Care Packages for Friends

Happy hump day everyone! Wednesdays will always be a favorite day of the week for me (besides Saturdays) because it’s like a light at the end of the tunnel. Friday is almost here and I can convince myself to keep going for another two days. Mid-week pick-me-ups like a little shopping trip, dinner out, or a fresh manicure are always a great motivator for me as well. Last week, I sent one of my best friends a care package to give her some encouragement as she goes through this semester at college. When I was in school, my mom used to send them to me a lot and it always made my day! Here are some basic things to put in a care package that won’t break the bank!

Inexpensive Care Packages

Start with the fabulous Target dollar section! That dollar spot stole my heart a long time ago. The goodies you can find in there are so cute and so affordable. If I’m looking for little things to put in a package, I always start here. The paper straws, pencils, notecards, and memo mousepad are all from the dollar spot!

I also like to go to the clearance sections of beauty stores like Ulta because often times they have lip glosses or nail polishes on sale and those are always fun to include. If you’re sending your package through the postal service, be sure to check with the post office about how you should send the package if there are any liquids in it.

If you plan on sending a box as opposed to just a padded envelope, a coffee mug is also a fun thing to send! You can pad it with cute socks or pretty tissue paper for added glamor. A few other cute things to include are kiddy band aids (think Disney), small bag of coffee, bubble gum, seasonal decorations (‘Happy Easter’ banner), tassel garland, or $5 gift cards to a few places.

A care package will definitely brighten your friend’s day! It always nice knowing that someone is thinking of you and wants to show that they care. Just the other day my mom sent me a cute cupcake notepad and $20 buy a coffee maker! My day was totally made!

Juggling the Work/Life Balance

With my recent graduation and getting my first job, I have a lot on my plate. I get to work from home most days and I’m really enjoying it! However, with an active social life and a blog to keep up with, it can be a bit much to manage. After a few days on the job, I’m starting to get the hang of how to manage the work/life balance appropriately. I’m sharing with you some of things I’ve learned so far.

1. Schedule. I have an addiction to planners and agendas. I love the Kate Spade and Lilly Pulitzer kind! The fact of the matter is, though they’re cute, you need to actually use them! I’m learning to utilize the space in my agenda properly (including the ‘notes’ section). Go me!
2. Caffeine Intake. For pete’s sake, do not guzzle down a gallon of coffee before 9 am. I like to set my coffee pot’s program to keep it warm for 3 hours after I brewed it. Drinking a big pot of coffee helps throughout the day. I get burned out if I drink it all at once. I’m getting into tea because I hear it can be great for you (but nothing beats coffee!)
3. Have a Routine. We all get into a routine after a few days of starting something new. Having this routine makes a world of difference to me and my body. We’re both prepared for what lies ahead and can look forward to each day knowing what is likely to happen. Trust me, if you stick to a routine you’ll feel amazing!
4. Get up Early. I hate mornings with a passion but I find that the earlier I’m awake, the more things I can get done. I’m not someone who will wake up at 6:30 just because she can, I prefer to sleep in. If you have a job situation similar to mine, you’ll value being able to get up around 8am and eating a slow breakfast while drinking some OJ.

Tell me your tips on how you juggle work/life in a comment below!

6 Things I Can’t Live Without (in this phase of life)

Like other soon-to-be college graduates, I’m young, vivacious, and just starting out in life. It’s a tough world outside the comfort of our college campuses. Apparently, there’s something called student loan “payments” and moving “back home” if you can’t find a job. Gone are the days of stressing over papers and finals; that’s child’s play! The real fun begins now.

There are a few things that I literally can’t live without at this point in time. Those “things” have become apparent to me in the last year or so. The first thing on my list is…

1. My girl friends. Seriously, they’ve come to my rescue a million times this week already. Between keeping my mind off of things that were troubling me or just helping me shrug off emotionally draining issues, they’ve had my back! I’m grateful for this lovely lady in the picture with me for inviting me out Saturday night. I definitely needed it.
2. The second thing I can’t live without right now (or ever) is my mom. She just never gives up on me even when I’ve given up on myself! Plus, she makes crazy good comfort food.
3. A steamy shower. My goodness, I could just live under my shower head and let the heat just work it’s magic on my muscles. I’m rather tense these days.
4. Dark chocolate has recently become my best friend due to it’s heart-healthy label and the bittersweet goodness it packs. After a long day, I need, scratch that, I deserve a few pieces of it!
5. My furry felines have become the best little listeners and even better cuddlers. Pets are therapeutic for people. They just are. I adore having mine around and delight in the adorable little sounds they make, their crazy antics, and determination to catch the “red dot.”
6. The final thing I can’t live without is Indeed.com. It has become my best friend for job hunting. Being able to search by job title and location makes things so much easier.

There’s probably a million other little things I’m forgetting but these are my top six. This season in my life hasn’t been easy but I’m thankful for the extra help I have to get me through it. I honestly don’t know when things will start to change for the better and I wish I did. Sometimes all you can do is hold tight to the blessing you do have and pray for the rest to fall into place.

#Hustle to Have It All

One of my best friends posted the funniest thing to my Facebook wall yesterday. I literally think most girls can relate to this struggle that seems never ending:

It’s true isn’t it? The Kate Spade handbag is a favorite of mine but way too expensive. I could eat cookies all day, but then I couldn’t wear skinny jeans anymore. And every boy I ever liked takes forever to text back. I’m sitting here asking myself why life is like that? I think it might be because no matter what, we always want what we can’t have.

I could go on and on about the things I don’t have (or can’t have) that I want, but I think you all immediately understood what I was saying. It painfully resonates in all of us. Yesterday, I went to get coffee at Starbucks with two good friends and in the long line of waiting people was this gorgeous girl who had the expensive things I wanted, could probably eat whatever she wanted and stay skinny, and judging by the huge diamond on her finger, the guy she wanted DID text her back. In my pangs of jealousy, I came to the realization that there is no reason why I can’t have the same things. I started to admire the girl. She went after what she wanted and got it.

I made a little pre-New Year’s Resolution for myself. I’m going to work hard to have the pretty things I can’t afford, sweat more to eat the tasty things I love and still keep my figure, and am going to go for the guys that seem out of reach. There’s no point in living if we can’t live the way we want.

 

Lifestyle Update and Virginia Beach Getaway

I know I’ve been missing in action lately. With school starting and the other endless things I have to do I’ve been neglecting my blogging duties. I’m sorry! Here’s an update on what I’ve been up to the last few days!

I spent a lovely afternoon at the beach enjoying the last bits of summer. The water is finally warm enough to swim in! Our summer has been so mild compared to the years before this. I went in the water waist deep and ignored the urge to run back to shore in case of sharks or other large fish. After watching shark week I haven’t felt the same about the water. Either way, I went in and soaked up the sun and surf… which repeatedly knocked me to the ground. I have sand in places that I will never get out. *Shudders*

Anyway, I took the obligatory beach “selfie” before I rubbed greasy sun screen all over my face. That stuff smells divine but gosh it clogs your pores! I guess the exfoliant of the sand and salt in the water does a decent job at ridding my skin of impurities. At least, it’s a cheap body scrub.

Later that night, I went exploring on the beach front. There’s a statue of King Neptune on the boardwalk that everyone takes pictures in front of. Even though I’ve lived in Virginia Beach for part of my undergrad, I still had to take a dumb picture of it. It’s pretty neat actually. I’ve always enjoyed living in a tourist town. There’s always someone new around and plenty of people to talk to. VA Beach is also a big military hub. If you’re into single guys, then this is the place for you. Quite a few single sailors roam the beach on a Friday night!

A favorite place of mine on the boardwalk is a place called Catch 31 at the Hilton hotel. Easily one of the most relaxed and romantic settings for a restaurant I’ve ever seen. Outdoor and indoor seating is available but I recommend outdoor because there are several large fire pits to eat around next to palm trees with little lights wrapped around them. A funny story I have about this place is going to their rooftop bar when I was only 19. I was with a group of about 35 people who were all over 21. I got there and they said the only way I could be in there is if I stayed in the “VIP” section. I happily agreed until I realized that area was sectioned off by ropes and I couldn’t leave… and there was no one in the “VIP” section. Needless to say I left after about 15 minutes.

Thursday morning I woke up to a beautiful beach outside my hotel room. I sat outside on my balcony for awhile flipping through my Instagram feed and then checking the weather. I’ve never seen so many people actively running on the beach. I guess if you live near a beach you should probably use it for something other than tanning. The view is always great too. Many ships- naval and civilian- come in and out of Norfolk. I could see a huge aircraft carrier on the horizon coming back to port and several fishing boats cruising along as well.

After getting dressed for the day I wandered downstairs to the outdoor patio to have breakfast and a drink. I ordered French toast with lots of butter and syrup and a Mimosa to start the day off right. There’s something so wonderful about brunch. The variety of food that’s appropriate to eat is just so much more exciting than any other time of the day. That Mimosa though, I’m still happy thinking about it. Not too much champagne and just enough orange juice to make me think I was the healthiest person on the patio- actually I was the only person. The off-season is so quiet.

After brunch I made my way over to my university to check in with some friends and revisit some old memories. Every time I get on campus it feels like I’m walking on hollowed ground. Many things happened there that even on my death bed will give me a laugh.

I sat and talked with two of my very good friends, Bethany and Liz, about all that’s going on in life. We had so many good laughs. Girl time is so necessary! These ladies have some funny stories. I needed to laugh. One of the girls shared the funniest story about one of the worst dates she’s ever been on. Apparently, she had worn heels on the date and the guy asked her if she always walked with a limp or is it just because of the shoes she was wearing. I smacked my head against the table laughing so hard. Who honestly asks those questions on a first date? I haven’t met anyone so far! If you have funny first date stories please share them in the comments section. They just crack me up!

I ended the day with a little shopping in Williamsburg and ended up scoring a Banana Republic dress for my mom and a shirt from Lucky Brand for my sister. I went into a few of my favorite stores (J. Crew, Kate Spade, Ralph Lauren etc.) and shopped around a bit but didn’t find anything worth the price on the price tag.

I drove home and said good bye to my school assuming the next time I’ll see it is at graduation in the spring. For those of you who don’t know, I’m an online student. It’s cheaper and I get to travel and work in really cool places. I love this lifestyle!

Share your thoughts below!