Winter Sale

I checked the weather in Charlottesville last night and was a little alarmed to see that it was 13 degrees. Apparently while I've been hiding out in Tampa and enjoying the warmth, Virginia has turned into a frozen wonderland. 

Even Tampa has been feeling a little chilly (for Floridian standards), and all of this briskness in the air is reminding me that I need to make sure I am properly equipped for the winter weather.

Miss something on your list? Have a little cash built up from holiday presents or returns? Here is a collection of my favorite winter pieces currently on sale to keep you warm this season:

military parka

night owl scarf

warmspun ribbed hat

night owl mitten

christy riding boot

charley sweater in ribbon bow

merino turtleneck sweater

snakeskin belt

camp socks

wool houndstooth scarf

plaited cableknit sweater

plushpom scarf

Happy Winter!

January Playlist

January is great for a lot of reasons - it's the start of winter which means fuzzy socks, staying in bed with a book, and so much more. But the dreariness of the cold and the overcast days always put me in a bit of a more somber mood when it comes to music. Not depressing, just not super hyped. Here is my playlist for January!

Happy January!

New Year's Resolutions

New Year's Resolutions are always hard for me. I usually start out the year with so many ideas for self improvement and before February even comes, I have completely lost the momentum and motivation to see it through. Because of this pattern, I have decided to approach my resolutions differently this year. They aren't monumentally groundbreaking or exciting, but I think if I am able to carry them out I'll be happier and more in tune with myself. 

1. More Face Time 

I'm pretty disgusted at the amount of time I spend texting, looking at Twitter/Instagram/Facebook. This year, I'm going to try to make an effort to limit my screen time and focus on building and strengthening relationships in more constructive and concrete ways.

2. Read More

My list of books I want to read has been growing, yet I find that the only reading I have been doing lately is only school related. I'm going to make it a goal to read at least one book per month to start crossing them off my list! I'm currently reading The Twelve Tribes of Hattie by Ayana Mathis. 

Like I said, they aren't monumental, but I think it's a good start!

Do you have any resolutions?

The Best of 2013

This year was arguably the most eventful year of my life. It began with a college acceptance letter, and will end with friends at the beach. Here are my 5 favorite moments from 2013:

1. College Acceptances & College Rejections

The first big thing that happened to me in 2013 was my acceptance to UVa in mid January. UVa was my dream school, so I was obviously over-the-moon excited to learn I had been accepted. Something else I learned about the college application process is to cherish the rejections as much as the acceptances. There were two schools I applied to that I was waitlisted and eventually denied to, but honestly it didn't really bother me. If anything, these rejections made it infinitely more clear that I was meant to go to UVa. This article by a Yale dean of admissions sums it up very nicely. 

2. Graduation

Graduation high school turned into a bigger ordeal than I had initially imagined. The dozens of graduation parties I attended combined with senior festivities all led up to one of the happiest moments of my life - addressing the class of 2013 and walking across the stage, diploma in hand. I had extended family fly in for the occasion, and it was so exciting to see everyone and end a wonderful chapter in my life.

3. My First Job

I experienced my first employment opportunity during the summer of 2013 - an advertising and marketing internship with a real estate group in South Tampa. I learned so much from the experience, and am excited to have the opportunity to check in and work next week for them again!

4. Relationships

2013 was a growing year in terms of relationships for me. I learned which friends were worth holding on to and which were better left in Tampa. This process sounds a lot darker and depressing than it actually was; in fact, it was so rewarding to concentrate my attention and love from a relatively large conglomeration of friends into a smaller set. I also met so many new friends in college, and have experienced more love and support from these people that I have only known for a couple of months than I could have ever imagined. 

I spy Ben Rector ;)

5. Going to College

As exciting as college acceptances were, the day when I realized I had a new home, a new life, and new friends was so rewarding, exciting, and a little bit scary. This day happened when I attended the Class of 2017 Convocation, and it instantly became so clear why I was where I was. Since then I have tried to make the most of my college experiences by joining clubs, pursuing friendships, studying and figuring out what excites me in the classroom, and experiencing Charlottesville along the way.

Happy end of 2013! 

A Noteworthy Obsession

Stationery has always been a weakness of mine. With 2014 looming in just three days, I can't help but think about all of the upcoming events that will require some old-fashioned handwritten notes - graduation, birthdays, thank-yous, etc. 

Rifle Paper Co. is my stationery obsession for the new year. I just ordered this calendar and am already obsessed.

My list of people I need to write thank-you notes for has accumulated to a dauntingly terrifying amount after all of the holiday festivities this month. I love the idea of starting 2014 with a new set of stationery, especially thank-you cards. How perfect are all these? 

Wildflower Thank You Postcards

Rosa Merci Card

Hostess Thank You

Happy Monday!

Sunday Wisdom: Glory

Sometime in mid-October, I was sitting in my Introduction to Anthropology class as my professor told our class pretty harshly that our accomplishments simply aren't ours. He condemned us for thinking that we were smart enough to get into UVa on our own, with our own hard work and our own intelligence. He radically changed my view on how I view my accomplishments. 

They aren't mine. Not even in the slightest. 

Though my professor is a self-proclaimed atheist, I learned so much through him about the Lord that day. It is so easy for me, and I am assuming everyone else in our individualistic, competitive culture, to focus on getting ahead - to make goals and then do everything in our power to achieve them. Then when we do, we feel a sense of internal accomplishment. As if we have done something good for ourselves. 

My professor argued that we would not be the people we were at that moment sitting in that lecture hall without the tremendous influence and help from our families, teachers along the way, friends, and even acquaintances. We like to think we own our accomplishments, but in reality, we let them own us. 

We even define ourselves through our accomplishments. Think about it - when you introduce yourself to someone, you usually state your occupation - whether it be student, attorney, teacher, etc. We define ourselves through what we believe we have single-handedly achieved. We glorify ourselves without being consciously aware of it.

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." -Colossians 3:17

Like I said earlier, my professor focused on the help we have experienced through family, friends etc. These are all important, don't get me wrong. What my professor missed on his list was the Lord. 

Are we working for the Lord, or are we working for ourselves? Are we glorifying the Lord in our careers, relationships, and activities, or are we glorifying ourselves?

I definitely think this is worth thinking about, especially as we are about to enter a new year. It's not an easy question to answer, but it is essential that we answer it honestly.

Happy last Sunday of 2013!