Learning to be better.

In the last couple of weeks, I think I have learned more than ever to just keep my mouth shut. This is probably not a surprise to many of you, but I find a lot of things to be "stupid." Not stupid in the sense that no one should ever do it, but as in I wouldn't do it. Believe me,  I'm not saying everything I think and do is right, that would be ignorant of me. I just like to share my opinions. I'm very blunt and I don't really tend to hide what I'm feeling - that's just who I am.

Oh man, has this been challenging for me! Of the few times I have said what I wanted to lately, I knew I shouldn't have said anything at all in the end. Most of the time, people don't really care what you have to say if it contradicts what they're feeling. At least that's what I have noticed. Then the whole situation turns messy and that's just no fun to clean up.

I'm slowly learning to let go of things I can't control. If it's important to someone else and not life threatening to them, I need to learn to be supportive. I can be supportive of things that I don't agree with - that's what I need to keep telling myself.

Sorry for the little rant! I don't do these things often, this may be the first one. It's just been weighing on me and I feel like I share everything else with you all anyway! Hopefully some can relate.

What a weekend!

Sunday blues is well underway today and I am so sad that the weekend is over. It has been packed full of a bit of adventure and lots of fun!

On Friday, my mom received the birthday package I sent her and she was so surprised by it. I put five little things in there and a TON of confetti - a little extra in the card that exploded when she opened it! I wrote on the back of each item a corny joke that went a long with what it was.

Here's the little package! It included a precious pair of Forever 21 earrings, an iron on Monogram 'H', eye shadow, foundation, a card, and a "birthday cake" you put in water that grows! Me and mama love Dollar Tree and whenever we find things that surprise us because they are in there, we get one for each other. In this case, it was the eye shadow! It's Physicians Formula and it would have been between $7-$10 dollars in a regular drug store, it was only $1 at Dollar Tree - the most magical place on earth!

I hope you have a FANTASTIC birthday tomorrow, mama! I wish I could be there to celebrate with you. I love you and I can't wait to be home in a few weeks for Easter!

Later that night I finally saw Frozen! It was so cute and I really hope there is a second one! I would've died if (spoiler alert) Olaf melted away in the end. I totally recommend this if you haven't watched it, yet!



On Saturday, I started the day out a little late by catching up on some much needed sleep (one of my favorite things to do!) Qwen, a friend of Kels and I, came to visit us at about 5 and we went to eat dinner at O'Charley's. If you haven't eaten there, or you have, and have never ordered the honey drizzled southern fried chicken - you are missing out! I get it every time and it never fails to be delicious! After we ate, we went and saw our friends Lilly and Elizabeth perform in their spring dance concert (mentioned in A lot to come!) They did amazing!

Pre-show #selfie

If you didn't get to see it, you missed out!

Qwen, Kels, and I

Post-show group pic!

(L to R: Lilly's brother Brian, Kels, Lilly, Qwen, Elizabeth, me)

Great jobs girls!

After the show, Qwen, Kels, and I went to Amelie's bakery and got a quick snack before coming back to campus and watching Gravity. That movie is SO intense, but so good. If you haven't seen either of the two movies mentioned, this is the last weekend they are playing at the UNCC movie theater. I suggest going if you're a student. They are worth it!

Amelie's! A salted caramel brownie, a salted caramel macaroon, and a sparkling water lemonade! The lemonade is so tangy and yummy!

My phone likes to not focus correctly, but I took this picture of campus Saturday night

and it turned out pretty cool!

Today has been a pretty slow one. Robbie (Kels' boyfriend) and his friend Miles stopped by before heading back to NGU. We all went and ate at IHOP and it was scrumptious! The rest of the day will be dedicated to homework. BLAH.

Our trip to Lake Norman State Park is just under two weeks away and I am getting so excited about it. I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and I hope your week goes by fast! Thanks for reading and have a great Monday tomorrow! Especially you, mama!

A lot to come!

A quick heads-up on things you might be reading about on Sunday:

-A fantastic dance concert my friends Lilly and Elizabeth will be performing in for the UNCC dance department! (Good luck on opening night tonight girls!)

-Frozen! I have not seen it yet, but tonight's the night!


As I wrote in the last post, Kels and I visited Lake Norman State Park last weekend and we are excited to go back with a few of our friends for a camping adventure! We booked our campground last night and made our packing lists. We are extremely excited, probably a little too anxious, but the count down has begun! We're hoping for tons of sunshine - because your girl wants a little color, even a sunburn will do! I'll be making a big post about our trip in a couple of weeks and I can't wait to share our experience with y'all!

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I hope everyone has had a great week so far, tomorrow's Friday! For some reason this week seems like it has 40 days instead of 7. Is anyone else feeling that way? Luckily, I do not have classes on Fridays and my weekend kicks off a little early. Amen.

As you all know, 'Thrifty' is my middle name and I get that from my sweet mama. She surprised me today with two new Casemate phone cases that were on sale for .50! One is a tortoiseshell design (which is linked in) and the other is a military grade royal blue case that will be great for the beach this summer! I was super excited when she sent the pictures. I love her and her surprises! #bestmom

If you're wondering, her fresh mani is "I'm Not Really a Waitress" by O.P.I.

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A trend I have been trying to pull-off lately is using a statement necklace to spice up my outfit! I can thank Pinterest for the idea! If I wear a necklace, it's usually a monogrammed one or a silver locket on a long chain. I don't really tend to go crazy with the jewelry - I know people say, "There's no such thing as too many accessories," but there is. I have a couple of statement pieces that have been sitting in my jewelry box waiting to be taken out this week and they were! I put together two casual looks for class:

I paired this mermaid-inspired necklace with a gray sweatshirt type top, skinny jeans, and brown combat boots. Ignore the book bag - how studious of me.

 



 

This turquoise bubble necklace was paired with a three-quarter-sleeved black and white striped top, gray cargo jacket, skinny jeans, and black combat boots.

 

I encourage you to try it out for yourselves! I probably hopped on this necklace train a little late, but if you haven't hopped on yet - try it out!

 

I know this post has been pretty random and all over the place. I just wanted to pack a lot into it! I want to thank everyone who has been reading and following along with me. I am almost at 2,000 views and that is a major blessing! Thank you all SO much!

 

Have a great weekend!



 



Lake Norman Fail!

A big hello to the best readers!

Sorry it's been a while since I have written a new post. A lot of things have happened since my last post and I haven't really had a chance to sit down and catch you all up. This semester is slowly, but surely winding down and I can see summer on the horizon - even though today's high was only 42 degrees, and rainy and yucky and gloomy and, well you get it.

Last weekend, Kels and I took an eventful trip up to Lake Norman State Park and it turned into a big ordeal, but an adventure we won't forget. We decided to go on Friday because the high was 70 and there was not a cloud in sight, plus we wanted to get some sun so bad! Check this out - we get there only to drive around the park for 20 minutes looking for the "beach," and what do you know, IT'S CLOSED. Since we're grown-up college students now, we decided to ignore the signs, hop the fence, and layout anyway. I may have gotten about two whole minutes of pure, delicious sunlight and then what do we hear, "GIRLS, YOU CAN'T BE HERE" right out of the mouth of the park ranger himself. That put a damper on our day. There was no where else in the park to catch some rays, so we packed up and went to Cornelius for some Goodwill shopping and sandwiches at McAllister's. It wasn't a complete fail and we were able to remember what the sun felt like for a very short moment. Plus, we are planning a camping trip soon with a bunch of friends! We are determined to get some sun.

We were SO ready to get out on the sand - shades, hats, suits and all!

 Two minutes of bliss.

Unfortunately, last weekend I received the news that my grandpa on my mom's side passed away. Keep my family and especially my mom in your prayers, please. His visitation and service were both very nice and a lot of his friends, family, and co-workers were there to remember him and support the family. He would have been 65 today and I know he is having a great time celebrating in Heaven. Happy birthday, papa!

Spring Break '14 is History.

Spring break is over for me and it's back to school on Monday (luckily, not until 3:30 pm). It wasn't a wild one, but it was very eventful and fun! If you have read my previous 2 posts, then you know it mostly consisted of shopping, spending time with my family and friends, and working! Three wonderful things. The 3 1/2 hour drive back felt so long today, I'm guessing it's because I didn't really want to go back. But, I have a wonderful re-cap in pictures for y'all!

Kels and I love to take #selfies when we leave for home! This time it was no different. The iPhone didn't have a chance.

Leaving UNCC at the beginning of the week. Check out the determination on our faces to get our break started! We did NOT want to leave today. It was the warmest day of the week so far and we were stuck in a car. All to better our futures, I guess (winky face emoji here).

The sad, pitiful look on our faces describes our emotions perfectly. We did stop for a snack and some milkshakes today to make ourselves feel better (hehe).

Over break, I picked up a couple of closet-essentials. I took a commemorative mirror pic to show them put together.

The new jacket and boyfriend jeans! Oh, the necessity.

I was able to see a good friend, Kristin, over lunch and coffee! That was really nice. We talked for about three hours and just caught up on each other's lives. It was so great to see her! I 'girl's nighted' it with Kels and MaryLou over the Bachelor and coffee. Tomorrow is the finale and I honestly think he won't pick either girl. Andi was my favorite, but she left for the right reasons. You go, Andi! Apparently, she's the new bachelorette for next season too!

Coffee, coffee, coffee.

My break wouldn't of been complete without seeing the beautiful three month old baby, Riley Grace, who has taken up a big spot in my heart! The last time I saw her was over Christmas break and let me tell you, she has gotten so big! It's crazy.

Her precious self back in December!

Now look at the beautiful thing! Her eyes are so blue!

Of course, a baby selfie had to be taken!

I am all unpacked and ready for bed. Seriously, it's only 7:15 and I am ready to go to sleep! It has been a long day and a wonderful break. To all of my friends having spring break this week, I am officially jealous. You guys have fun!

Time was also well spent with my parents, two people who I miss so much already! We usually take a family picture, but we didn't this time. So here's one for a premature #TBT. Love you guys!

 FaceTime duckfaces, a must.

Thanks for reading! Have a great week!





Leianna 1, Praxis Core 0!

Personal update: I passed my Praxis Core exam! I'm so excited! Thank you for the prayers and thoughts during these past couple of weeks. I am not a patient girl, so waiting a month for scores was stressful. But, I passed! Next step, getting accepted into the College of Education at school!

Yesterday, my presh mama took a day from work to spend with me! We went to Goodwill (one of our favorite stores) and Wilmington to Target and La Gemma bakery! Back when I had braces (yikes) and had to go to Wilmington to my orthodontist, we would always go to La Gemma afterwards and get a sweet treat! We hadn't been in a really long time, so it was nice to load up on some goodies and chow down! Let me tell you, there were some perfect sales yesterday, too! One of mine and mom's favorite words: 'sale.'

Fab finds:

We both got a pair of killer Mossimo Boyfriend skinny jeans! On sale for $14.99 from $29.99! I love some boyfriend jeans, they are so casual and lounge-y.

Bathing suit season is approaching fast! I bought this little number - buy one, get one 50% off at Target! About $30.00 all together. That was a splurge for me, but I thought it was a good excuse. I usually don't go for this color, but it was so cute on and I couldn't resist. It is exactly what I have been looking for. I can't wait to rock it on the beach!

This was one of my favorite finds of the day. It's a weekender duffle bag. The term "weekender" sounds so celebrity I'm Off To Bora Bora Be Back Next Week to me! It's the perfect size to pack a couple for outfits and visit home or a friend's house. The color is very neutral and the cross-body strap adds extra support! On sale from $29.99 to $14.99!

After we came back from Wilmington, we went straight to the new house lot with dad. We spent about an hour over there putting stakes in the ground to mark off where the house will go. I never realized how much work went into that whole process. I thought you just snapped your fingers and voilà a house! Kidding of course, but it's exciting to break ground and start to see progress being made.

Mom has been gradually gathering new decorations for the kitchen and her office. We found a really cool clock at Goodwill that will be perfect on a book shelf, six placemats in yellow and gray and a matching table runner in Target (all on sale), and a precious poster in Big Lots that will look so fresh in a distressed frame on the wall! I can't wait until the house is finished and it has all come together. I'll definitely be taking pictures and sharing!

I'm off to work in about an hour and I'm excited to be back behind the freezer scooping ice cream! I haven't in like 7 months, which seems crazy. My spring break has been pretty great so far. Like I have told you all before, I love spending time with my family. I miss my dad's corny jokes and talks with my mom when I'm away at school. It's nice to catch up on those! For those of you who have break next week, hang in there! Only two more class days to go!

Happy break!

Can I call this a haul? Weekend Re-cap!

This weekend has been full of greatness! Spring break started for me on Friday and it's not over until next Sunday! Hallelujah! I got to squeeze in a little shopping over this weekend and some quality time with my parents. Man how I have missed them! Over the next week I get to put in some work at the ice cream shop, hangout with friends, and hopefully enjoy a little sunshine!

Over the weekend, my parents and I went down to Myrtle Beach for some shopping at Tanger Outlets. They had fantastic deals and I loaded up on some essentials, or at least things that are essential to my wardrobe!

For starters, I found myself wandering into Aeropostale, which is not something I often do. Since every store out there was having some sort of sale, I decided to look around. Why not? I am so glad I did because I found this fabulous little number! It's a faux-leather jacket with gray cotton sleeves. It's light weight and classic for layering. The great thing is it was on sale for $12.99 from $59.50!

I pretty much want to wear it everyday already.

Next, we went into Vanity Fair - another FANTASTIC decision of the day! I scored some Steve Madden-Madden Girl booties for $9.99 from $48.00! What? I know! They are gorg. I live in some black booties (these, but black) I got for Christmas last year and I can't wait to rock these babies!

We came back home and we hit up Cato's. They always have the cutest selection of jewelry in there and of course I found something. I can't resist a precious pair of studs! Especially if they remind me of home and the beach. These were on sale for $1.99 from $5.00.

You can't deny their cuteness!

The next awesome find I came across was from Big Lots. That place is a treasure chest! It's a Sephora by O.P.I. nail polish called Looks Like Rain, Dear. It's a sandy-gold color and is packed with sparkles! I got it for $1.60. I think these polishes usually range from $7.00-$12.00, depending on where you buy them.

I love these nude-y colors on my toes! It looks fresh when you start to

break out your spring sandals.

The last, most dramatic, thing I did over the weekend was my hair! I'm very hesitant when doing anything to my hair because it grows so slow. I have always loved my blonde, but it has been getting darker and darker recently. I took a big step (with my mama's help) and joined a trend that's been happening lately - ombré! My hair has never held color. I could leave dye on it for a whole day and it would wash right out, so bleaching was the way to go.

#selfie

 

It took us two separate days to get my hair to even change color. I'm so happy it worked! It's a very subtle look, but it adds that extra something.

My weekend has been so eventful and I am so excited to be home for these few days. I hope everyone had a lovely weekend as well! This break is much needed! I love spending time with my family and friends and I cannot wait to do that for the rest of the week. A lot of my friends have spring break next week, so hold on guys! Just 5 more days!

Thanks for reading! Happy Break!