Happy afternoon in Highland Village

Do you ever just go somewhere and feel COMPLETELY out of place? Normally that feeling for me is reserved specially for the gym, I'm always a fish out of water where workouts are involved. That being said, I experienced that feeling in a totally new setting while in Dallas. Located right near SMU, Highland Park Village is brimming with designer shops, couture grocery stores and parking lots that resemble those of an Audi dealership. Normally I love to slide my way in to an expensive area, pretending (even if it's just for a moment) that my reality of college student isn't true and that I can actually afford all the $8 latte's my heart desires.

Unfortunately, that isn't the case.

And also unfortunately, I couldn't even find a way to feel like I fit in at Highland Park. 

Too many Nike swooshes on ladies dressed to the nines in athleisure. Too many judge mental looks....so what if my bag is from old navy! Sorry I got a better deal than you! Too many overpriced gluten free, refined sugar free, dairy free desserts. It was all just a little too much for me.

We took our cupcakes and ran to the nearest park, and while it was still in the Highland Park vicinity, it proved to be much more peaceful and felt a lot less pressured to put on a perfect facade. I can only pretend to be rich for so long! 

Like, 5 minutes. My bank account doesn't allow for much more than that. 

Texas or Tuscany?

Texas or Tuscany? You decide. 

We were driving around and found this adorable little area outside of Dallas. It felt like we had been transported to Tuscany, but the best part is everyone spoke english. And there was starbucks! And it didn't require an 8 hour flight.

Now that I think about it, I'll take Tuscan Texas over the real deal anyway. 

An afternoon in McKinney

The only thing I can think of when I see these peaceful, tranquil photos of a lovely evening in McKinney Texas is "wow. Makeup is awesome." The day before I made the great mistake of going to the inlet and being in full sun for 8 hours...with no sunscreen.

And somehow we think I'm smart enough for college? Only time will tell.

Needless to say, It wasn't my best move. But wow. I'm glad I live in the 21st century where makeup exists because even though my nose was literally bright red and also burning hotter than the Texas sun, you'd never be able to tell. Praise the Lord for foundation and please pray that I don't wind up with skin cancer. 

KRYNCAKE, HALF BIRTHDAY EDITION

After all, half birthdays only come once a year!

PENS FOR PRAYER

Don't get me wrong, buying yourself a bouquet of fresh flowers is always a good idea. But sometimes  treating yourself to a bouquet of special lettering pens can be just as wonderful (and sadly, equally expensive.)

I've always loved taking notes, pretty penmanship and expensive writing implements. The internet hasn't helped. Who knew there were so many kinds of exotic Japanese calligraphy pens, just a click away? Over the years, I've fallen in love with a couple kinds of pens, specifically ones that are ideal for prayer journaling. My only tip would be to run hard and faster after "Love is blind" when purchasing these pens. Just ignore the price tag and follow your heart. 

Prayer journaling is a huge part of my walk with the father. These pens make writing in said journals all the better. Therefore, I have no choice but to take the plunge and purchase them, right? At least, that's what I tell myself. Maybe it'll work for you too.

1.) Le Pen

By now you know full well that anything in French is automatically my favorite. I love these pens because they're fine, small and come in a bunch of colors. The size is by far the best part, as they're very easy to slip into a purse or pouch and hardly take up any space. That being said, the size is also the worst part: they're very easy to misplace. Proceed with caution!

2.) Tombow Dual End Brush Pens

Wow, that's a mouthful. So are these pens. They're bold, bulky and beautiful. I wouldn't recommend these pens as ones to use in church/take notes anywhere, they're a bit excessive and extra for everyday use. I normally use them for writing out verses, highlighting in the bible or jazzing up some sermon notes after reading through them the next day. 

3.) Staedtler Triplus Fineliner

HEAR YE HEAR YE, Not all Staedtler pens are created equal. Don't be fooled by the other imposters, these are the best. I once fell for the rollerball pens and wow, big mistake. These pens are a little big to use in church (in my opinion) but I love the color selection so at the end of the day, color normally wins over convenience. 

And now, a pen test! Just so you can see how they write. Granted my staedtler's are a little old, so the ink doesn't flow as freely as it did in former years (months, lets be honest) but they're amazing when they are in their prime. 

Buying fancy pens for fancy prayer journaling isn't necessary. Obviously Jesus could care less if you used Le Pen, a sharpie or a tube of lipstick to prayer journal. But if you have it in your budget and you love pens and prayer, these three types should be a good start to your Christ-centered calligraphy pen collection.

a skin story (your fave)

I didn't begin washing my face daily until I was 18 years old. How is that for healthy skin habits?!

Growing up I was blessed with PERFECT skin. Like you guys, I don't even know how I got away with it. I ate cake and Cheetos all day long, never washed my face but somehow my skin was completely clear? My skin was proof that miracles exist.

Then I turned 18 and my life got super stressful and well, that was the end of that.

In the fall of 2016 it was getting pretty bad. Now granted, I'll never claim that it was as bad as someone with a serious skin condition but for me and my skin, it was pretty bad. I also wont go into detail about how it was bad, because that's ew. And you've had zits before too, so you know what I'm talking about.

Anyway, in January of this year I really began to focus on taking good care of my skin. I take good care of my computer and my purses and my clothes....but yet somehow continually ignored putting any effort into the largest organ in my body?

Logic....not my best subject.

Here are some of the changes I've made.

1.) SLEEP
This was huge for me. I can immediately tell a difference in my skin if I don't get enough sleep. After a fun weekend of late nights and early mornings, whew. My skin is the first place to check if you want to find out what time I went to bed last night. Prioritizing sleep has been incredible for me. I can easily run off of 4-5 hours. But I'm learning that even though that works, it isn't always best.

2.) CHANGING SHEETS
I try to wash my sheets/pillowcases at least once a week now. Good hygiene all around, but it's especially important considering that any dirt or bacteria on your pillow is probably going to end up on your face.

3.) WASHING MAKEUP BRUSHES
This previously always seemed really daunting to me (and also lets be honest: I mostly just used my fingers to apply makeup for 4 years!) but actually, washing them is so easy and oddly therapeutic? I just use dish soap and a towel and while it may not be the trendy way to clean them, it's cheap and get's the job done

4.) DRINKING WATER
The further I get with this post, the more I realize that these things I switched are actually very basic and you all have probably been doing them for years. Last year, I would go days without drinking a good old glass of water. I'd stay hydrated, per say, but not in a way that fueled my body well. Now days I generally drink 64 ounces a day. It's made a huge difference and my skin (and probably the rest of my body as well) is v grateful for the change.

What's your skin story? How do you help your skin be the best it can be?

FAMILY PHOTOSHOP

Contrary to what my instagram feed suggests, I actually do take photos of things other than donuts and myself from time to time! Granted, it's a rare occasion. But still! These family photos were for a sweet friend and even though it was raining most of the time, You'd never be able to tell from the images. 

Photoshop is a beautiful thing ;)