Gratitude Journal

by Alyssa

One of my New Year's Resolutions was to write five things that I am thankful for each day. The idea of having a gratitude journal was actually recommended to me by one of my professors last semester, and I'm really glad I started doing this. It has been a wonderful reminder for me to stop and count my blessings every single day, even if I'm in a bad mood and don't feel like doing it.

 

I write my list each day in this pretty purple journal that my sister bought me. I love the quote on the front because it reminds me to remember each moment that I am thankful for! I write down anything that comes to mind when I think of what I'm thankful for - sometimes it's people in my life, sometimes it's just some silly little thing that made me smile that day. 

Even though I've only been doing this for a couple of months, it's already fun to look back and see what I was thankful for on certain days. I would highly encourage everyone to start something like this; it really helps remind you how much you have especially when you're having a bad day!

"Gratitude is the heart of contentment. I have never met a truly 

thankful, appreciative person who was not profoundly happy."

 -Neil Clark Warren

Ombre Glitter Nails

by Alyssa

I am obsessed with glitter nail polish! I usually have a bright solid nail color on four fingers and glitter on one accent nail. I was excited to change things up a big and try out some ombre glitter nails. Getting pretty nail polish and creating fun designs is a fabulous way to add style to your look without spending much money. As a college student, that is always something I'm looking for! Here's a tutorial for this super fun and easy manicure.

As always, start with a clear base coat to protect your nails. Add two coats of any solid color polish. I love the clean look of this Essie polish that I used!

Wait for the first two coats to dry all the way, then add a VERY thin coat of glitter polish on the whole nail. Make sure you don't use too much!

Carefully paint a thin coat of glitter polish on the bottom third of your nail, then let it dry completely. Add one more stripe of glitter at the very bottom of your nail, then finish it off with a clear topcoat. And there you are! You have beautiful ombre glitter nails.

The colors I used were Sally Hansen Invisible, Essie Sand Tropez, and Color Club Take the Stage.

Hello Weekend

by Alyssa

Don't you love weeks that are just so relaxing? I only had class 3 days this week and barely any homework, which is very unusual. It was a welcome break from my last few crazy weeks. On Friday, Brianna and I went on a little hike with some friends. The weather was beautiful and we snapped this picture as the sun was just starting to set. See those beautiful colors in the sky? That would be smog...oh the joys of living in SoCal! At least we have gorgeous sunsets here because of it. Here are a few more fun pictures from the week.

 

Some unique necklaces I spotted at a flea market - aren't those owls adorable?!

 

Sorry for the blurry picture, but I thought I'd share this since it made me smile. The barista at Starbucks spelled my name right AND added a smiley face to my iced coffee! It definitely brightened up my Business Law study session.

I hope you had a wonderful week as well! Happy weekend everybody :)

Operation Beautiful

by Alyssa

We hear so many negative messages from the media, our peers, and sometimes even ourselves. It is really easy to get caught up in external beauty and forget that inner beauty and strength is far more important. I came across Operation Beautiful about a year ago and I was so inspired by what I read. Caitlin, the founder of Operation Beautiful, started the blog as a way to end negative self-talk and remind everyone that they are beautiful.

The idea is simple – she encourages readers to post anonymous notes in public places for others to find. These notes will hopefully brighten the day of whoever finds them and remind them that they are beautiful just the way they are. I love this idea, so I decided to post some Operation Beautiful notes around my college campus. Here are a few of them!

On a random mailbox.

In a library book waiting to be found!

Women's bathroom mirror.

On a bathroom door in the coffee shop.

We want to challenge you to post your own Operation Beautiful note today! And remember…you are beautiful!

Kony 2012

by Brianna

I'm sure everyone reading this has either a son, daughter, younger sibling, cousin, niece, nephew, or knows a young child. What I want you to do is picture those children. Now imagine them being abducted in their sleep. The girls being forced into sex slavery and the boys being handed rifles and taught how to kill. Sounds inhuman, right?

In Uganda, Africa, over 30,000 children have been abducted by a man named Joseph Kony. What's his motive? He wants nothing more then the feeling of power. Right now, the US has sent a small group of soldiers to Uganda to aid their army in the capture of Kony. However, since it is not in the interest of the US government, they are threatening to take back the soldiers by the end of 2012 if Kony is not captured and arrested. You can watch a video about this here. 

Here's how you can help arrest Joseph Kony. We want the US government to know that it in the interest of the US citizens to bring justice and save these children. We're doing this by making Kony famous. Spread the word to your family and friends, post it on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Be a part of "Cover the Night" on April 20, 2012.

You have the power to bring justice and save over 30,000 children. Use that power.

Visit the Invisible Children website to learn more about how you can help capture Kony.

Switch It Up

By Alyssa

With cold temperatures outside, workout options can be very limited!  I know from experience that going to the gym several times a week gets really old after a while, or it can just be a hassle to get to. Also, if you’re anything like me and have basically no upper body strength, it’s a little intimidating to be surrounded by athletes bench pressing ten times more than me!  

So what can a girl do to still get a good workout in? Workout DVDs! 

I first discovered my love for workout DVDs this semester. During Christmas break, Brianna informed me that I would be joining her and her sister Chelsea in doing P90x this semester. I was a little intimidated by this since 6 days a week of working out seemed like a lot for a busy college student! But I have to say, I have loved this program and it has been a lot easier to stick with than I anticipated. 

No matter what level of fitness you are, I would highly recommend trying workout DVDs. There are SO many benefits – you can work out in your own room, it’s a lot quicker than driving all the way to the gym, you can do it with friends, there are a lot of options so you won’t get bored, and you can have fun and not worry about looking dumb since you aren’t surrounded by buff athletes in the gym!

Here are a couple of tips that I’ve found to be helpful this semester:

Tip #1: Workout with friends. This has been the biggest motivator for me! When you know there are other people counting on you to work out with them, it pushes you to not be lazy or make excuses. Also, it is just way more fun! We are usually laughing about half the time during our workouts – at ourselves, at each other, and at the people in the DVD. It makes the time go faster and laughing is good for your abs, right?!

Tip #2: Have a plan and stick to it. College life can get insanely busy, so I think it’s crucial to set specific days and times that you are going to work out. It doesn’t have to be the same time every day, but setting specific times forces you to prioritize and plan your homework/social time around that. Of course, sometimes things come up and you won’t be able to stick to the same time, but that is no excuse to not make any sort of schedule!  

Tip #3: Try something new.  Be open to new workouts when you’re selecting a DVD series. You never know what workout you might fall in love with! I had never really tried yoga before P90x, but I discovered that I absolutely love it. Also, I re-discovered my love for kickboxing with the P90x Ken Po DVD. Look for a DVD series that has lots of variety in the workouts. P90x is great for this, and I know many others are as well. 

Tip #4: Consider working out in the morning. I know it can be hard to get up early, but it is a great feeling to get your workout done at the start of your day! Plus, it will jump start your metabolism. 

Tip #5: Keep moving! Even if the moves in the DVD are too tough for you, don’t just stop. Modify the moves if you need to in order to keep your heart rate up the whole time! 

Workout DVDs are definitely worth a try.  P90x has worked great for me, but I know it’s not for everyone. I’ve had friends who have done Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred and loved it. There are a TON of great options out there, so go find one that works for you!

Baked Apples

By Brianna

I have quite the sweet tooth but do not enjoy all the sugar and calories packed in most treats. If you are the same way, I think you will enjoy these delicious baked apples. This is a simple recipe. Most of you probably already have these ingredients lying around in your kitchen. If you try these out, let me know how you like them! ( I apologize for the poor quality photos. The only camera I had with me was my Iphone.)

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup brown sugar

8 same-size Gala apples

8 teaspoon-size pieces of butter

1 cup apple juice

6 sprigs fresh mint

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Combine cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar in a small bowl and Set aside.

Core apples, making sure not to puncture a hole in the bottom of the apples so that the juices will remain. Remove skin from around top of apples at the opening. Fill each cavity with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Top each apple with a teaspoon of butter. Place apples in casserole dish and pour apple juice around them. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake for approximately 45 minutes to an hour. Remove from heat, garnish with fresh mint, and enjoy!