Top 14 Moments of 2014

I spent the last few days looking back at 2014 and my favorite moments of 2014. It's a lot harder than you think! Here are the absolute best parts of 2014 with the best people around.

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1. Getting my pref into my sorority

People may think it is weird that my preference is a top moment of 2014 for me and not my bid. The way I got my pref is what makes it a top moment for me. I had heard my sorority at a girl down the hall’s door and than I didn’t hear them come to me. My first thought was that I wasn’t getting one and I wouldn’t be getting into the sorority. Than they knocked on my door and I was shocked and excited.

2. My birthday surprise from my roommate

My roommate from last year was the best. She surprised me with a little birthday party the last night we were at school together. I had no idea that she was doing it even though she had all our friends in on it. I made a post about it here. 

3. When everyone was at my house after my grandma passed

Although it was a sad time, it will always be a moment I never forget. My house was packed with all of my family. Before they came we ran around and cleaned like mad people. There was so much love and support in our teeny, little row home. Something I will never forget from that time is my uncle picking me up from school and my cousin taking me back. To me it was just an act of love. Family is everything to me.

4. Hiding from my RA with my roommate

This happened not too long before we left for winter break. My roommate of this year and I hid from our RA by turning off all the lights and music. Why were we hiding? Because we had Christmas lights, a tree, and a table from the lounge in our room and we’re not allowed to have them. Our RA was walking around knocking on doors. This whole ordeal lasted about 2 hours during which we took tons of snapchat videos and even said our new catch phrase, I spy some chicken.

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5. Finishing anatomy 2 and getting an B

I spent all summer going to class. I’m not being dramatic when I saw whole summer either it was 12 weeks plus an extra week at the beginning before I switched schools. For 3 out of the 6 weeks of Anatomy 2 I was failing. The class was so much harder than Anatomy 1 and I really didn’t think I was going to get a C. I ended up with a B and was so happy I cried.

6. Finding out my grades for fall semester

I worked all semester to get good grades and ended up with grades that were better than I thought I was going to receive. The pride I have for completing that semester is amazing. It made 2014 amazing.

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7. When my grandma told the nurses I was going to be a nurse one day

My grandma told nurses multiple times that I was going to be a nurse one day and she always did it with pride. Every single time I feel like quitting I think of those moments. I think of how much faith she had in me and I keep going.

8. Getting my Big Spir

Many people might think that getting my Big for my sorority was a bigger moment for me than my Spir but it wasn’t. Not that getting my Big wasn’t a huge part of my year its just that deep down I knew it was her. I wasn’t extremely surprised. Now when I got my Spir I was shocked and didn’t even have a guess as to whom it was.

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9. Going out to the outlet mall with my mom

At the beginning of the summer I was going to a community college that was an hour and a half away. It was right by the outlet malls that I had never been to. When I was switching over to a community college closer to me I had to go to my regular college and a bunch of different other places. I ended up getting to the community college really early so my mom and I had dinner and walked around the mall.

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10. Ordering my scrubs

Although it was pouring rain and I had to keep going to the ATM to get money out, the experience made me one step closer to becoming a nurse. A friend and I laughed as we tried on scrubs in the big handicap stall making fun of the way they fit.  

11. Family reunion

We had less than a month to plan for the reunion and at times it was stressful and pure chaos but I wouldn’t change that day for anything. I saw most of my mom’s side of the family. We swam, played baseball, and had a moon bounce. Everyone had an amazing time and the next weekend when we saw them again we set a date for next year.

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12. Playing football with my cousin

I’m not close with some of my cousins because of age differences but I had a really nice time throwing a football with one of my younger cousins, Cullen. I feel like we bonded a little. Him and me were the oldest there and just kept throwing a football back and forth over the pool. To my whole family’s surprise I can actually throw a football.

 

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13. Our underwear line

My friends Miranda, Erika, Jill, and I all decide while sitting in our lounge that we were going to make a underwear line and sell it. The long week and all the work were finally getting to us and I have to say we definitely lost our minds but made a memory in the moment.

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14. Watching The Hunger Games for the first time

Now it wasn’t the fact that I was watching The Hunger Games for the first time it was how I watched it. My friends Jill, Erika, Joann, Jeannie, and I all decided to watch the movie in my room. I asked a million questions and talked the whole time. It was dysfunction at its finest but than again we are always dysfunctional. It was a perfect example of how we are as a group.

xoxo,

Lauren 

New Year's Letter

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Last New Years Eve I started a new tradition with myself. I write myself a letter to be opened on New Year's Day the following year. To be honest I would have completely forgotten about the letter if it wasn't for me deep cleaning my room when I came home for break. I have yet to read the letter because, well, its not New Year's Day and I don't even remember what the letter is about.

What exactly do I write in these letters? 

Well since I can't remember exactly what I wrote last year I am just going to write what I feel is right this year. Since it is being opened on January 1, 2016 I am going to write a letter that gives myself advice for the 2016 year. The advice will be based on what I learned in 2014. Since I always look back on the previous year I will write about not beating myself up and to only look at the good. Then I will write about my hopes for 2015 and some goals. I'll let myself know that no matter what 2015 was like, good or bad, I made it through.

Why do I do it? 

I want something to remind me of the past year and get me ready for the year ahead. It's something fun it open and do in the new year. I'll be able to collect them and look back on them. Plus I love writing and love writing letters that I never send out.

I know this is a little confusing to understand with all the different years. I had to really think about it to understand. If you write a letter of any sort let me know! I would love to hear of what other people say. 

Xoxo,

Lauren

Christmas 2014

Well Christmas has come and gone and I'm actually really sad about it. To my surprise the season flew by so fast. Now it's time to take down the decorations and turn off the Christmas music. Two things I am pushing off for as long as possible. My dorm room is still decorated with Christmas decorations that we'll have to deal with when we get back.

I wanted to do this post a little different than my others and do a bullet post rather than a paragraph style post. 

My bank

The watch

• I told my family I wasn't getting out of bed until it was a double digit number. They thought I was kidding and didn't move until 10 am. 
• I received many, many gifts and am so thankful for everything I was given. 
• The only present I freaked out about was a Tangled bank. There's a video of that floating around somewhere.
• It was a very tangled Christmas for me. Besides the Tangled bank I also got a Tangled Alex and Ani bracelet, a book, Pez, and two little wedding dolls.  
• I put a puppy on my Christmas list so my parents got me this remote control dog. It was probably one of my favorite gifts. 
• I can't wait until it rains so I can wear my new rain boots. 
• I got a watch that I surprising love. It's super cute but not great for telling time. There's no numbers!
• We had pancakes with white chocolate chips and they were so yummy! 
• The turkey for dinner never thawed so we couldn't eat it. Thank god my mom got a ham. 
• My aunt Terry, Uncle Chal, and cousins CJ and Hayley came to visit. It was nice to have them around. 
• I survived the day with no tears even though I missed my grandma very much. I think it was mainly because I was busy. 

Here's to a good end of the year and a even before beginning of 2014!

xoxo,
Lauren

2015 365 Motivational Jar

I have a confusion to make. I am obsessed with jars, mason jars to be specific. I have a ton of them around my dorm room holding different things from hair ties to cords. I decorate them to because what crafter wouldn't?!

I was on pinterest and keep seeing this jars for the new year like writing down your memories and putting them in the jar. I thought it was so cool but want to take it a step farther. I decide I was going to make a jar filled with 365 notes to keep me motivated each day. 

This little project is so simple. You do not need to be crafty at all to do it. It is a little time consuming because you need to find 365 quotes/pictures and than write them out. 

Supplies

Jar

Paper either computer, loose leaf, construction, or scrapbook 

Markers, Pens

Scissors 

Print and Ink (If you choose to include pictures)

Optional

Tape

Ribbon 

Puffy Paint 

Other decorative supplies 

First collect all of the quotes and pictures you want to use. If you want to save yourself time you can go to my pinterest board and use the things I have there. Not all 365 quotes/pictures are there because I found few on tumblr. If you want those extra quotes I can always give them to you. 

Than either hand write, print the pictures directly, or type the quotes up and print them. I chose to hand write mine on construction paper because I felt like it would be better to see my own hand writing when I saw the quotes. 

After writing or printing them out cut them all out. Make sure you don't have an duplicates. I did this by putting all of the quotes in groups of each letter by the first letter of the first word in the quote. I may be a perfectionist. 

What you do next is up to you. You can either just fold the paper or you can roll them and tape them like I did or use ribbon on them. I liked the look of them rolled up more than them folded. 

I decorated the jar and wrote on it. I didn't like it plain. Here's the finished product and I can't wait to pick a little note out every day of 2015. 

You are going to need a pretty big jar for all the notes. It doesn't have to be a mason jar. I didn't use one. I just used a regular glass jar we had around our house. Before you finish the jar completely I would make sure that there is exactly 365 notes. I didn't have enough and had to make more. I ended up having more than 365 but that's ok. I can just open all the rest on New Year's Eve. 

If you make a jar like this or have another idea let me know! I would love to see them. Here's to a motivational year.

xoxo,
Lauren

Santa is coming tonight tonight!

Merry Christmas Eve! I'm sitting here watching Christmas Vacation and writing a nice blog post for all my fellow blog readers. I couldn't let today end until I watched Christmas Vacation. We just walked in from 3:30 mass and won't be leaving for my aunt and uncle's house until 7:30. 

One of the few tradition, I guess you can call it that, is to go to my aunt and uncle's house each year. In all my life there was only one year we didn't go to their house and it did not feel right. We exchange gifts between the kids from the adults.

This will be the first time in months I am seeing my dad's side of the family. It's exciting and exhausting all at the same time. I know I will get all the questions about grades and school and boys. 

I don't know if I will be on tomorrow but I just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. I hope your day is filled with love and family. Remember that the day is not about the gifts but about family and friends. Enjoy every minute of the next fews days.  

Xoxo, 

Lauren 

Apple Pie Crescent Rolls

I saw this fun, easy recipe on youtube and had to try it. You can also find it over on Pinterest. It's an apple pie crescent roll. And in true blogger fashion I had to stop baking and take pictures for you. I'll tell you the problems I ran into and give you some tips along the way.

If you aren't a baker or just always mess something up like me than this is perfect for you. There's hardly any real baking involved.

Supplies

1-2 Apples

1 Pack of Crescent Rolls

1 Tbsp of Sugar

1 Tbsp of Cinnamon 

3 Tbsp of Brown Sugar

3 Tbsp of Butter, Melted

I started by peeling and cutting the apples into slices. You don't have to peel them I just wanted to. I used red apples. 

Mix together the sugar and cinnamon. I cut the recipe in half and used 2 tbsp of each but it was way too much. I would recommend 1 tbsp of each.

Spray your baking pan with non-stick spray and lay your crescent rolls out. 

Put a little melted butter on the crescent rolls and try not to over do it. 

Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mix on the crescent rolls and than the brown sugar. I didn't put a whole ton but wish I had put more.

Add the apples and roll them into crescent rolls. 

Put a little more butter on top of the crescent rolls and then some cinnamon sugar and brown sugar. 

Bake at 350 degrees for about 13-15 minutes. I tried 15 minutes and had to put mine in for another 5 minutes until they were done. 

And I didn't take a picture of the finished product! Everyone ate them before I remembered I need a picture. The apples were soft and juicy and the rolls were crispy. It was so easy to make and they turned out so good. I would make more than one pack because 8 really isn't a lot. I would also recommend getting the bug and fluffy crescent rolls instead of the original ones. 

If you try this recipe let me know. I would love to see what you did and how yours turned out. 

Surviving The Holiday Season Without A Loved One

My grandma, mom, aunts, and uncles on Christmas a few years ago

Like I've said in a previous post, this is the first Christmas without my grandmother. She passed away 8 and a half months ago in April. Its been hard ever since and even harder in the last fews weeks. To be honestly I would be completely ok with skipping the how holiday and just having the time off. I can feel the difference in the house and have noticed that everything is really delayed with Christmas. We took a while to put up our tree (not like us), and no one really wanted to prepare for it.

Every single Christmas Day my grandma would come to my house and we would open present and see her. It was the one day of the year, no matter what, that I got to see her. I couldn't tell you a year that she wasn't here. Except for this year. 

I am dreading it more than anything in the whole world. If I get through the day in one piece it will be a miracle. I know I will be subconsciously waiting for her to come the whole day. I can already feel it. One of my ways of coping is to not believe she is really gone and keep assuming she will be at family parties and I can just call her. 

The good news is I am not the only person to have to go through the holidays without a loved one. More than just my family is suffering this season. Since this is my first year without a loved one I am not an except on how to deal but I have learned a few things I want to share. 

Me and some of my cousins 

1. Spend a lot of time with family. 

They are most likely experiencing the same thing as you. Everyone is feeling the same upset as you. One of the amazing things is they will cry with you and than cheer you up when you're done crying. Don't try to be alone because it will only make things worse. Your family can distracted you and help you so much,. 

2. Cry and let it out. 

You have to cry and let it all out at least once during the season. Its ok to cry and its ok to be sad. Just don't stay sad too long. It will be bad for you! And if you have to cry more than once no one will judge you. 

3. Find ways to remember/honor them. 

Maybe make an ornament or a picture. One thing that I loved my family did at our annual Christmas sing-along was a tree that had the ornaments with names of people that have passed and won't be there this Christmas. I loved that idea. It would look cute one a little tree. 

4.  Write about your feelings. 

I am a true believer that writing, whether in a journal or not, helps so much dealing with your feelings. Just write and write and let it all out. I'll probably end up doing that sometime soon. Another writing idea is to maybe write a the person even though they won't be able to get it. 

5. Remember that they would want you to be happy. 

I know everyone says that but its the truth. My grandmother would want me to be happy and enjoy the Christmas season. I'll try my best to be happy for her. 

I hope everyone will is missing a loved one this season gets through in one piece. Know you are not alone.

xoxo,

Lauren 

Little Things of Christmas

I love looking for the little things in life. Really, it's the little things that make up the big things in life. You have to start small to get anything else in life. I thought looking at the little things of Christmas would be perfect and really make me see what important during this season.

Christmas cards from far away relatives

Christmas lights at night, especially while you lay in bed

Excitement on little kids' faces

Santa Pictures

Traditions both big and small

Cookies and cakes and sweets and treats 

Giving both gifts and kindness

Shopping for others (Christmas is a shopholics dream!)

Family, especially the ones you don't see often

Love 

25 days of Christmas on ABC Family

Decorated houses

Caroling and well known songs

A little time off

The butterflies you get on Christmas Eve

What do you love about Christmas? What are the little things you love? Take a minute to be thankful for the little things about the season in the next few days. 

xoxo,

Lauren 

Fall 2014✔️

I survived another semester of college! Honestly its hard to believe that I am already 3 semester into college and that I am halfway done my sophomore year. This semester was packed with new things and feelings and events.

Grades

I'm not one to brag about my grades. When I find out my grades I hardly tell anyone or talk about it but this semester is different. I worked extremely hard and am extremely proud of myself. The goals I set for myself where exceeded beyond explanation. 

Goals

1. Receive a 3.5 gpa: My gpa was a 3.807

2. Get no C's: I only ended up with one B

3. Possibly make Dean's list: First time on Dean's list!

Funny story about my grades: Grades were due by noon on Tuesday. I was checking and checking for days but 4 of my professor had yet to put my grades up Monday night. I went to bed knowing that when I woke they would be up and was pretty excited about it. The first thing that I thought about when I opened my eyes were my grades. I grabbed my phone and logged onto my school's website. It was a little hard with my eyes still half closed. The grades loaded and I literally jumped up and flipped over onto my belly freaking out because me grades were so much better than I thought. Sometimes I wish I had someone videotaping my life because this would have been so funny to watch back. 

Friends

All of the people I was friends with in the Spring 2014 semester I am still friends with today. There are people I grew closer with and people who have drifted apart.

My roommate from last semester has drifted away but that's because we don't live together, aren't in the same major, and are both super busy with school, work, sorority and life in general. The good news is when we do get together we can talk and talk and its as if nothing changed.

As for my roommate from this semester, we are closer than ever. I guess that's what happens when you live together and both go a little insane at night especially if you are both stressed.

New Happenings

I joined the sorority of my dreams. I should really make a nice, long post about it but I have yet to. Its been a few months since I joined and it has been one of the best decisions of my life. There are so many great things that come with being in a sorority. It's opened me up and made me be a little less shy. I gained new friends and experiences.

Sorry the post is so picture heavy. I just wanted to share a little of last semester with everyone. I am grateful for what this semester has brought me and I can't wait to see what Spring 2015 will bring.

xoxo,
Lauren