Saturday (& my Friday Favorites)

I have never appreciated weekends more than I have so far this semester. During the week, I am gone from at least 8am-5pm every day, and my evenings are filled with meetings, studying, & homework. When Friday night rolls around, I finally get a sweet taste of relaxation! Yesterday was pretty hectic for me, so I didn't even get a chance to sit down and write my Friday Favorites post. All week I've been collecting some things that I've come across to love, so why not share them on a leisurely Saturday! This morning I was able to get some brunch with a dear friend of mine, Vita, who is one woman who I truly look up to with so much love and respect. She was a leader of the community group that I went to during my Sophomore year at FSU. We went to The Egg Cafe & Eatery, a little restaurant I have never been to before. But let me tell you, best Hot Chocolate I've ever had. I also ordered the Ponce de Leon omelette, a cream cheese and tomato omelette with crab meat & scallions. So delish! I can't wait to go back and try something new.
Favorite Monogram

I am in love with these monogram decals for magic bands! I just ordered
a set for myself and for Emily for Spring Break! Get them here

Favorite Shoe

After going back and forth for the past year and a half, I finally
ordered a pair of Jack Rogers! I got them on sale for about 40% off,
so they were a great steal! Can't wait to get them in the mail!

Favorite Song

I am currently obsessed with this cover!

Favorite Workout

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend!

~R

Coffeeeee for Dayyssss.......and a little #TBT

My life has turned into an endless cup of coffee. It would be so much easier if I could just get basically an IV drip into my arm to just cart around campus with me....

And these are just from yesterday. Also don't mind the error from the Dunkin snap.....it's not from   "Dublin." Silly iPhones and their autocorrect! The new Starbucks on campus constantly has dark roast brewing, which is my favorite, so it's basically a sign for me to get a cup of coffee fairly often from there, right?

It really has though already gotten to the point in the semester where I'm just starting to rely on coffee more often than not. Why sleep when you have coffee?

Other than my coffee escapades over the past 36 hours or so, I am looking forward to Spring Break! The reservation is confirmed for Emily and me to spend 5 nights, 6 days at the Walt Disney World Resort!! This is my first time going and staying at a resort for more than 2 nights, and actually having a legitimate Disney vacation. Only 1 month, 7 days, 12 hours, and 41 minutes!

In the honor of today being Thursday, aka #TBT for all of you Social Media Nerds out there, here are some memories around this day in the past! I recently have really been thinking about how many incredible experiences I have been able to have in my life, and I'm only 20 years old. Let's take a walk down memory lane...(as cheesy as that is. whoa, did I really just talk about memory lane? Who am I, an 80 year old woman?)

Conquering the Kitchen Sink at Beaches n' Cream: 2013

"Snow" day on 1/29/14!

And, in honor of the new LSH class being announced today,
here's a picture from my banquet last year as a new member! 

Happy Thursday! 

~R

Dreaming of Disney

Get ready, Disney. Emily & I are taking over once again!

Earth Day @ DAK 2013

Plans are made, flight is (almost) booked, and I CANNOT wait to be back at Disney spending the week with one of my best friends and roommates from when I did the Disney College Program two years ago! Emily is a huge blessing in my life and is one of the greatest friends anyone could ever have. I basically consider her as my twin, because we are just so much alike! 

Now I just have to get through the next month, 8 days, and 13 hours until this magical week begins. I just have to get through 5 1/2 weeks of school, meetings, and busy days until I'll be able to relax! Here's to also being very frugal over the next month as well........guess I'll have to put some Chick-fil-a trips on hold to save up! haha 

~R

It's a Monday

Today was just a typical Monday. Waking up early, going through the motions of the day, just doing ok on a Trig quiz, having problems submitting a lab report online, etc. It was so easy for me this morning to just find the negative in everything that was happening, and I just felt so sluggish and negative. But once I was able to grab a cup of coffee on a break between classes (the Starbucks had their dark roast brewing---my favorite!!), I had time to sit in the library, look at a little Pinterest, and just be reminded to appreciate every moment of every day.

Yesterday, I ventured out to Trader Joe's with a friend and picked up some fresh flowers for my apt. Coming home to those this evening was just one beautiful moment of my day.

I got out of my Chem lab nearly an hour early, and had a chance to talk to my dad on my walk across campus back home. Recently I've been more inclined to walk everywhere instead of catching a bus, because I love getting to enjoy the beautiful campus of FSU. In just a little more than a year, I'll be graduating and I won't have the opportunity to just walk around and soak in the beauty of this campus, and I'm not looking forward to that day at all. Because I got home earlier than planned, I did some yoga with my roommate, cooked a healthy dinner, called one of my best friends who lives in Michigan, planned our Spring Break plans (DISNEY WORLD HOLLA), did my taxes, and got a head start on homework/studying! What started out as a bum Monday has actually turned out to be pretty fantastic. Here it is, not even 9 o'clock, and I feel like I've been able to get so much done today. Tonight I have plans with my roomie to do our nails, pop some popcorn, and watch Lilo and Stitch (whey they say Netflix becomes the college student's best friend...they weren't kidding).

Which brings me to one of the main reasons why I started this blog post tonight---about three weeks ago, my roommate, Alexis and I, had a crazy idea to start routinely doing yoga and HIIT circuits 4 or 5 nights a week. Our very first yoga workout consisted of us falling all over the place, not being able to complete a chaturanga, and huffing and puffing over every move. We embarked on this lifestyle change to just tone up a bit, lose a little bit of tummy flab, and feel better and more energized. Today was the first day I really started noticing the changes. My arms are starting to get more definition, I did my first "real" pushup yesterday (all the way down and up....with no knees!!!....which is something I have never done before in my life), Alexis and I can do almost a complete chaturanga with very controlled arms, and we have more energy at the end of the routine. I've also started drinking around 2.5-3 Liters of water a day, and I've seen an improvement in my skin. I don't have as much dark circles under my eye, and I really do feel like I have more energy throughout the day! Plus, this has been such a fun thing to do together, and I truly look forward to my workouts every day knowing that I get to complete them with a friend!

I'm sure that there will be many of times this semester where I feel discouraged, stressed, tired, and just want to give in and give up. But I hope to carry on the mentality of the way I'm feeling tonight--accomplished, determined, and strong--all the way out over the next few months. Hope everyone is having a great week!

"We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure.[a] This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair.We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed." 

--2 Corinthians 4:7-9

Also I still don't know how I feel about this......

Thankful

(I started writing this earlier this morning while still at Grassroots Coffee and then finished it back home) 

Today is bringing me so much joy.

This morning, my roommate and close friend, Alexis, and I decided to drive up to Thomasville, Georgia to have a study/exploring/road trip/relaxing day. It is so nice to have an opportunity to just drive not even 40 minutes outside of Tallahassee to recharge, get some work done, and spend time in each other's company.

Right now, I am sitting in what is one of my favorite coffee shops in the country--Grassroots Coffee. Sitting at a small table watching people come in and out getting a good cup of coffee, all while working on a lab report for my neuroscience class has given me a good chance to just reflect in all that the Lord has given me.

Last semester was quite a struggle for me. I had to overcome obstacles that I never would have expected. I doubted my faith, but the Lord was right there along side of me carrying me along on his shoulders, showing me the support and love of Him through some of my closest friends. This semester, I came back to Tallahassee all fired up and ready to go. And it's days like today that just remind me of His love.

How amazing is our God who creates the beautiful sunrises. Who places a light dusting of frost across the grass. Who breaths wind through the trees. I recently started going through the book of Galatians during my quiet time, and in the first chapter, Galatians 1:10 says:

It is a struggle of mine to be a people-pleaser. I often tend to care a little too much of what other people think of me. And reading this verse was a huge conviction. I am a servant of Christ--I am here to serve him and rejoice in his grace. The same Lord who places such beautiful moments in my life is the same Lord who is right beside me even when I struggle. I hope this serves as a piece of encouragement to you--in our busy lives, getting caught up in what people want/need/expect, it is most important to keep our lives centered around Christ--where the simple truth is the Gospel. 

Today was one of those beautiful moments. 

Road-Tripping to Georgia!

Bliss. Also the Coffee of the Week was called
"Bean Me Up Scotty" & was delish.

Waiting to eat at Jonah's!

The best Shrimp and Grits out there!

Friday Favorites

Favorite Shoe

Favorite Outfit Inspo

Favorite Workout

Favorite Funny

Favorite Verse

Favorite Work Out Shirt

Until tomorrow,

R

Just a Newbie

I've attempted a few times in the past to begin a blog & keep it going.

Every time, the writing has slipped through my fingers & I get caught up in my life.

But this time, I feel different.

Different like starting the page of a new book.

Different like embarking on a brand new adventure, pages turning over as each day passes.

This blog is my story. 

This chapter begins today, but I do not want to skim over the chapters in my past.

I hope to share my laughs, hopes, dreams, embarrassing moments, recipes, workouts, adventures, & experiences here with you.

It is very typical of most people to write a long list of resolutions as the New Year begins. Myself, included. And by mid-January, when the happy daze of vacation has passed, and life starts picking up again, those lists become clouded with things to get done in the present. Papers to be written. Topics to be studied. Next thing you know, visits to the gym become less frequent. Television shows are watched instead of reading a book or taking a walk. It seems so easy to get lost in the world trying to discover who you are, and this little journal of my life is my journey. I want to, as cliche as this may be, take time to stop and smell the roses. 

Today, in Tallahassee, it is a rainy, gloomy, day. My hair has since evolved from straight and smooth to wavy and frizzy. My umbrella almost was blown out of my hands by the force of the wind. Yet today is a another day. I am thankful to have thick hair that can be styled. I am glad to have brought an umbrella with me today in the first place, instead of forgetting it hanging in my closet like usual. I am thankful for this day to be able to walk through my beautiful campus of FSU, and see the way the bricks and colors pop in the rain. 

I hope that you will come back often and visit this blog, and come on this adventure with me. One of my favorite things is discovering a new blog to keep up with, so go ahead and bookmark it! 

Until next time, 

Rebecca

Want to look at my past endeavor? 
http://rebecca-at-the-beach.blogspot.com is a blog that I wrote during my freshman year of high school while my family & I traveled around the country. Looking back at all of the pictures & adventures is so fun! Also, the latest 2 posts on the blog I'm pretty sure are spam from the site being inactive for so many years....woops

https://chroniclesofawishfulthinker.wordpress.com is a blog I started writing last spring semester, about a year ago. I suppose this is the beta version of this blog. I found that I missed blogger, which is one reason why I am just starting all over.

Ok, bye for realz this time :)