Merry Christmas Eve!

Season's Greetings, everyone!
I hope that you're all having a great morning/afternoon with your loved ones! Matt and I decided to do our Christmas exchange today because we'll be visiting family tomorrow. These are the things my love picked out for me! I adore the watch and the mittens... I was super excited to see the mittens because my hands are sooooo tiny that most gloves that I have are way too big for them. These fit perfectly AND are insulated (thinsulated as it were) plus, I love the alpine-ish pattern on them! So cute!

I'm also really excited to try out the Ripped in 30, I might have to wait until after my wisdom teeth are extracted to fully dive into the 30 day challenge but I have heard some great things about it and am so excited to work my hiney off... literally.

Other major plans for this evening consist of vegging out to Christmas movies (maybe even a little Harry Potter?) and enjoying a Christmas roast: chicken, potatoes, parsnips, oh my! I'm feeling all cozy just thinking about it. I hope that you have a very Merry Christmas and a wondrous new year.

Blessings,
Camella

Hi guys!

I wanted to share the workouts I did this morning. They are by Cassey Ho at Blogilates.com and you can find them here. I actually finished both of them (!) and they were mean! The workouts were for beginners so if you’re new to Pilates (like me) then the instructor goes over the form and breathing techniques pretty thoroughly.

I really love this type of workout because you can feel it work and tone every single muscle - legs, arms, abs, glutes, everything! And the instructor is really motivating so I find that I’m more able to complete the workouts.

I’ve been feeling really down about my fitness and not really enjoying it that much lately so I wanted to try something new and get out of my comfort zone a bit and this was the perfect solution for me. I highly encourage you to try something new if you’re in the dreaded fitness rut. We can do this, we can have healthy, strong bodies. But the only way to make that happen is to challenge yourself!

Ins and Outs for December

Ins
- Hot drinks ~ tea and cocoa here I come
- Warm bubble baths ~ a winter MUST...
- Vitamin E oil ~ does wonders for my dry skin!
- Christmas shopping ~ I love getting things for people and seeing their reaction when they open it! -DIY-ing Christmas gifts ~ T-shirt scarves are so cool and easy to make!
- The first winter snow
-Murder She Wrote ~ one of my favorites :)
- Advent Calendars! ~ especially ones with chocolate
- Christmas vacation
-Spending time with my family
- Sending out Christmas cards

Outs
- Final exams
- Tempting fatty foods that call my name
- Icy roads
- Dry skin

Revlon "Carbonite" Nail Polish

Hi everyone!
I just wanted to do a quick post on a new nail polish that I got over the weekend. It's by Revlon and it's called Carbonite. It's a beautiful dark grey base with fine silver shimmer. Just gorgeous on the nails!



It only takes about two coats to be completely opaque and I'm in love! I'll do an update on how it wears throughout the upcoming weekend!


I also bought another nail polish by Orly called Rage. It's an absolutely perfect rose-gold color... more on that later :)

Have a wonderful Friday!

A little love on Saturday

Hi everyone! I wanted to do a quick post to say hello and to show you these cool leggings (Aztec-print, mind you) my sister and I found at Marshall's! I paired them with a white tank from Forever 21 and an over-sized cropped sweatshirt from Mudd. Normally I detest the brand Mudd but this sweater was so cute and my sister was cleaning out her closet so I snatched that bad boy up!

I do love Marshall's... even more that TJ Maxx. I don't know why but things are priced way better at Marshall's... case and point, these leggings: a whopping $6. I also got a pair of cotton trouser-style pants (I think the brand was Highway Jeans or something along those lines) for $7.

Total spent at Marshall's: $14 or near enough. It was a great day!
I hope that your weekend was fabulous! Have a blessed week!!

A little motivation

Ok, I have a quick update and some words of encouragement for you if you’re waning in the motivation department (for exercise that is).

I have been such a lazy bones lately and have worked out maybe 3 times in the last two weeks. Not good. Not good at all. So today, I was all ready to work out and then the blahs struck! I didn’t even really start my workout before I turned it off and jumped in the shower. Feeling mighty guilty about it, I decided to look up some motivating websites and I found one. This one to be exact:

http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/weight-loss/tips/motivation/recharge-your-exercise-motivation/

To my surprise, this author talks about how it only takes 3 days of inactivity to lose all the conditioning you’ve built up. Three days! If that won’t make you get your butt moving I don’t know what will! So I ended up finishing my workout and here I sit, sweaty but proud that I finished what I started.

So I suppose the moral of this story is that motivation comes in a variety of forms. If you find your motivation slipping away, just think about how great you feel afterwards, what an awesome thing you’re doing for your body, and if all else fails how your muscle conditioning that you worked so hard for is turning to mush as you sit on the couch (kidding, but not really)…

Have a great Thanksgiving Holiday! Make smart choices and God bless you all!

Holographic Nail Trend

Hi guys! I wanted to share with you a new polish that I hauled that follows the holographic nail trend that's big right now (or maybe it was big a while ago and I'm just now catching on...).


This polish is called Gray's Anatomy (I think the collection is named after TV shows but don't quote me) and it's by Wet and Wild. With a price tag of under $3, you can't really beat it. In the bottle it's a beautiful grey-purple/green holographic color. On the nails, it only casts a green-hue in the sunlight but it's over all a really pretty color. The photos don't do it justice but check it out next time you're at a store that carries Wet and Wild products!





These photos were after one full day of wear and about 3-4 coats. The initial application is slightly transparent and for full-coverage, needs at least 2-3 coats. It's quick drying so I didn't mind this so much! I'm trying to nurse my nails back to health so instead of using a base coat, I used Sally Hansen's Hard as Wraps nail hardener.

What are your favorite holographic nail polishes?

Panda-monium

So... Matt and I went to a costume party tonight for our Christian fellowship group. We went as pandas and yes, I made the costumes. I will be posting a tutorial on my YouTube channel on how to re-create this look but it was SUPER easy.


All you need is black and white face paint, cosmetic sponges or synthetic hair makeup brushes (I like the ELF professional foundation brush and concealer brush), white powder to set the white paint, and black or dark brown eye shadow to set the black paint.

You can also use an eyeliner pencil to draw out the areas you want to paint black.

For the costumes we went cheap and bought men's sweat pants and sweat shirts. I used a white bandana and cut it into the desired shape for our tummy patch. Then I used fabric glue to glue on the white patch. You can definitely use iron on transfer patches if you don't want the glue to show through the white (we didn't have an iron however)....

In total, I think that this costume costs about $12 if you have the makeup brushes and eye shadows/powders.

What are you dressing up as for Halloween? Leave me a comment!

Nails of Today

I just wanted to share a pretty nail combination with you! I used Essie's Mademoiselle (a light milky pink) and then two coats of NYC's Starry Silver Glitter on top. I believe this is supposed to be a good dupe for Debora Lippman's Happy Birthday polish.

I think that in the bottle, it's really beautiful. There are small silver glitter particles and multi-colored larger circle glitters. I'm not usually a glitter polish kind of girl buuuuut I like this. I think it's fun... it would be really great for New Year's Eve I think!

What are your favorite glitter polishes? If you own the DL Happy Birthday polish let me know how this compares!

Things life has taught me in the past year...

~ Thursdays are my most productive day of the week.

~ My sister is a strong woman - she deals with heartache better than I ever did at her age

~ Cable is overrated and expensive

~ You can make new friends even in your fifth year of college

~ Running feels so awful but so good at the same time (I got my time back up to 15 minutes and next week I’ll be shooting for 17…)

~ Cheesecake can cure a bad day like that *snaps fingers*

~ Even naughty kittens can be sweet sometimes

~ Bird feeders are not just for the enjoyment of human beings (cue cats bashing their faces on the window)

~ Not buying meat saves you money $$

~ Pictures on a wall make any place feel like home

~ Pita pizzas are the greatest lunch invention… ever

~ Pepperoni makes sandwiches delicious

~ The Golden Girls was made for mornings

~ Exercising is the best form of stress-managment

~ Older adults are capable of melting your heart in ways you never though possible

~ Nothing is more important than family

~ Being a “grown up” is hard work…

~ Worrying is a waste of time

~ Jesus is LORD! If you have faith in Him, you have no reason to fear

~ Death is a natural part of life

~ Sometimes Indian summers are exhausting

Let me know what you’ve learned so far this year!

Hi everyone!
I just wanted to do a quick post showing you my fun scarf that I'm wearing today. I bought it at Claire's on clearance so it was pretty cheap = what we like to see!

Today I have a busy schedule. I'm "working" today at the long-term care facility that I worked at this summer and I'm killing two birds with one stone by interviewing one of my guys for a project for my Soc class.


I hope all of you are well! Talk to you soon!

First of October!

Hello lovelies!

I felt like posting a beautiful new nail polish that I just got from Ulta! The color is called "Vintage Violet" and it's such a pretty, deep lilac color... and it was only $2 which makes it even better!





My bracelet is from JC Penny and was on sale for $20 from $40. It's a really beautiful wrap bracelet and it goes with EVERYTHING! I love it!


I also bought a really lovely Wet and Wild eyeshadow palette which I'll be doing a post on very soon so stay tuned for that.

I hope you're having a great weekend and I'll talk to you soon!

hello, stranger

Hi there!

I feel like I’ve been such a Bloggin' and Tumblin’ delinquent but A) I was sick and B) school started so I’ll use the lamest excuses I could to justify my lack of blogging. I also have a bandage on my pinky which is making typing precarious.

Today I have some big plans… I’m relaxing for a bit before my 6-9 ish class = so exciting. I’ve been hanging out a lot over the weekend and into this week so I’m catching up on some stuff (homework?) and watching HGTV. I’m actually all done with my assignments for the week and I’m going to actually take time to prepare dinner before I go to class which I’m looking forward to.

In other news, school is going pretty well. I have a ton of Aging-themed classes: cue Middle Age and Aging, Perspectives on Aging, and TR and Aging. This means that I have a lot of overlapping assignments but I’m okay with that. Hopefully, I can make it all work and keep on top of things.

Okay, that’s really it for me. I hope that you’re all doing well! Talk to you soon :)

What I wore (Sunday, August 28, 2011)

i
Hi everyone! I'm not going to give you a really annoying photo display that I spent loads of time editing so I look great (if you do that, awesome, I just didn't have a ton of time this morning!)

This is simply a post to show you what I wore to church today. I really liked this outfit because it's cute, summery, and casual. I also love this necklace - my Dad gave it to me as a present and it's exactly my style! Love!

All Natural - Hair!

Hello everyone!

I wanted to share with you my new love for natural, textured hair. Lately, I've been leaving my wavy hair to dry to kink and curl naturally and I really love it! Not only is it so so simple to do (just put a little Argan Oil and some coconut mousse through the ends and you're good to go) but the effect is effortless and carefree - which I'm in love with this summer.


Sometimes if I want to get really fancy, I'll clip it back in a claw clip bun until it's mostly dry, then let it go wild.


I have to say that I love the freedom going natural gives me, it's just a hassle-free look that embraces what God blessed me with.


So I encourage you to work with your hair's natural texture and enjoy it! You never know, you might find a new way to style it that saves you time and money!

Mondays and excitement

Good morning, everyone!

I was naughty and slept in this weekend but even though it’s wrong, it felt so right! I just wanted to update you on some things that have been going on.

I’ve been running so much lately. I haven’t been super focused on not eating chocolate and sweets but I am noticing much more definition in my body - quads and abs mainly = very cool. I’m still planning on treating myself to some legit running shoes at the end of the month as long as I keep doing it. I’m trying to plan my running schedule around my classes so I can go to the campus gym just because I think I’ll be working this year so I’ll have limited time after I get out of school. Meh.

Another thing that’s been kind of exciting is that Matt and I have decided that after our lease is up, we will (hopefully) be buying a house. SO excited, I can’t even tell you! We don’t really know what the entire process is like for that so I’ve been casually researching (we do have 10 months left in our lease so we do have some time) and talking to friends and family about the steps. The first thing that we’re working on doing is saving money for a down payment as well as the closing costs (so expensive!) but I’m really excited about the possibilities. We’ve been looking at HUD/foreclosed homes, which are so reasonable in price. Matt and I are really into the idea of fixing up a place and making it ours. A lot to think about and who knows what the job market/housing market will look like at that time.

Another thing that’s exciting right now is that I’m hunting for a part-time job. I applied at the place that I’ve been doing my fieldwork and I feel pretty good about my chances. I’m pretty willing to go just about anywhere close to where I live to get a job, but right now it’s a waiting game.

Otherwise, that’s basically it. We’re just living our life and trying to make things work. Matt’s been looking for a full-time job for a while now so hopefully something will come up.

I’ve had a really complaining spirit lately. Being a young, married couple is super frustrating just due to the fact that I’m still in school and not working at my professional career yet. God has really been patient with me and has been walking me through this in my mind. He reminded me yesterday that even though it may feel like we’re alone, we’re absolutely not! He has placed such amazing friends and family in our lives that just encourage us every day. He has His arms around us and won’t let us fall. Things may not go to plan (even the new plan) but God will never forsake us. He is with us even in the worst moments imaginable.

I hope that this post was encouraging to you. If you have any questions about running or thinking about first time home buying, ask away, I’ll do the best I can to answer what’s been working for us.

Have a beautiful Monday!

Waiting for "the call"

So I’ve been thinking about writing a post like this for a while now. I have this verse stuck in my head:

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!” - Isaiah 52:7

Mostly I keep thinking about “blessed are the feet that bring good news…” I love that verse. For me, it’s about serving God and living your life (whatever that looks like) with purpose.

I’ve been feeling down on myself a lot lately just because I see how boring I am and how boring my life is at this point. Like everyone is having these awesome adventures or if they’re not having adventures, they have big plans, and I’m stuck in my little world, being me, loving the Lord, but feeling forgotten. I have been praying for God to reveal to me what my purpose is… if I’m going to be living an exciting life or if it’s my lot to be boring. And I feel like for now at least, He is silent.

Or He was, until the other night when I was running with Matt. I was thinking about how I wanted to write a post about my struggles with this issue to offer some support to those who maybe feel the same way and I felt struck by the idea that it’s okay if I’m not called to evangelize to orphans in New Guinea or if I never get to go to India like I want to, God doesn’t love me less because I’m “boring.” He planned this life for me and whether He has plans for me in the future, this is the life I’m meant to live right now.

This season of my life has taught me a lot. Last year at this time, I was learning about obedience - doing God’s will even if I can’t see the big picture. It turned out alright, actually it was the best thing that could have happened to Matt and I (I am talking about our impromptu wedding) and I feel like we were blessed abundantly for following His will. During this season, I feel like we’re learning an important lesson about sacrifice and patience. Patience is not my strong suit, as I’m sure you may have guessed. I think that right now, God’s silence in this matter is actually a pretty clear answer: Wait. Be present in this time and be patient.

So, I want to be an encouragement to those of you who feel like you’ve been forgotten by God, for those of you who want to hear the call but haven’t. You can be Jesus in your every day life. The verse that I quoted above doesn’t say “Blessed are the feet that do great lengths to preach the good news” nor does it say “For God so loved only those that were called into missions that He sent His one and only Son into the world…” You can show others the power of God’s love through your every day interactions. For me, this means loving on my residents in a way that is selfless and giving. I want them to feel special and cared for. For them, I am showing them a glimpse of Jesus in a tough time during their life.

I am so grateful that there are people in the world who are called into missions. My friend happens to be one of them. She has such a heart for serving that it’s so inspiring to me. But don’t be fooled into thinking that everyone is called to serve in the same way. Be open to what God has in store for you. Who knows? He might just call you when you’re least expecting it or when you’re more prepared.

I hope this helps! Have a blessed weekend!

Ins and Outs - July/August

Hello Loves!

I know I've been ridiculously bad at updating this and I want to do better, so expect a ferocious attempt at updating in the near future!

I wanted to do an Ins and Outs post because I don't think I've done one in quite some time. So without further adieu ....


Ins

Harry Potter movies - I love them! Seriously, the last movie broke my heart and made me want to re-read all the books!

Running - I love the adrenalin rush and my body is changing before my very eyes. Bonus!

Being married to my best friend - Life is never dull and even when times are tough, he's my rock and my strength. I love him.

Decorating - Even though we've been in our apartment since April, it's finally starting to look like we live here. It's feeling more like home with every thing we put on the walls.

The Glee Project - It's so fun to watch! I am such a theater nerd at heart. It brings me back to my glory days on the stage!

Cool weather - Even though it's supposed to be summer, I'm enjoying these cooler days. They make running more pleasant and it's nice to be able to wear clothing outside.

My fieldwork - I love my residents and will miss them terribly when it's all over with