feliz navidad

adios, america!

over Christmas, I went on vacation with Jordan's family to a resort in Playa del Carmen in sunny Mexico. these are just a few snapshots I managed with my iPhone.

notebook sale for a cause

the holiday season is a season for giving. Kinsey, of one of my favorite blogs, Sincerely Kinsey, has created some beautiful and whimsical Moleskine notebooks adorned with a unique polaroid photo and hand-stained pages to sell for a great cause.

all proceeds are going to Project Rescue, a charity dedicated to helping women and children who have been affected by sexual slavery; from rescuing them to placing them in aftercare homes, to giving them vocational training and medical care.

for details on how to support this great cause (and get an amazing one-of-a-kind notebook made by a talented artist) visit Kinsey's blog!

{all photos ©Kinsey}

lucy

rest in peace, Lucy. I will always remember how you used to bark, and how you loved to play with your red ball, and "Jack." you could always make us laugh with your silliness. it will be a strange holiday season without you, but I hope you will be watching over us all. we love you, Lucy, and we will miss you every day.

lately...

this weekend I visited my parents. my mom was a crafter at a local craft show and I helped. or tried. the car I drive also some issues, so my dad took a look at it for me. I helped. or tried. a few weekends ago when I visited them, we went to the haunted corn maze just around the corner. they have moved to a small town, but at least there are a few fun things nearby. I really like spending free weekends with them. it's nice to just hang out and relax. it will be nicer over Thanksgiving and Christmas, when I have a longer break, and I can spend a few more days.

in a semi-related note, I have been sorely disappointed in my own photo efforts. I've barely been taking any, and I don't really find myself in many situations where I would want to. how sad is that? I think city life or living in very rural areas helps. in Grand Rapids, I would take photos all the time. at my parents' house, there are some interesting landscapes if you can see beyond the plane of the houses. I keep trying to do daily photo challenges, and failing. it's pretty frustrating.

anyway, the apartment hunt is still on, and all is well for now.

missing oz

I can't believe a year ago today, I was boarding a plane to start the most amazing adventure of my life. well, a year ago today, I was boarding a plane to land in LA and get stuck there for 3 days, but you know what I mean.

I miss Australia HEAPS. I often think of my time there, and all the people I met and came to love. by the end, I didn't even mind the heat so much. if only I could visit again! one day, maybe, but until then, I have some pretty wonderful memories to hold on to. Aussie Aussie Aussie! Oy oy oy!

wallflower

so, last night we saw The Perks of Being a Wallflower. this book was really important to me throughout my adolescence; I've probably read it half a dozen times. maybe more. so I was super excited when I heard it was being made into a film, and even more excited when I heard that Stephen Chbosky (the author) was directing it. much of the movie was true to the book, and I adored it. there were some notable differences, but as far as books-made-into-movies go, it was extremely similar. I teared up about three hundred times, but that is to be expected when you're very emotionally invested in a story for so very, very long. thank you, Stephen Chbosky, for bringing Charlie, Sam, and Patrick to life, and for making them so funny, genuine, and infinite.

october birchbox

this month, as many of you well know, birchbox is offering a goop-themed birchbox to some of its customers. I opted in, and while I'm glad I did, I was still expecting a little more! at any rate, here's what was in ze box:

essie | "goop pick" polish in power clutch

Between the cheeky names and the on-trend hues, essie can do no wrong. You can wear this classic shade all season.

Joanna Vargas | Daily Serum

Celebrity facialist Joanna Vargas packs her signature brightening serum with vitamins A, E, and C, plus hyaluronic acid. You'll glow, we promise.

Kiehl's | Aromatic Blends Liquid Body Cleanser in Orange Flower & Lychee

This brand's new foaming gel has mood-boosting fruity-floral scent that lingers on skin post-shower.

Naked Princess | Naked Shine Luscious Lip Gloss in Barely Coco

Show off your (nearly) bare lips with this sheer gloss, which doubles as a subtle plumper.

and my lifestyle extra was:

 LUNA fiber | Chocolate raspberry

These fiber-packed bars are a goop fave. Keep them on hand at all times.

the full-size essie polish was a total score, and the color is amazing. I've never heard of Kiehl's, but it smells really good, so I'm excited to try that out too.

I'm not to certain about the rest. the Joanna Vargas Daily Serum really worries me. when I think "serum," I think oily. and it's supposed to go on my face? to me, that has breakout written all over it. I hope it's hypoallergenic and/or noncomedogenic, because I listed both sensitive skin and breakouts on my birchbox profile. I'm very reluctant to use it.

the only thing that worries me about the Naked Princess gloss is stickiness. if it's not sticky, I'll love it. I already love the name and the shade. it just drives me crazy when the wind kicks up and my hair sticks to my lips. then, I have goopy (pun not intended) gloss stuck in my hair all day and I have to re-apply the gloss that I, seconds ago, discovered I don't like. don't disappoint me!

lastly, the Luna bar. food in Birchboxes is ok. I really enjoyed my Larabar I got in my August box. if it tastes good, I'm all for it. I just tend to get more excited about trying beauty samples is all.

so that's it! my last box of the giveaway I won at the lovely Laura's blog. I have to admit, I think 3 months' worth of Birchbox goddness has sold me on continuing my subscription. I just love getting these little surprises in the mail every month! it's the teeny, tiny, finer things in life.

anyway, I just renewed my subscription, and hopefully Laura got the points, because I tried clicking through her referral link ;) if you want monthly deliveries of high-end beauty and lifestyle samples from top brands, then join Birchbox for only $10/month! you also get expert advice, and you can earn points with every purchase. what's not to love?