Evan Almighty

Watching Evan Almighty the first time through this week actually made me step back and look at my life situations.  Some of the quotes in the movie from Evan Baxter and God (portrayed by Morgan Freeman) were pretty inspiring! 



Here are a few quotes that show exactly what I'm talking about:

Reporter: What makes you think God chose you?
Evan Baxter: He chose all of us.

•  Ooohh... Burn. Ha! Really, though, it does hit ya pretty hard.

God: How do we change the world?
Evan Baxter: One single act of random kindness at a time.
God: [spoken while writing A-R-K on ground with a stick] One Act, of, Random, Kindness.

• Seems simply enough, right? Try it.

God: Let me ask you something. If someone prays for patience, you think God gives them patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient? If he prayed for courage, does God give him courage, or does he give him opportunities to be courageous? If someone prayed for the family to be closer, do you think God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings, or does he give them opportunities to love each other?

• Wow. "Opportunity" may be my new favorite word.

Opportunity. Shine this week. :)



Feel-Better List #1

Being down on myself, I starting thinking of things that would make me feel better about myself, things that would put me in a good mood.  I'm thinking of making these lists whenever I need a pick-me-up. 

Warm Delights

Wearing a loose-fitting t-shirt to work out in

Brushing your teeth at least twice a day (sounds weird but it makes me feel good!)

Color coordinating

Being organized

Crossing things off a list (even if I write down something just to cross it off!)

Cute band-aids

Making lists (if you haven't noticed, I'm kinda obsessed with lists.)

Saving pennies

Painting a canvas

Reapplying sunscreen

Here's to more Feel-Better Lists! Shine this week. :)

My Creativity!

Over the past several months, I have tried my hand at painting canvases.  I think they have turned out rather well! (By the way, none of these were stencilled or traced; all are uniquely my own creations!)

This was my very first one!

I needed inspiration for my hectic sophomore year.

Free-handed Disney font!

This one I painted for my grandmother who is recovering from her second stroke. 

This birdhouse was hanging in her backyard.

Miryam just graduated from art school and is going to film million-dollar movies one day.

My boyfriend said that if he ever got a tattoo, it would be something like this.

He is a huge Florida Gators fan, but we are both proud of our school, Southern Miss (To The Top!).

The K and R are initials for my parents.

I'm hoping to have a little side business out of my paintings! 

Shine this week. :)

From Prom to Gym

Thanks to Seventeen Magazine, I have found some adorable hairstyles that are not only ideal for prom (EEK!) but for the gym as well!  Who doesn't want to look amazing jogging at that treadmill as the buff guys walk in? Ha! For details on how to create these styles visit Seventeen.com or follow this link.

   

This is my motivation to actually hit the gym this week!

Shine this week. :)

Summer Stripes

I've heard that stripes are going to be very popular this summer!  I have so many striped clothes, I don't know what to do with them!  But instead of the solids I wear so often, I'm going to start incorporating more stripes (colorful) stripes into my outfits.

Shine this week. :)

Summer Goals

Even though it's exam week, and I shouldn't be thinking about summer, I am.  I can't help it! It's so close, I can smell it!  Only 2 more days of exams and packing up my whole dorm, then home sweet home!  I miss Florida so bad! 

So to help me be a little less homesick this week especially, I've begun to think about what all I'm going to do (well... want to do) this summer.

1. Run. 
My neighborhood has hill after hill after hill, which would be perfect for those extra-calorie-burning runs that I want to start doing.  I want runner's legs.  I haven't really worked out since aerobics the first 8 weeks of the semester, and I'm not feeling beach ready at all!  So my goal this summer is to run at least 3 times a week.

2. Lose (another) 10 pounds.
Last summer I was so proud of myself that I lost 10 pounds all while working full time!  I went to the gym almost every day before work and watched what I ate.  Hopefully all the running I'll be doing will help me lose another 10 pounds. 

3. Decide on a thesis topic.
I am one of those unfortunate few who have to do undergraduate research and write a thesis paper.  Actually, I'm pretty excited about the work I'll be doing on this project because it's pretty cool stuff: medical physics.  I still don't have a specific topic, but I've narrowed down the field to radiation therapy.  My goal is to find a topic that will be of some use to me in grad school and hopefully be significant enough to be used in the improvement of treating cancer! Wish me luck!

4. Be a good big sister.
My little sister is going to be a junior in high school this next year, and I know when I was her age, I wish I had someone to look up to.  I'm definitely looking forward to some sister-bonding time this summer!

I never make New Year's resolutions because I can never stick to them.  My last goal is to stick to these goals!  Ha! 
Shine this week. :)

Taylor Swift Lyrics Part 2

This week is finals week. Pray for me. Seriously. Why I'm blogging instead of studying, don't ask. Reading through Taylor Swift lyrics aren't very motivational (unless you want revenge on an ex) but they do make lift my heavy and burdened spirits a little. Enjoy!

"Innocent"

Wasn’t it easier in your lunchbox days?
Always a bigger bed to crawl into
Wasn’t it beautiful when you believed in everything?
And everybody believed in you?

It’s all right, just wait and see
Your string of lights is still bright to me
Oh, who you are is not where you’ve been
You’re still an innocent
You’re still an innocent

"Mean"

Someday I'll be livin' in a big old city
and all you're ever gonna be is mean
Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me
and all you're ever gonna be is mean
Why you gotta be so mean?

"Never Grow Up"

Oh darling, don't you ever grow up
Don't you ever grow up, just stay this little
Oh darling, don't you ever grow up
Don't you ever grow up, it could stay this simple
I won't let nobody hurt you, won't let no one break your heart
And no one will desert you
Just try to never grow up, never grow up

"Ours"

So don't you worry your pretty little mind
People throw rocks at things that shine
And life makes love look hard
The stakes are high, the water's rough
But this love is ours

Shine this week. :)

Summer Sewing

I have decided that I will pick up sewing again this summer (in between my teen camp job, calculus 4 night classes, and trips to the beach).  I've gotten inspiration from Lilly Pulitzer.  Since I haven't sewn in a while, I've chosen tops and dresses that don't have sleeves (which are really hard to do) and are pretty simple and cute and can be worn in different outfits.  Unfortunately, I don't have Lilly fabric, so I'll find some bold solids or patterns that are versatile.  I've also sketched out some other tops, but my fashion design drawing skills are a little rusty, so I'll just keep those in my folder.  Let's just say I'll be hitting up Joann's fabric when I get back home!

Shine this week (and summer). :)

Pearls are a (Southern) Girl's Best Friend!

Every Southern girl owns at least 1 pair of pearls.  I have 5-ish pairs, not to mention the non-studs!  Pearls are a great way to add a little class and polished look to your outfit.  Here are a few ways to incorporate pearls into any outfit.

I think I wore that first outfit sometime this week... I love that pearls can be worn with almost anything! I wish I had the pearl embellished sweater and how adorable is the men's watch with the outfit? And I have the earrings in outfit #2.  Those earrings always get compliments!  I always wear my pearl bracelet; I feel naked without it and my F.R.O.G. bracelet!  Try this: go a week wearing pearls with every outfit, and you'll never want to not wear pearls!

Shine this week. :)

Inspiring Taylor Swift Lyrics Part I

Listening to Taylor Swift (sometimes) just makes my day 10 times better.  You know how you use some songs for specific moments in your life.  Every T.S. song can be your theme song at some point.  (Some of them I don't listen to anymore!)  Here are some lyrics that will hopefully make your day just a little bit better.

    

"Breathless"
When you feel the world is crashing
All around your feet
Come running headlong into my arms
Breathless

I'll never judge you
I can only love you
Come now running headlong into my arms
Breathless

"Change"

'Cause these things will change, can you feel it now?
These walls that they put up to hold us back will fall down
It's a revolution, the time will come for us to finally win

"Fearless"

And I don't know how it gets better than this
You take my hand and drag me headfirst, fearless
And I don't know why but with you I dance
In a storm in my best dress, fearless

"Fifteen"

'Cause when you're fifteen and somebody tells you they love you

You're gonna believe them
And when you're fifteen, don't forget to look before you fall
I've found time can heal most anything
And you just might find who you're supposed to be
I didn't know who I was supposed to be at fifteen

Your very first day
Take a deep breath girl
Take a deep breath as you walk through the doors

I didn't realize how many T.S. songs there were... So this concludes Inspiring Taylor Swift Lyrics Part I.

Shine this week. :)