spent the last 3 days celebrating with my friends and family. Thank you to everyone who made my birthday so special :)

Everyone at Hot Italian for my birthday dinner

Lauren, Brittani, Me, and Shiko

Alex and I

I updated my Favorites page. Be sure to check it out! I had my nails done and had the OPI gel put on instead of just the polish. I might be obsessed. It is supposed to last for 3 weeks so we will see how it goes. 

I just started my new internship for an environmental consulting firm here in Davis as the marketing intern. I am so excited for this opportunity to learn more about the field and make my resume even stronger. It will be nice to add to my resume as I am getting ready to graduate from college and find a job in the real work. 

But as of now, my break is filled with work, blogging, and hopefully some working out. My best friend, Michelle, got be a spa package for my birthday so I need to make sure to take a break and treat myself. 

This is a busy, stressful season. We need to remember what makes us happy. Ya, we hate those long lines, crowded malls and our long lists of Christmas presents, but remember why you do it :)

Love is Strong.

Hey all, sorry I haven't posted lately but I have been studying, and writing papers, like a crazy person for finals. But I just wanted to share two things with you that have caught my attention, aka distracted me from studying this week. 

This video had gone viral! It is allll over the place. It is about a boy who started eight grade this year. He was scared and had attempted suicide many times and even shows his scars to the world. He has been bullied since first grade for being gay. This is absolutely ridiculous. Where were the teachers, the principal, and recess attendants when all of this was going on? But most importantly, where were the parents of the students who were doing the bullying? Children are a reflection of their parents.  This should never, ever happen. Ever child should be taught to love, no matter how different someone is. I hope and pray that Jonah is doing better today and has learned to accept himself as a beautiful human being. From a young age I was taught to love and accept everyone regardless of skin color, gender, or sexuality. My mother exposed me to many types of people so that I would learn the to accept and appreciate the differences people in this world have. And I am so thankful she did this. This kind of bullying and hatred makes me sick. So 8th grader should ever wish to die because of the bullying that is taking place because he is different. The issue of bullying needs to be addressed and taken care of, not only at school but at home. Parents need to take responsibility for their children and their children's actions and mold them into contributing, loving members of society. 

45 Most Powerful Images of 2011

Check out the link above. Each and every picture gave me the chills.

Sparkles and Fur.

Holiday season is in the air.  Tomorrow is the last day of November and then my favorite/ the most hectic month of the year begins.  December 7th is Alex's birthday, December 12th is my birthday, December 20th is my friend Alex's birthday, Christmas is December 25th, and New Years Eve is December 31st (just in case you forgot when Christmas and New Years is...).

Not only does that mean a lot of gifts but is also means a lot of dresses and outfits. And since my birthday is rarely celebrated with one event I usually need multiple birthday outfits and/ or dresses.

I have been itching for a faux-fur something for a while and stumbled on this great find (on sale at urban!):

I have been all over pinterest and polyvore trying to figure out how to wear this. As soon as I figure it out I will post some pictures! 

Additionally, I am going through a sparkle phase.  Maybe I have just missed the holidays? I did just put christmas lights in my living room and bedroom... Anyways, I am hoping to find a sequin dress for New Years! Maybe something like this:

I am also in search of a sequin skirt! My only issue with sequin clothing items is that sometimes they can be thick and frumpy.  I am not stick skinny and I am also on the short side so I cannot wear bulky things.  The sequin clothing item needs to be delicate and the liner needs to be thin. 

On another note, I was watching Gossip Girl today (I cannot believe the season finale is already next week!) and I became obsessed with the picture in Serena's room.  Apparently it is a towel, but they somehow turned it into a canvas. I have been searching everywhere for this towel but have had NO LUCK. I will not give up. 

Part of the reason I wrote this post is because I am procrastinating writing an article for my Journalism class on relationships.  Sounds easy, right?  It is so easy that it is hard.  But I need to finish because tomorrow is going to be a LONG day with my second cross-fit class at 8am. Before and after pictures to come after the after picture is taken ;)

All great things must come to an end.

So tomorrow morning we begin our 7 hour trek back down I-5. I am hoping to sleep most of the way but I think the journalism article I have due on Wednesday will keep me awake. Might as well get something done, right?

Here are some pics from our delicious Thanksgiving dinner:

 Baguette, persimmons, and bleu cheese (pre-toaster oven). Slice up a baguette and persimmons and sprinkle some bleu cheese on top. Heat it up in the over or toaster oven until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted.

Delicious! Orange-glazed carrots, rosemary roll, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, brussel sprouts salad and jalapeno-cranberry relish sauce (which we got from this great little kitchen/restaurant in Medford called The Downtown Market Co.). 

And some pictures from the rest of our trip:

 The BEAUTIFUL Delta Gamma house at University of Oregon. 

 Alex and I at Taylor's Bar & Grill for the Oregon vs. Oregon State game. 

Alex and I pre-food coma. 

I had such a great time this week! I had never been to Eugene before and it was such a great town with an awesome vibe. However, I have watched enough football to last me the rest of the season. Three straight days of football is a little much for me. But hey, the NBA lockout is over and I cannot wait to finally watch my Kings! 

This coming week is going to be HELL. One more week of school and then finals begin. But then my mine and Alex's birthdays will be here and the Christmas season begins. December is my favorite month of the year! Let's get through these finals first though.... Wish me luck :)