Royal Wedding, Prom

RoyalToday was a day that literally BILLIONS of people all over the world have been anxiously awaiting: Prince William and Kate Middleton's Royal Wedding!

I passed out around 6PM Thursday night. It was completely by accident, but beneficial in the long run- I was up and ready to go by 2AM! I decided that this shirt would be appropriate to wear as I watched the festivities:

 Around 3:15AM, Mom and I went downstairs to prepare breakfast. We ate waffles and fresh fruit with whipped cream, orange juice, and, of course, tea!

To make our feast all the more regal, we used one of Mom's sets of china!

And so we watched.

From William's and Kate's arrivals:

To to the wedding ceremony:

Their carrage ride after the ceremony:

And finally, the long-awaited kiss

(which turned into two kisses!):

All in all, it was a spectacular, historical day- truly a fairytale!

*semi side note: Prince Harry looked aboslutely wonderful. The tousled hair and that uniform- my my was it delightful. And how adorable was he in the carriage with the bridemaids and pages!?

Besides being one of the biggest royal events in the last 30 years, today also happened to be the day of my school's junior prom. Although I am a junior, I did not attend. To make a long story short, I ended up without a date. Honestly, I'm not worrying too much about it, mostly because it's junior prom. Senior is the important one, and I hardly think I'm going to look back in 20 years and regret not going.

In lieu of going to the prom, Mom and I went to dinner, then came home and watched the Royal Wedding edition of Fashion Police on E! (we LOVE Joan Rivers). All in all, it was a nice night and a nice end to a certainly exhausting, but wonderful day!

By the way, here are my two newest followers!

Helen

(http://pocketfullofsun.blogspot.com/)

Taylor

Thanks girls!

She's Having a Giveaway!

Hey everyone!

I just wanted to tell you all about a fabulous giveaway that is going on right now!

Helen at My Whole Life is Sparkly is hosting a giveaway to celebrate the return of The Sparkly Project. The goal of the project is to promote positive self-image, confidence, and self-esteem. You can read more about The Sparkly Project here.

The Sparkly Project was put on hold for a little bit, but she is now bringing it BACK!

To kick off the project, she is sponsoring a giveaway with these awesome and most definitely sparkly prizes:

Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara

Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nail Polish Strips

(shade 250- Bling It On )

Copco Reusable Tumbler

(Lime Green, 24 oz)

A box of Luna Bars

(caramel nut brownie- yum!)

Tiffany Blue Thank You Notes

A pack of sparkly gel pens

A bar of Dove Go Fresh Burst Soap

But don't take my word for it- go check out her giveaway post here to find out how you can enter!

Spring Break is Over

Tomorrow, I'll go from waking up to this:

Back to waking up to this:

From writing here:

To writing here:

But, each day means I'm one day closer to this:

Have a fabulous week!

Weekend Recap/ First Followers!

Here's a little look into what I did this weekend:

Saturday morning began with a trip to the nail salon for manicures with one of my best friends- we'll call her F. Our busy schedules prevent us from being able to hang out as much as we would like (and confession: I hadn't had my nails done since December), so some girl time was definitely in order. I know it's spring, but I couldn't resist having my nails done in OPI's "No Spain, No Gain".

I liked the color so much, I bought a bottle to take home!

I had the manicurist not trim my nails- my fingers are so short I need all the length I can get!

On the way home from the nail salon, I got to witness what I consider kind of a big moment in F's life. We made a stop at the post office so that she could drop off her college deposit! She's a super talented artist and will be attending the school of her dreams this fall! I'd be lying if I said I wasn't extremely proud of her, and I know she'll do great!

My brother, M, had to work on Easter, so my family had our Easter dinner on Saturday instead. It was a small dinner, just my family, my uncle, and my brother P's girlfriend. For pretty much every holiday celebrated at my house we have "Thanksgiving Dinner" (Turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, etc.), but switch up the deserts- pie on thanksgiving, cookies on Christmas, etc. Since it was Easter we added ham to the dinner menu and had homemade cheese cake and fresh fruit for desert. It was a great dinner full of laughter and lively conversation- never a dull moment in my house! I ended the night with a little a little bit of relaxing TV- Sex and the City, Glamour's 25 Wedding Dos and Don'ts, and an adorable special about NASCAR driver Kyle Busch and his fiancee planning their wedding.

Sunday morning (aka today) was a late one. I slept in until 1 PM, and, I must say, it was quite nice. The day continued with a visit from my aunt and uncle, and just some relaxing and reading on my part. M had to work and P was out with friends, so Mom, Dad, and I ordered in Chinese for dinner. Later that night, mom and I wound down the weekend with the new Hallmark Hall of Fame Movie "Beyond the Blackboard"

The movie is based on the story of Stacey Bess, a new teacher who is assigned to run a school for homeless children, located within their shelter and literally referred to as "The School with No Name". Stacey, a wife and mother compelled to become a teacher due to her lifelong love of learning, takes on the challenge of educating these impovershed children, instilling a lifelong love of learning and a whole new sense of trust to children who would have otherwise gone without.

One reason my mom and I wanted to watch the movie is that both Emily VanCamp AND Treat Williams starred in it. Both actors used to be on The WB's Everwood, a show my mom and I were OBSESSED with, and it was sweet to see them working together again!

Also, an exciting piece of news- today I got not only my first one, but my first three followers! So, I'm giving a BIG thank you to:

Lauren

(my very first follower!)

http://www.prettylightsinthesky.blogspot.com/

Ciara

Ashley

Thanks so much girls!

P.S. Ciara's World puts a little note at the bottom of her posts whenever she gets new followers, which I think is a super cute idea, so I'm going to try and do that too!

Soul Surfer

Last night a friend and I went to the movies to see Soul Surfer. If you don't know, the movie tells the story of Bethany Hamilton, a young surfer who became a worldwide inspiration when she returned to her sport following the loss of her left arm in a shark attack.

I only had one thing to say when the movie was over: wow.

I laughed, I smiled, and I cried.

The movie's incredible story of overcoming obstacles and maintaining faith in spite of hardships left me feeling inspired, motivated, and empowered.

The only thing I didn't find believable was the ease with which they portrayed Bethany wanting to get back into the water. I feel like someone who was attacked by a shark would have some qualms about going into the ocean again, fully aware that something similiar could happen again. Maybe that was how it really happened for Bethany, but that little bit of the movie just seemed off for me.

I think casting did a really great job with all of the actors and actresses they chose for the movie. I especially liked Helen Hunt and Dennis Quaid as Bethany's parents. They had great chemistry not only with each other, but also with their children in the movie as well (AnnaSophia Robb as Bethany, Ross Thomas as Noah, Chris Brochu as Timmy), and their scenes together were adorable!

Bethany Hamilton also wrote an autobiography by the same name about her life before and after the attack. After seeing the movie, this book is definitely going on my list of must-reads!

  

Fabulous Find Friday!

Just thought I'd share a few deals I've come across in the past few weeks:

A couple weeks ago, I went to a Tanger Outlets location. It was my first time ever going to an outlet mall, so I really didn't know what to expect in terms of discounts. I must say, I was very pleasantly surprised! Here's what I came home with:

I love J. Crew's flip flops, so when I saw these, I knew I had to scoop them up! The critter flip flops were priced at about $15 and the braided ones about $20, and THEN each was about an additional 25% off, so the two together ended up costing about $25!

There was really no good way to photograph this. No matter where I put my hand, the flash reflected!

I found this cute, simple ring in the Coach outlet. I'd forget to wear jewelry if I had to put it on every morning, so I try to have jewelry that I never have to take off (i.e. sterling silver) and that goes with most outfits. The ring was priced at $49, but that day they gave out coupons for 25% off your entire purchase, so I ended up paying just under $40!

A couple days ago I paid a visit to my local Junior League thrift shop. I've found some great pieces there in the past and they have a good selection of high end items, so I make it a point to stop in every once in a while to check out what's there. They almost always have a few Lilly Pulitzer items in the window, but on this particular day I was excited to see an entire rack of Lilly! (They also had a smaller rack of little girls' clothing- for Lilly Lovers in training!) As I perused the rack, I found this:

I was so excited when I tried this blouse on and it fit perfectly! I loved that I could tie the sash right under my bust as I've found that most shirts like this are meant to be tied at the waist, whether it be because of pre-placed belt loops, where darts are placed, etc. However, this top has neither of those, so I can tie the bow just under my bust, which I find to be the most flattering on me. Plus, the cap sleeves and bright floral print are just adorable! The top was priced at at mere $15- basically, a COMPLETE steal!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Thursday Thoughts

You may call it procrastinating; I call it burning the midnight oil. It's the middle of the night and I don't feel much like going to bed, so here's a couple things that are on my mind:

1. My job hunt kicked off this week, and today, I filled out my first ever job application. Although I don't have much paid work experience except babysitting, I listed the various volunteer posititions I've held every summer for the last 3 (going on 4) years. Also, the application asked for typing/computer experience and, as a girl who has been using the computer since she was three and could touch type by the time she started high school, I must say that that will definitely not be an issue for me! According to my mother, I should wait a month for them to call me before I call them. Too bad I'm anxious already, and it hasn't even been one day!

2. Like thousands (millions?) of women all over the world, I am starting to get very excited for a certain Prince (and a future Princess'!) big day. My mother and I have already made a plan for watching and celebrating this monumental wedding. Wake up time will be 3:30, giving us enough time to make a breakfast of waffles, fresh fruit, and, of course, tea! We will tune in to ABC's coverage of the wedding starting at 4:00 AM. Thankfully, I'm allowed to stay home from school that day, as getting up at 3:30 will probably leave me more than a little bit tired once all the excitement is over.

How-To: Preppy Monogrammed Binder Cover

Whenever I buy binders, I like to get the kind with the little plastic pouch on the front- they tend to last longer for me. Also, I'm always looking for ways to make my school supplies prettier, so what better way than to make a personalized cover for each binder!?

These are examples of two covers that I've made.

I'm going to show you how I made the pink and green one.

You'll need 3 sheets of cardstock, 2 coordinating sheets of

scrapbooking paper, a pencil, scissors, glue, and a permanent marker.

First, glue the long sides of 2 sheets of cardstock together.

(You only need about 1/2 inch of overlap.)

Then, lay the cardstock on top of the binder and mark off where it will be cut.

Make the marks a little further in than the absolute edges,

because the pouch is slightly smaller than the actual binder.

Glue the paper that you want to be the background onto the cardstock.

(To be sure it's the right size, glue the whole sheet of paper and then cut off the extra.)

Use any software that allows you to edit text (Word, Photoshop, etc.) to type out your intials.

Make sure the letter that will be in the center (your last initial) is larger than the other two.

The font I used it called "Cutie Pop" and can be downloaded here.

If you're using photoshop or any other image editing software,

make sure your canvas size is proportional to a standard sheet of paper (8.5x11 inches),

so your letters print true to size.

Cut out the letters, and go over them with a permamnent marker,

to cover any edges or marks from cutting them.

Turn each of the letters over on the back of the second sheet of scrapbooking paper,

and free hand an expanded outline of each letter.

They can be round or squared off, depending on the font you are using.

The outlines should look something like this when they are cut out.

Glue the printed letters onto their outlines.

Finally, glue the letters onto the background, then slip in your binder and enjoy!

My Summer Essentials

I'm still in school for another couple months, and my spring break has just begun, so summer is still a long way off for me. But, I know a lot of people finish in May, so I thought it'd be fun to talk about just a few of my must-haves for summer. Also, with the back and forth, warm and cold weather, I think we all need a little something to remind us that summer WILL eventually come!

Flip Flops

From the first day of spring until the last possible day in autumn, I wear flip flops practically everyday. I love Old Navy's because they're super comfy and come in literally dozens of colors and styles. Plus, they're so inexpensive (think 2/$5.00, or $1 per pair during their annual sale) you can get them to match any outfit. I also keep a few pairs of J. Crew flip flops on hand and of course some dressier sandals as well, but I love these for just running around during the day.

Long Wearing Foundation

The toughest thing about wearing makeup in the summer is heat. Get too hot or sweaty, and foundation will melt right off of your face. I recently bought Rimmel's Lasting Finish foundation to carry me into the warmer monthes, and I really like it so far. I haven't tested its claims to last for 25 hours, but it stays pretty well from morning until night. Also, I've gotten a dab on my arm a few times and its been hard to get off- I don't know if that's a good thing, but at least it lives up to its advertising, right?! Oh, and at about $7, the price can't be beat! (Can you tell I love a deal? :) )

Low Maitnence Hair

For the past few years, I've specifically made sure that I didn't have bangs during the summer. Between heat, swimming, and just more running around in general, a low maitnence cut definitely comes in handy. Something like the one above would be cute to style to go out with, but could just as easily be worn up or natural when it's too hot and humid to use heat on your hair.

Nail Polish

Put your plums and navys away, because summer is all about light, bright nail polish. Neons and sparkles are fun and carfree, and pastels like OPI's "Italian Love Affair" look fabulous against a tan!

Good Books

Nothing says summer more than laying on the beach or beside the pool with a great book. During the summer, I love reading chick lit, juicy memoirs, books about fashion and style, etc. One of my favorites that I read last summer was Tori Spelling's sTORI Telling. My initial desire to read it may have come from my fondness for a little show called Beverly Hills, 90210 (seriously, that obsession hobby could get its own entire post... and probably will.), but I ended up loving the book! Since then, I've read her two follow-ups, MommyWood and Uncharted TerriTORI, each one filled with just as many mishaps, hilarities, and hearfelt moments as the first.

Great Music

Every summer has its iconic song, and last year it was definitely "California Gurls", by Katy Perry. Summer is such a great time to just relax and have fun with friends, and great music just adds to the mood- definitely a must-have for summer!

First Post!

Hello! My name is Hannah, but you probably figured that out already. I've been into reading blogs for quite a while now, and I have a group that I keep up with regularly, but I'm always looking for new ones to read! I've been wanting to start a blog for a while and I've just now gotten to sitting down and setting the whole thing up. My goal isn't to discuss a specific topic, per se, more just my life, my interests, opinions, suggestions, etc. I'm learning new things about myself and the world each and every day, and I invite you to follow me on my journey!