A Snapshot of England

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My Week in Photos: Third Edition

1. Falling telephone booths // 2. View out my window // 3. Day trip to Brighton // 4. Fish and chips by the seaside // 5. Proudly wearing my new jumper // 6. Crispy M&M's! I thought I may never eat them again. // 7. View of Brighton from the pier // 8. Sign that everyone totally ignores down by the river. // 9. What can I say, it had a giraffe on it. 

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The Ten Day You Challenge || Six Places

Hello everyone! Yes, I'm still alive. I feel bad for kind of neglecting my blog a bit recently, but so much has been happening since I've gotten here. It's hard finding time to sit down and organize all my thoughts, so I'm back with the ten day you challenge. Today we're talking six places. I was originally going to write about six places I want to visit, but I've decided to do a mixture of that, and some of my favorite places that I've been to. 

1. England

I've wanted to go to England for years. And when I say years, I really mean it. I don't know why, but I have always been so fascinated by the culture, history, and of course, the accent. (I still can't believe I'm here!) In the short time that I've been here, I've already crossed a few things off of my bucket list, and I hope to accomplish more things before I leave in December. 

2. Scotland

Photo from Google

I never had much interest in visiting Scotland until pretty recently. I saw some pictures of the beautiful landscapes and architecture, and now it is at the top of my list of places to travel to while I'm in Europe. 

3. Washington D.C.

Photo from Google

Since I am kind of a history buff, I would be crazy not to want to visit my nation's capital. There is so much to see there, and I can't wait to visit some day. 

4. Italy

Photo taken by my dad

Italy is the first place in Europe I ever traveled to, and the experience has really stuck with me. I was seven when I first went, and nine the second time, and I still remember it so vividly. It was there that my interest in traveling was piqued. It was a truly eye-opening experience, and I hope to go back eventually because there is still so much to see! 

5. France

Photo taken by my dad

I traveled to Paris years ago with my family, and it was another truly great experience. We had some really good times, saw the amazing sights, and of course, at delicious food! 

6. Ireland

I talk more about this particular trip in a separate post that you can read HERE

I had to use some of my dad's pictures because I didn't was still using a film camera on those trips :) 

Keep Smiling,

A Bloggy Day In London Town

Greetings from England! Yes, thats right, I made it! It is so beautiful here! I am having such a wonderful time so far. I have seen so many great things, and met some really great people. I've been so busy (which is why I haven't posted in a while), and I can't believe I've only been here for a week! It seems like so much longer. This past week has been a rush of sightseeing, trying new things, and meeting people. My feet are completely torn up and blistered, but it's been totally worth it. 

The flight over here wasn't a smooth one, but I was able to find my way around the airports without a problem. I was seated next to a really nice guy from London on the airplane, and he gave me a bunch or really helpful tips. It was a little sad when we had to part ways at customs, because I knew I would probably never see him again. 

The first couple of days I was with a group from America, and we went around London seeing the sights. We saw all the touristy things of course, and we even saw a play at the globe theater. It was incredible. The actors were really, really, good, and it was hilarious! Those few days are some I hope I never forget. I've made so many good memories so far, and I still have another couple of months until I come home! 

The area I'm staying in now is really nice. I can't wait to visit all the shops, and buy some new things. I'm already finding my way around, so within the next few weeks I should be a pro. 

Oh and don't worry, I'm still planning on finishing the "Ten Day You Challenge" when I have enough time to get everything together and organized. 

Keep Smiling,

Goodbye America, Hello England!

I can't believe that tomorrow's the big day! I'm leaving for England, and won't be back until December.  It's so crazy! I feel like my entire life has been leading up to this moment. It's sounds bizarre I know, but this is the most adventurous thing I think I have ever done, and I am going bonkers with excitement, and  let's be honest, a little bit of nerves. This past week has been a whirlwind of scrambling to get everything done and taken care of that I need to. I still feel like there is some stuff that needs to be done. I hate those pesky things that you can't pack until the morning of, like your hairbrush and makeup. 

Speaking of packing, I cannot believe how much stuff I shoved into my two bags. I was literally just stuffing things in after a while and praying it wouldn't weigh over fifty pounds! I thought it was pretty impressive that I managed to pack four months into one checked bag, a carry on, and my purse.

On another note, I probably won't be able to blog for at least a couple of days because I'm not sure what the internet situation is going to be like when I first arrive, but I will definitely be updating one I get settled in. The next time I post I will be in England. AHH so crazy! I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Keep Smiling,

The Ten Day You Challenge || Seven Wants

Today's subject for "The ten day you challenge" is seven wants. 

1. To learn how to sail

I love anything nautical or sailorish, and I have always wanted to learn how to sail. It just seems so adventurous! I'm not very talented at sports, so I think sailing is something I could learn how to do, and maybe excel at.

2. Limited edition Coach 2012 summer perfume

I devoted a whole post to this, and how much I love it that you can read HERE. I've tried to forget about it and move on, but I haven't had any luck with that yet ;)

3. To have a good singing voice

How awesome would that be to just belt out a tune? I don't have a horrible voice, but I will say that I wasn't blessed with much talent in the singing department. I really enjoy singing, (when no one is listening of course), and it would be awesome to do it well. 

4. To see McFly live

I know, I know, I droned on and on about McFly in my nine loves post, so I won't say much on this one. McFly is probably my all time favorite band, and if I could go to any concert, it would be theirs. They put on an amazing show. Of course it's just my luck that the exact day they are finally coming to America, I am finally going to England. Ohhh the irony. 

5. Voluminous hair

I suppose this is a rather vain want, but oh well. I have pretty thick hair, but it is really fine. It's long and heavy, thus making the top extremely flat. I have tried mousse and everything else, but nothing seems to work. Typical, because my hair doesn't do a darn thing except be it's half straight, half crinkled self. 

6. A OnePiece

I also did a post a while back on these that you can read HERE. These just look so cozy and comfy to lounge around in. You can never have enough loungewear am I right? 

7. To ride in a hot air balloon. 

This is something I have wanted to do for a long time. I love flying, so why not do it in a hot air balloon? It seems like so much fun, and the view would be amazing! 

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Where Can I Find This??

I received this body butter as a Christmas gift years ago, and it is amazing! It smells so good. The scent is strong, but not overpowering, and it lasts all day. There is just one problem. As you can see in the photo it is almost gone, and I can't find it anywhere! I'm pretty sure it was originally from Sephora since it says Sephora Indulgences on the lid, but every time I have checked there, they don't seem to sell it anymore. I used this product a lot when I first got it, and the scent is totally linked to all of the memories from that time. Every time I smell it, they all come whooshing back. I have been rationing how much I can use in order to make it last longer. So I guess what I'm trying to get at here is, if anyone knows where I can purchase a new one, I would be eternally grateful if you would let me know! 

Keep Smiling,

The Ten Day You Challenge || Eight Fears

It's that time again for the "Ten Day You Challenge". Today is eight fears. This is the one I have been looking forward to the least, because it does get a bit heavy, and I really don't like being a downer. I would have much rather sat here talking about eight foods, movies, or books etc., but alas, I did not invent this challenge, so I will follow the rules. Here we go. 

1. Spiders

I really wish I wasn't, but yes, I am afraid of spiders. Just saying it makes me feel like such a cliche. I'm starting to realize now that it's because of how fast they are. I can get close to them when they're just sitting there, but when they start moving, I freak out and my heart literally squeezes up in my chest. 

2. Rejection

I think this is something everyone is a little bit afraid of because really, who wants to be rejected? However, for me I think it is something I let get in the way too often. The thought of being rejected is sometimes so scary to me that it keeps me from doing things that I probably would have enjoyed. It is also something I am trying to work on.

3. Failure

This pretty much goes along the same lines as the last one. I need to learn to let go and not worry about it so much. 

4. Drunk People

Now I know that sometimes they can be funny, but I really don't like being around people who aren't in control. If you know them, obviously it's not so bad, but if they are complete strangers that freaks me out a little bit. 

5. Serial Killers

Who wouldn't be afraid of them? They're sick, twisted, and completely scary. For some reason I am oddly interested in learning about them, but I think it may be because they are so frightening. When I was younger, someone told me a story about a serial killer, and they said he didn't live too far from me. I don't know if the story was actually true or not, but it was quite scary.

6. Cancer

I have known quite a few people who have struggled with cancer. I feel like I have grown up around it. I have lost two grandparents to it, and one of my very close relatives is battling it now. It's such a scary disease because it can affect anyone no matter what their age, it can infect any part of the body, and there is no cure. You could go in to the doctor complaining of a little stomach pain, and it could turn out to be cancer. I'm not necessarily afraid that I am going to get it myself, but I sometimes worry that another person I love will become affected. 

7. Losing someone I love

This goes hand in hand with the last one. My sister lost one of her close friends last year, and it really shook me up. It was a completely unexpected freak accident, and it wasn't a good time for us. When I thought about his family and what they must be going through, I completely lost it. It made me think about what I would do if something ever happened to one of my family members, or one of my friends. The truth is, I don't really want to think about that because it is really painful. It really taught us to not take anything for granted, and now whenever somebody leaves to go somewhere, we make sure we say goodbye. Even thinking about it now is really hard, so that's all I'm going to say about this one. 

8. House Fire

I'm always afraid that I forgot to turn the straightener off, and that the house is going to burn down. Turning off the straightener is like second nature to me, so most of the time I won't remember actually doing it. I'll go somewhere and think of that, then I won't be able to think of anything else. The devastation it would cause would be horrible. I don't know what we would do if we lost everything. My parents have worked so hard for everything we have, and it would be really painful to see everything gone in the blink of an eye. 

So there you have it, my eight fears. I apologize for how deep it got for a while there, but that's what I'm scared of, so I wasn't going to lie to you guys. 

Keep Smiling,

A Day At The Fair

On Saturday the family and I spent the entire day at the state fair. Because it is Labor Day weekend, there were so many people there. Despite this fact, we still had a great time even though we were all dirty and sore from being on our feet all day. Plus, we probably ate our weight in fair food. At our fair, pretty much everything comes fried, or on a stick, but usually it's both. And when I say everything, I mean everything. Bacon, beer, fruit, cheese, candy bars, pie, gummy bears, and s'mores just to name a few. 

There is so much to to do at the fair besides eat (though that does seem to be the most popular choice). We strolled around enjoying the beautiful, though very hot, day. I even managed somehow to not get sunburned at all! Whoop Whoop! We also stopped to see some of the animals, and took advantage of all the free stuff they were giving away. 

Some of the highlights of the day included:

• Hearing Journey doing their soundcheck for their show later that evening
• Browsing around the International Bizarre. (It's like a big market with stalls from different places around the world) 
• Finally getting to try Macaroni and cheese on a stick! Although it wasn't actually that great.
• Seeing Wilson Phillips sing "Hold On", which is probably best known to people now from being in the movie Bridesmaids.
• Eating all the fair food of course
• Seeing all of the interesting people (some of whom we actually knew)

How awesome are these nesting dolls?! Pocahontas is one of my
favorite Disney movies, so I got super excited when I saw them at the
International Bizarre.

Chocolate covered cheesecake on a stick! 

Deep fried cheeseburgers and mac and cheese on a stick

Keep Smiling,