Full of Grateful

{sweater: Gap, dress: Everly, boots: Minnetonka, across-the-body bag: Forever21, ring: I cannot remember for.the.life of me where I got this cutie... probably F21}

I am so utterly grateful to be in South Dakota with my best of friends, my sister and mom.  To laugh about the oddest, silliest things and eat (way too much) and pester each other and sip coffee together in Starbucks and visit sister on her lunch while she bites the bullet of working on the holiday.  

I'm grateful for the cool, breezy fall weather and these socks my grandma knit me to keep my toes warm and fuzzy when those breezes get nippier.  And for the quick phone call I had with her and my grandpa today.  To listen to their sweet voices that I don't pick up my phone and dial often enough to hear.  

I'm grateful for the hurt and hard times that only bring me closer to the people I love, and make me a stronger, smarter individual.

I'm grateful for my opportunities. My TCU education, summer internships, jobs, privileges, traveling.  For the comfort in knowing I'm rich- no no, I'm not talking in the monetary sense, but rich in love and laughter. In health and hope.  I'm rich in support and solace.  And, above all, I'm Bill-Gates-rich in family and friends.

Lastly... I'm grateful for The Hunger Games. Those books are so stinking good.  They're taking over my life (for the second time) and I'm really, really okay with it.

Happy Thanksgiving, beauties.

Birthday Blessings

{birthday cookie cake; the tastiness of it compensated for the teeny misspelling of my name}

I feel so lucky to have such amazing people in my life to celebrate my 20th year with.  Two decades of my life complete; how does that even happen?!  I had such an incredible birthday week, and even though I was hit with a bit of the post birthday blues yesterday- as well as an oncoming, brutal cold- I can't help but just be thankful for the celebrations held all for little old me this past week!  Even the littlest things mean the world to me.
And now, I only have two days of school to power through until I get to jet off to South Dakota to see my sister, who has to work on Thanksgiving, unfortunately.  My friends always make fun of me for being excited to go to South Dakota; "I forgot that was even a state," is one of the most common reactions.  My mom and I are going to keep her company around her work schedule, and, regardless of friends' remarks, I couldn't be more elated to get to spend time with just those two, even in South Dakota!

{new boots from my amazing mama} 

{what I like to call my "birthday cake nails": OPI- Bring On the Bling & American Apparel Nail Lacquer- Coney Island} 

{brown-sugar cinnamon apple crisps. so delicious. the simplest recipe ever found here} 

{a few of my great friends at my my birthday dinner Friday night} 

{a gorgeous bouquet of tulips from my mom}  

{birthday present to myself: new piercing. hellloooo industrial} 

{such a stunning sunset that I got to witness on a run last week. I took it as another birthday gift} 

{the cutest fold-over Ugg socks, knit by hand by one of my heroes, my grandma}

Pretty Words & Nostalgic Pictures

... that really don't go together whatsoever.
Oh well.  These are currently a couple of quotes and old pictures from the summer that make me oh so happy.  Enjoy, and happy Tuesday to everyone.  Who else thinks it should be Friday already?


"Today is never too late to be brand new." -Taylor Swift


"I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13


"I'd rather be working at something, than praying for the rain
So I wander on, till someone else is saved." -James Vincent McMorrow

{my beautiful (and much tanner than me) sister. such a strength in my life.}

 {a view from Brooklyn Bridge Park at sunset of the city that I find myself missing more and more everyday}

My One True Love: NYC

A Year In New York

If you've ever visited, lived in, wanted to go to, felt akin to, or dreamed about New York City, you must watch this video.

My skin shivers with chills every single time I watch it.  The images with the incredibly beautiful song get me.  It truly defines the magic of New York City and makes me itch with anticipation to be back as soon as possible.

Cancer

Consuming you from within,
A black, unexpected disease.
You lose control of your health,
Of your days,
Of your actions,
Of your hope,
Of your life.
The illness thrashes like waves against your insides,
Sanding down those once solid foundations.
It causes emotions you never believed would be part of you.
That is, before the sickness enveloped your being.
Rage, depression, excruciating pain,
They change everything, everyone around you.

What is this cancer?
It's uncontrollable.
Dangerous.
Lethal.
Destructive.
Unpredictable.
The cancer of addiction.


For my brothers.  I love you.  I'm continually praying for your health.

From Day to Night,

with denim on denim.

{denim button-up: A.N.A., denim shorts: See Thru Soul, belt: Target, sandals: Bamboo}

Versatile pieces fill up the majority of my closet.  Hence the repeat of a couple pieces in this post from recent outfit posts.  Can you find them?  It's perfect for days like today, where I can go from a casual, loungey, daytime outfit and swap a few ingredients to create a cute, sassy, nighttime getup.

On a side note, my family is going through a bit of mess.  Every family has them.  No family's not dysfunctional.  I know, a double negative.  But it's true.  Even knowing that, though, I can't help feeling a little disappointed, sad, and above all else, worried.  Sorry for the vagueness; I'm still kind of sorting out my feelings.  All I know is that this prayer has been getting me through my day.  

The Serenity Prayer

"God grant me the serenity 

to accept the things I cannot change; 
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference."

{jeans: H&M, scarf: Ann Taylor LOFT, wedges: Guess}

Life Saving Sandals

{cardigan: Scrapbook, dress: Buffalo Exchange, belt: Target, sandals: Forever 21}

Funny story about these shoes.

My first day interning at Teen Vogue last summer, I was absolutely terrified, euphoric, nervous, unsure, ecstatic, and, above all else, I was in 5-inch pumps.  Hey, I wanted to look professional!  Professionals wear high heels, right?  As it turns out, I was reminded very quickly and painfully that I wasn't a professional yet; I was an intern.  The lowest of low in the office; the coffee getters; the errand runners; the closet organizers; basically, the people without offices, desks, or even chairs at all.  

Needless to say, about two hours into my day my pinky toes began going numb.  By the time my 3 PM lunch break rolled around, blisters were popping and food was the last thing on my mind.  Instead of using my 30 minutes to scarf down a sandwich, I hobbled to the Forever 21 a block away as fast as possible and snagged these bad boys.  My feet have never been happier.  

Oops, did I say that was a funny story?  I meant tragic, with a hint of graphic.

{Thanks, little guys.}