that morning kind of nighttime

It's 3:23 AM and I definitely should have been in bed about 2 (or 3, or 4) hours ago, but  I don't know. Some nights it is like there is this force keeping me awake, saying "no, don't fall a sleep just yet. There's still important work to be done."

There is something really special about this dead time of night. No one is awake in my apartment building. There is no traffic to hear and there is nothing to do but sit at home and be alone.  It's really special, and I think these are the moments I'll miss the most when I have a family. The pure singularity of being 20-something and alone at 3:30 AM. 

It's humbling and purifying and enlightening.

resolve

Each year, I make a few New Year's resolutions. Last year, it was to go to the gym 3 times a week and give up sugar and soda, which happened precisely from New Year's until Spring Break.

Yes, I'm one of the people (and I am certain that some of you are, as well) who makes these lofty resolutions and never, ever sticks to them for more than a couple of months. This year, I'm hoping to change that -- though, I was also hoping to change that last year, and we all know now how that went.

This year, my resolutions aren't all that different than last year, but I'm hoping they're a tad bit more realistic and will work better with my schedule.

1. Go to the fitness room in your apartment (and don't feel ashamed that everyone can see you through the windows) at least once a week. And no, going twice on one week and then not going the next week is not acceptable.

2) Only drink soda once a week, at most.

3) Eat fewer sweets.

I'm hopeful that the slightly wibbly-wobbly nature of that last one will help me out, because giving up sugar entirely is completely not for me. However, Thanksgiving did make me gain a couple of pounds, so I'd really like to lose them again.

I hope everyone out there has a lovely and fantastic beginning to the new year!

Edit: Also, I'm going to try to stretch every day. It does the body good.

scribbling scrabbling

There are not very many things I enjoy more than writing people letters. Some of my favorite hours when I lived in New York were spent scribbling to my friend who was living in Arizona at the time, and I always look forward to the day after Thanksgiving so I can mail out my holiday cards. Thank you notes have been a staple in my life since I was tiny, when I was practically not allowed to play with my gifts until I had written a short letter expressing my gratitude to the present-giver.

I honestly can't even stand how adorable these are. They're letter-pressed and the envelopes are this forest green that doesn't deign to show up on camera. I only send them to very super special people, so if you ever get one, I must like you a whole awful lot.

Nowadays, not much has changed. I have an obsession with stationery, with more than 14 types of notecards and various stamp and paper selections. I recently ordered my second-ever set of return address labels* and I'm already obsessed -- I only got to use my last set for a few months because I left my school (and therefore my address) in NYC.

These pictures are some of my absolute favorite stationery bits. The blue floral thank you notes are from Target and are current -- I just picked them up at Christmas -- but the others, unfortunately, are from Borders, so I'm not sure how you could get your hands on them now. For notecards or stationery, I recommend Target or TinyPrints. In lots of cities, there are also local paper shops that sell pre-made cards or can work with you on a custom design. 

I encourage you all to take up letter writing! There's nothing better than opening up your mailbox to see, mixed in with the water bill and junk mail, a pretty envelope from a friend saying that they were thinking about you. Maybe start up a pen pal situation with friends who live far away, or give each other artistic challenges and send the results back and forth. Or, just send some thoughtful thank you notes for presents you may have received this week!

*sorry for not including my return address labels, but I don't want the internet knowing my address! they are the Floral Chalkboard Return Address Labels from Zazzle if you'd like to see the template.

let your heart be light

Have yourselves a merry little Christmas, my dears.

the most wonderful time of the year

From my "happy list," you probably gathered that I'm a pretty big fan of Christmas. Something about the season has always made me the happiest girl in the whole wide world. Everything seems to get magical around this time of the year. Some of my favorite memories have happened at Christmas. Baking with my grandmother, making menus and napkin holders for my dad's Christmas feast, picking out presents with my friends.

Here are some of the things about this time of the year that make me feel all cheery.

1) Christmas lights, making all of the houses look beautiful and amazing
2) an excuse to spend lots of time with family & friends, exchanging presents and cooking tasty food
3) holiday tea*, and making lots of excuses to drink it
4) all of the pretty and sentimental ornaments on people's Christmas trees
5) the bitter kind of December cold that I describe as "Christmas weather" even if it happens in the middle of February
6) fairy lights, everywhere
7) being able to wear fancy dresses and sparkly jewelry practically all of the time

*my absolute favorite tea is Trader Joe's Candy Cane Green Tea, with the polar bear on the package. yum.

birthday girl

This week, my dear puppy Chloe turned 5 years old! 

Here she is prior to eating her "cake" (an enormous peanut butter situation from our local dog bakery, River Dog Bakery). Oh boy, was she the happiest camper after that.

I can hardly believe that we've already had her for 5 years. I convinced my mom into getting her when I was a freshman in high school, sure that I was ready for the responsibility. Spoiler: I definitely was not. I have little memory of this, but apparently every time a dog would be in an advertisement or walking on the sidewalk, I would make eye contact with my mom and say "Oh LOOK. A PUPPY." Thanks for putting up with me, mom...

Here she is on the day that we got her, lo those many years ago. Such a cutie pie. I cannot believe how tiny she was. I feel so lucky to have her in my life. She is so full of happiness and love, and is always ready with cuddles when I have a bad day. Happy birthday, Chlo-bear. I love you lots.

beauty bits and bobs

Every month, I have a few beauty-related things that I absolutely cannot live without.

First of all, Rimmel London's ScandalEyes in Nude. I haven't been sleeping very well at all, thank you final exams, and a dash of this on my water line and... lid-line? makes my eyes look like they're actually open. It applies very smoothly, unlike a lot of drugstore eyeliners, which is great because I usually use Urban Decay's eyeliners which go on like melted chocolate or something.

I've just recently discovered red lipstick. I didn't know that it was an untapped source of self-esteem, but now that I do, I can barely leave the house without it. Pictured is Too Faced's Stiletto Red, which is a nice "real red" -- none of those orangey undertones. It has excellent staying power, as well.

I've also been loving Smith's Minted Rose Lip Balm. Sephora seems to think that it's made just for them, but I've also found it at Anthropologie and loads of other stores. Besides smelling heavenly, it keeps my lips from getting chapped as well as moisturizing them like crazy which is a major concern as we're getting into the cold months. I put it on every night before bed and every morning before I put on my lipstick.

My fear of chapped lips is underscored by the addition of another lip moisturizing product to this list -- the ChapStick seasonal Candy Cane lip balm. It burns like nobody's business if your lips are actually chapped, but it smells divine and I put it in my clutch if I'm going out and don't want to worry about the wellbeing of my fancy lip balm.

Last but certainly not least, an oldie but goodie, Benefit's Bad Gal Lash mascara. I have been using this for about 3 years now, so I don't guess it's really a "monthly favorite," but it really truly works wonders. Though it doesn't say that it's waterproof, I cry like an infant on a daily basis and have never experienced my mascara running down my face, and the brush is not plastic but still, somehow, really separates your lashes and makes them look long and luxurious.

introduction

My name is Lindsay and I'm a sophomore in college studying to be a teacher. I live in a nice little city in the southern US. 

I have a lot of love for a lot of things: my mom, animals, tea, books, pretty dresses, warm blankets, my friends, the view of the mountains out my window.

I snack on seedless oranges and candy cane green tea. I never go to the gym, though I will for about 3 months starting at the New Year, every year. I don't wear sunscreen on my neck. I painted my nails last night and therefore feel very sophisticated.

Welcome to my little blog!

'tis the season

I am officially done with my first semester at a new school! Hip-hip-horray! In other news, it is now time for the holidays to go into full swing.

My best friend in the whole wide world is going to Europe with his girlfriend for the entirety of our break, so the name of the game this year is "Distraction" -- trying to keep myself busy so I don't miss him as awfully as I do right now.

This is my first year having my own place, and I've restrained myself (as much as possible) when it comes to the decorations. I have a pencil tree, which is very in vogue nowadays, it seems, though I didn't know that when I bought it! I have to do artificial because of allergies, which breaks my heart each and every year..

I also put up a miniature tree in my bonus room, the same little tree that I had in my dorm room last year. I think it really bugged my roommates, but they didn't say anything so I continued celebrating in blissful faux-ignorance. [Oh randomly assigned roommates.... How I don't miss you at all!]

The lettered bunting over the window was homemade by yours truly, with some cardstock, twine, and glitter paint. I love "fairy lights," and didn't know that those are different from straight-up Christmas tree lights, so I bought some Christmas tree lights which, as you can see, are awkwardly hanging over the window. I've grown to love them... I think.

midnight snack

A couple of weeks ago, I happened upon one of the grossest (and also tastiest) midnight snacks known to man.

Some of you will probably say, "But, that sounds disgusting and I would much prefer some Nutella on toast or literally anything else!" And to that I say, you sound like an functioning adult who knows how to grocery shop and has a toaster, so that isn't particularly relevant to me!

I call it "Faster Green Bean Casserole," and it's as simple as this:

Instant mashed potatoes (I like the garlic ones from Trader Joe's) + french cut green beans (heated up) + French's French Fried Onions. Mix all of those things together, and it's actually really tasty.

I wish I could tell you that this was an invention that I came across with Thanksgiving leftovers, but no. It was just what happened to be in my pantry. 

Please don't judge.

*I would include a picture, but it looks absolutely disgusting..

happy.

I'm going to forego the introductions for right now and skip right to the important bits. I've been having a bit of a winsome week and was just now thinking that it might be nice to make a happy list.

Ten things that have made me smile, against all odds

1. my sweet little dog, Chloe, who is turning five years old in just a few days

2. being one hundred percent through with the absolute worst class of my life, botany

3. christmas. lights, music, cookies, trees, ornaments, treats (the chocolate oranges are absolutely to die for)

4. emergen-c. it's been saving my life for the past few days

5. candy cane green tea, which is currently making my entire apartment smell ab-fab-fantastic

6. watching the rainy weather, cuddled up in bed

7. lunch plans with new friends

8. already having my holiday gifts bought, wrapped, and under the tree!

9. thick fuzzy sweater tights

10. starting to take photos again (partially for you, new little blog!)

I'm feeling better already!

Have a cosy, warm, cuddled-up week.