Okay, so that's an exaggeration. This is not the longest day ever, but man oh man, has it felt like it! My first class began at 8, and I went from one 1.25 hour class to the next until 1:45, when I left campus to go to none other than..... Another school! Yep, that's right. Except this time, I was actually being
paid to go there! I guess I'd better explain that, huh? Well, maybe I'll include it in my.....
Five on Friday! (Yes, it was a cheesy transition, but it had to be done, no?)
1. Care package. They say the fastest way to a man's heart is food, but I think that's sexist, because I'm not a man, but that's a pretty direct route to my love.... I kid, sort of, but at the same time, when I got a care package from the best cousins ever, filled with all kinds of delicious goodies, it definitely made my day and filled my heart with joy! Highlights? Well, I can't pick, but the Disney Princess bandaids and Clorox wipes made me smile the hardest (because I'm the messiest girly-girl you'll ever meet, and Clorox wipes have become my BFF this year). Oh, and the Jif chocolate peanut butter spreads... (Darn those addicting cups that are small enough to make you think they're not that bad for you...)
How to pack an awesome care package:
1. Pack "junk" food- and lots of it!
2. Pack fun stuff that makes you feel like a kid!
3. Also pack stuff for when you remember you're not a kid and have to take care of yourself...
2. Staying organized. This might seem like dumb, but let me tell you: if you are not organized, and you feel stressed, that could very well be why you are feeling out of sorts! (Ha! No pun intended... But get it? Sorting... Like organizing?)
In all seriousness, I've always been okay at organizing
important things. For example, my desk was always clean in elementary school (in fact, I actually remember being recruited to help clean John's desk in third grade....), and for the most part, if I needed something from my room in middle or high school, I could find it.
However, I'm beginning to understand what a difference it makes to stay organized, even in the teensiest of ways, and I'm realizing I've been terribly
disorganized the past few years! For example, it never actively bothered me that my t-shirt drawer was messy last year, as long as I knew where my favorites were, but my cluttered drawers, plus other little things, probably added up to feeling overwhelmed sometimes. It's relaxing to be in a non-cluttered space, and I highly recommend it to everyone, because I honestly think that is one of the reasons this year has started so smoothly- let's just hope I can keep it up ;)
3. Speaking of organization... I'm debating which planner to pick for 2014. I'm starting to think I may get a planner and also make some sort of "Life Binder," to hold my budget, receipts, grocery lists, meal planners, blog ideas, exercise and food journal, blah blah blah... I got this idea from
Emily Ley's magnificent site, complete with some
free printables for her agenda.
My obsession with these colorful dividers probably says a lot of sad/scary things about me...
As much as I love the idea of constructing my own agenda, Emily Ley style, I'm still smitten with
Lilly Pulitzer's jumbo agenda I've been using this year. I refuse to get a new one until I fill mine up in December, which is probably a good thing, because it means that by the time I get the 2014 agenda, it will be on sale! Score! Picking a pattern will probably be my toughest decision... Hmm...
Decisions, decisions...
If neither of these options tickle your fancy, you might wanna check ouy
May Designs'! That site honestly has way too many cute patterns to choose from, and since my bestie Kara uses May Books, I know the quality is super high! I'm thankful their planners are on the smaller side, though, because if they gave the option of large agendas like Lilly, I'd be stressin' over which pattern and monogram style to pick!
4. Downstairs decor. If you've been reading my blog for more than half a second, you've realized that I'm a girly girl. However, I live with a guy, and for some reason, he's not as big on "pink" and "glitter" as I am :) When thinking about ways to decorate our living area downstairs, I had to make sure my cousin would feel just as comfortable as I would. We have an itty-bitty "breakfast nook" and our TV area with a couple of reclining sofas. Although it's probably pretty plain by most standards, remember, for a college student, less is more (or at least less is acceptable)! Neutral colors with just a few "rustic" accents means I'll be able to change out small things, like place mats and mason jar-fillers, seasonally without putting in too much effort.
Lamp and pillows thanks to Home Goods, crate-coffee-table-tray thanks to a thrift store, place mats thanks to Kohl's, and mason jars/ twine combo thanks to the dear ol' Hobby Lobby.
5. She works hard for the money! Ha, just kidding. My parents work hard for the money (love you guys), and I just got a part time job. Like I mentioned earlier, I'm going to a school three afternoons a week to help with an after-school program. I was thrilled to find out today that I will be working with the second graders each time- yay! I truly enjoyed my time there, and I was pumped to get all teachered-up this morning! Excuse the awkward posture, face, and terrible lighting of this iPhone selfie, but it's the only picture I have documenting the whole work thing so far!
PS: yes, that is a Lilly murphee scarf as a bow belt. It was too hot to wear the scarf, and the dress needed to be jazzed up one way or another, so I got a wee bit creative!
After work, it was off to John's grandmother's house, where we ate dinner and hung out! His Nana is so sweet, and I felt so thankful to spend time with her (not to mention her delicious home-cooked meal and banana pudding... yum!). I'm finally just relaxing in my bed, thankful to say it's the weekend- especially since I'm going home to see mi familia! Hope everyone else has a fabulous weekend, too! (Especially those of you who made it to the end of this ridiculously long blog post... Oops.)
