New Year's Eve!

No photo today! Today, my parents started getting all our numerous superstitions ready for the new year. One of them is having 13 round fruits displayed on the dinner table in a round container. Also placing plenty of different coins of different values underneath your pillow, hanging grapes on the front door, and placing coins on a round plate outside. I don't really do any of these myself besides the coins under my pillow.

I was thinking that counting down to New Year's is such a weird thing. Everyone puts on this new mantra that the next year will be better and everyone has high hopes. Then we spend time counting down the seconds as it gets closer and closer to January 1st. It's infused into society and the way we think. Humans have a tendency to get stuck in the past and find it impossible to move on. New Year's makes it possible. As a world, we all ring in the New Year. Anticipating a brighter future with positive outlooks. I think it's really something.

There's always those people that show up on your Facebook newsfeed or Twitter timeline trashing the "New Year, New Me" statuses and the people who criticize people who make New Year's Resolutions saying that if they wanted to change they can do it at anytime and just because it is a new year does not mean they will change for the better. But why put them down and why make fun of them about it? On just my perspective, I think it's good for them. Whether they really do change or don't, I don't really blame them. It is really hard to change something about your personality. But the thing that New Year's does is that everyone (or almost everyone) reflects and finds things they want to change about themselves and we all set foot towards those changes together. And who really knows if that person changed. So if you're one of those people suppressing your "New Year, New Me" status, it's okay. I'm here to give you a pat on the back for at least wanting to change something for the better. Just remember in the back of your mind that the same people who want to trash the "New Year, New Me's" are probably going to be the same people who will trash them next year.

ANYWAYS, as for me 2012 was really a good year. I had my 18th birthday and my Debut Party, went through my senior year -- prom, graduation, had an alright summer, then started my first semester at college and came back slightly different. (I didn't wanna piss off the people who hate "College Changed Me" statuses. ;) ) I appreciate everything that was thrown at me because I got through it and I'm happy for all my old friends, new friends, and family that surround me today! I can't wait to see what 2013 has in store and how many times it will take for me to stop writing 12 and start writing 13.

Happy New Year's Eve! :)

Gingerbread Tree!!

This morning I woke up to get ready for church and I looked in the mirror and saw some really bad eye bags. I have been getting plenty of sleep but on top of that I've been trying out this anti-puff and dark circle remover cream. Either I'm just waking up with a puffy face or the eye cream is reacting with the skin under my eyes. Although I do see less dark circles, the puffiness I wake up to is still menacing.

I went to church with my family and went to Red Lobster for lunch. When I came home I had a few friends over to watch the Hangover (unrated version) and decorate this long overdue gingerbread tree. I think it came out pretty well. Although the gingerbread cookies weren't very appetizing... they never really are. The day went by quickly and it's just hours away from New Year's Eve!

Yesterday all day I was in my bed reading Divergent. I couldn't stop reading it. So, today I got to use my Kindle 4 for the first time and read Insurgent! I'm excited for her third book to come out which is supposed to come out this coming year. Hopefully Insurgent is as good as the first book!

Simple and classy

I absolutely love updos. Something about a girl wearing her hair up just makes her look stunning. It just opens up her face and instantly adds elegance. Her neck and collarbones are no longer hidden by locks of hair and it just gives an illusion of her holding her chin a little bit higher than usual. Well to me it seems that way.

I love to sport the easily versatile sock bun on a day I just want my hair up. But this past Christmas I went for this twisted updo. To be honest it made me feel like a pilgrim but it looks so pretty from the back. It looks like it took me an hour to do it but all it took was ten minutes, bobby pins, and two hair ties. I wore this hairstyle to dress up my Christmas outfit but this can be worn anywhere. School, office, or out doing errands. So if you're looking for a nice, classy, but effortless look I suggest going for a messy updo like this one. If you would like to learn how to do this, you can follow this link: 3 Min Twisted Updo by Bubzbeauty

Bad shopping day

I woke up around 11 today and headed off to the mall with my parents. I've been dying to get a good shopping haul but I just didn't find anything I liked today. Either the sales weren't good enough or I just didn't like what was on the rack. It was weird. But I did buy a couple bows at Forever 21 today. The pink one is leather material and the black one is made out of sequins. I usually don't wear barrettes, clips, or anything fancy in my hair but I figured they were cute so I want to try them out. What I do wear in my hair though, are hair ties and bobby pins. I've been meaning to buy a pack of black small elastics but I haven't been able to find them until I looked at Shop Rite. Black small elastics are easily hidden and are hardly noticeable in braids. The hair ties I've been using are way too thick and aren't bobby pin friendly.

An update on my current read Divergent. I can definitely see why people compare the novel to The Hunger Games. It definitely has the same feel. I'm interested in how the movies will be made and what they will look like. I heard that Shailene Woodley will be the main character. I don't know how I feel about that. I've only seen her in the first couple seasons of The Secret Life of the American Teenager and she seems pretty placid. But then again maybe I can blame the story plot of the series because I got bored and tired of it as soon as she had her baby. I've also heard Woodley has made great strides in her acting career. I guess I'll just wait until the rest of the cast is figured out and make my judgments then.

Target run and perfect overall nude lipstick!

Yesterday it snowed enough to cover lawns and sidewalks and when I woke up it was disintegrated into tiny patches by the thunderstorm last night. I had yet another early start today, I had to run a bunch of errands to run with my mom. We went to target looking for more gifts and came out successful! I finally got my peppermint mocha from starbucks!

During my drive I came across a paper merchant truck and it reminded me of Killing Floor. SPOILER ALERT. In the book, Jack Reacher solves a crime that involves counterfeiting money and how they did it was by bleaching dollar bills and reprinting it with larger values. When all along, investigators were trying to figure out which paper company was providing the currency material. Then, they transported tons and tons of paper via trucks across the country. And I just thought it was funny the chances of me coming across a truck probably carrying paper.

Looking for a nude lipstick for you?

Finding a good shade of nude is important for an every day face. A lot of people look for that "my lips but better" shade. Most youtube beauty gurus rave about Fairest Nude by L'Oreal. My complexion is fair and this nude fits me well. The lipstick is not too creamy so I suggest putting on non pigmented lip balm before applying. And it's affordable too!

MARK'S BIRTHDAY WOOT

Today was pretty busy. This morning my mom and I headed out to the mall to check out the after Christmas sales and see if we can buy any Christmas gifts. My family doesn't really do the big parties on Christmas. We just all wait until New Year's. And I would say our shopping trip was pretty successful since we bought about 4/7 gifts. Once we got out of the mall it was snowing like crazy! Traffic turned our 15 minute ride home to 30 minutes. Today was Mark's birthday!! So a group of my friends ate at a small restaurant to celebrate :)

I had a weird encounter with a cat today. My neighbor has a cat and ever since I can remember the cat practically lived outside. I think it even reverted back to its wild instincts. My first memory of that cat was when I was playing in my backyard and there was a little toddler player in my neighbor's backyard. The toddler tried to make his way back to the house but the cat didn't let him on the deck to get into the house. The toddler would run try to dodge it but the cat would run faster than him and hiss at him. The toddler cried and eventually the mother came and carried him into the house. But I swear that cat is crazy. I remember times where I would find the cat chillin under my cars like it owns the place. I've also seen it kill birds and eat it and drink from the rain water puddles after a rain shower. But today as I was getting out of my car and walking towards my front door, I saw that cat run at me, then past me, then cuddle up under the car near where the engine would be. I realized it has been snowing and the cat must be cold so it realized that the car generates warmth. I mean I wouldn't blame it. The wind is strong tonight and the ground must be ice cold. Poor cat :(

Photos above are a box of lindor chocolates that my mom's company gifted to their employees for Christmas! Yummy!

Merry Christmas!

This year definitely flew by. This time last year so many things were different. I can't believe it. I'm so happy to be surrounded by family and friends that I love and care about. My first semester at college taught me a lot of things already. I've grown to appreciate home more. Although, just before graduating my senior year I wrote my final high school paper on the psychological tie to a place called home, I never took it seriously. Ironically. But comparing to my life at college and home, nothing can beat being home. My friends and family mean the world to me and I wouldn't have it any other way. I am truly blessed.

Above are the cookies I made a couple days ago. They're gone now. But they were absolutely scrumptious! I recommend these cookies! They're easy to make, takes only about 15 minutes each batch, and they are so cute! Oh and they're affordable too! I got 2 boxes for $3 at the grocery store! Good steal :)

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Eve!

Merry Christmas Eve! Today I spent majority of my time eating good food, spending time with my family, and reading. The Fault in our Stars was a book I finished reading before break. I actually finished reading it right before finals instead of studying. But overall it was a pretty good. Not exactly a super feel good novel, but it definitely gets you thinking. As for the odd book out of the bunch… and by odd I mean it’s not your typical photographed novel that is seen milling about preteen tumblr rebloggers. Killing Floor is a book I had to read for a literature class I took this past semester. It was the last novel out of the 12 we were assigned. Since it was the most recently written book and for me, most engaging, I decided to take it upon myself to finish reading it during my winter break. (We were only required to read the first 100 pages)

Killing Floor is definitely a book that I would not normally pick up which was another reason why I wanted to finish it. It’s a thrilling action novel jam packed into about 530 pages. Honestly, once I got to the 400s, I wanted it to just end already. Then by the end I felt like I watched an entire season of a thrilling mystery show within 7 days. Which could be a good or bad thing. Ultimately, I enjoyed the book and the author, Lee Child, actually had a movie that came out this past December 21st based on one of his Jack Reacher novels, One Shot. I’m definitely interested in seeing it. Although I have my reservations about Tom Cruise, I’ll try giving Lee Child some credit.

Divergent is a novel I still have yet to read. I’m excited to get started on it. I hope the trilogy is everything I heard of it to be. :)