Outfits & Essentials: Red Hot Mama

As a dancer, I've been wearing red lipstick since before I can remember. As I've gotten older, I've brought the red lip into my every day life and wow it's truly a such a powerful statement. It's not news to anyone that the red lip is popular as it's a classic and while there are a hundred of lipsticks out there, I'm sharing a few of my favorites with you that won't strain your wallet.

Easter Away from Home

I hope everyone had a great Easter yesterday, and a great weekend if you aren't of the celebrating persuasion. It turned out to be a really nice day, here in Oklahoma City, and the rain held off until this morning which I appreciated.

While we did have a half day of classes for Good Friday (I attend a Methodist university so we get some Christian holidays off) I wasn't able to go home for the weekend. Being from New York, it's hard to get home; I'm usually only home for the summer and Christmas. Luckily for me, a lot of my friends are in the same boat as so many of us performance majors are from all over. I was able to spend the afternoon with some of my dearest friends and my sorority sisters and have a lovely brunch. We did an Easter basket exchange, which was so cute, and had mimosas and cooked and it just really turned out to be a lovely day.

My freshman year it really freaked me out to be away from my family during holidays. I haven't been home for Thanksgiving or Easter in four years and it used to be a real bummer. Looking back, it's been kind of nice. I've gotten to experience the Thanksgiving traditions of three different families and create new traditions for Easter with friends. A lot of my favorite memories have been made spending time with my friends when I couldn't be home with my family and while freshman Val would have never believed me, I wouldn't trade these times for anything in the world.

Anyway, I hope you're starting off your weeks with full hearts the way I am. Happy Monday!

Spring Break 2014: Turner Falls

This semester for spring break my family and I decided it'd be best for me to stay here in Oklahoma. Being from New York, it's expensive to catch a flight home for such a short amount of time. Originally, not much was planned for my week in OKC but I was so happy and so surprised that one of my great friends and sorority sisters was coming into town. My twin (Alpha Phi twin, not blood twin) was staying in town as well, along with some of my other close friends, and the week turned out to be much more than I could have hoped for.

On Thursday we headed towards Turner Falls, which is about an hour and half drive from campus, and made a mini vacation day. 

Now, being from suburban New York, I've always considered myself to be more of a city girl but being out at the falls really had me feeling adventurous. We went on a hike up the side of the falls and once all the way at the top, we climbed down into the water. Despite being the slowest and most afraid one out of the bunch, I think I held my own. I'm afraid of heights and I stood at the top of a cliff and looked down and out into the water; I am so proud of myself.

After heading downstream to peer out over the falls, making our way back upstream to wear we'd left our shoes, climbing back up the cliff side towards the pathway, and making our way into a small cave, we headed back down towards the pool level and laid out on the makeshift beach for a while. The day was so wonderful and so unexpected. If you had asked me if I'd be hiking around Oklahoma cliffs and streams during my spare time, I would have thought you were insane.

What I'm saying is I am so thankful for my friends and the experiences I've been able to have with them whilst here in Oklahoma. Most of my closest friends are graduating in May and I'm not sure what it's going to be like during my last semester without them. There are six-ish weeks until most of my class graduates and it's the strangest thing just knowing I'll be back for a few more months whilst they won't be. 

Be adventurous guys. Hang out with your friends. Make the most of all of the time you have together, whether it be climbing cliffs or grabbing drinks and having IHOP at three thirty in the morning (it happens, stop judging me). Just enjoy each other.

Outfits & Essentials: Staying In at Home for the Holidays

I've been home now for a few days and my look has remained pretty consistent. As it's getting colder and colder and I have nowhere to go, I've been rocking these winter essentials.

Finally Home

Wow. Another semester finished and I'm finally home again! As much as I love being away at school in Oklahoma it is really so nice to come back home to spend Christmas in New York with my family. Being so far away, I don't fly home very often. Actually, for the fall semesters I don't come home at all. I've been in Oklahoma since August! I love school and my friends and my sorority sisters, but honestly nothing compares to sleeping in my own bed in my mom's house with my brother and sister down the hall.

Now I'm someone who celebrates Christmas, but the whole holiday season is easily one of my favorite times of year. With school on hold it's a nice time to de-stress and find some peace and relaxation. I had a really strenuous semester and one of my professors told me to go home and find my zen. And boy of boy has it been helping. Laying on the couch and sleeping late might be considered a little bit lazy, but I'm totally okay with that for a few more days. Let me know below how you spend your holidays and how you find you zen!

Oh! Also, before I forget; As some of you may know I've been wanting to start a vlog for ages. Well, I think I'm finally going to start once I get back to campus after the holidays. I'll be drafting up some video ideas but if you have any videos you'd really love to see please let me know in a comment down below!

More posts to come this month and lots more in the new year!
And Home for the Holidays is going to be my while I'm at home series. Keeps everything neat.
Love you guys! And have a great holiday season!