Growing Apart

It is so easy to blame the other person for a relationship grown apart.

This break has taught me that these things happen.  That the pieces will fall back into place with ease if the relationship is worth saving.

That time spent together is not the same as quality time spent together.

Love you all.

It's the most wonderful time of the year

Ah!  Back to blogging regularly.  Finals week was crazy and I didn't have a lot of extra time to blog, but thankfully it paid off!  My GPA turned out to be a 3.71! 

Now that I'm home, it's an interesting transition from my school life to my home life.  At school, I kind of set my own schedule whereas here I have to do what my family is doing.  Nevertheless, there's no place like home for the holidays, so I thought I'd share one of my favorite family traditions with you all: Christmas tree shopping!

I feel like an authentic Christmas tree is the main ingredient for the holidays.  Every year we go to a local tree farm and search for the perfect tree.  We don't have the highest ceilings in the world, so we can't get one that's too tall, but I love this year's tree. 

I put up two pictures-one from 2007 followed by one from this year.  The man in the first photo is my extremely goofy dad.  What's funny, though, is that my sisters and I are standing in the exact same spots both years.  My youngest sister has grown about a million feet, and Kaci (the consistent blond) looks so much less awkward.  My hair is a totally different color!  Toby, our golden, looks exactly the same though.  He still never looks at the camera. My how things have changed, yet stayed exactly the same.

What about you?  What are your favorite traditions?

Room Tour

I absolutely love looking at "house tour" photos on people's blogs.  One day, I will have a beautiful little home of my own to share with all of you!  However, I currently live in a sorority house and only have one little room to make my own. Nevertheless, I adore my space and have a few tips for those of you that may be decorating with limited square footage.

1. Utilize paper!  

Especially when living in a temporary room such as a dorm, paper is your best friend.  It's cheap, easy to change, and adds a touch of originality!  This year, my room came with hideous closet doors, but after covering them with scrapbook paper, they look great!

2. Details

I find ways to use almost everything.  This bow came off of a Victoria's Secret gift box last year, and the blue chain draped across the bottom is a broken necklace from years ago!  If you love something, use it!  It'll add so much personality to everyday things.

3. Display your things while storing them

I believe that everyday items can be decorations as well.  This bag holder slips right over my door and stores all of my bags in a way that also feels like a decoration!  When I'm in the mood for a change, I just switch up the organization.  Too easy.

 4. Christmas lights are a year-round option

When my roommate suggested adding these lights to our room, I thought she was crazy.  They seemed so unnecessary and out of place.  But the moment we hung them up, I fell in love.  These lights draw attention to the focal point of our room (the beds) and set the scene for a cozy atmosphere.  Before going to sleep or when watching a movie, I love to turn off the overhead lights and let the Christmas lights shine.  

5. Photographs.

Everyone knows that photographs are a great addition to a room. The tricky part is figuring out how to display them.   We strung these up with a simple strand of ribbon tacked to the wall.  We then hung the photographs from the ribbon using fun-colored mini clothespins.  I can't tell you how many compliments this gets.

6. A big, nonwhite rug

Last year, I had a white rug.  I couldn't help myself-it was so pretty and clean looking in the store.  However, by the end of the year, it was dirty and disgusting.  So, this year i opted for this simple cream rug, which I love just as much and know will not look abused come June.  In any case, a rug is an absolute must.  Because really, who has nice floors in college?

Whatever you do with your space, make sure it reflects who you are right now.  Remember that the little touches of flair make all the difference.

How would you decorate a small space?

Surviving Finals: Part Two

How many of us swear to ourselves that we will study 8 hours for each of our finals?  How many of us actually do it?  Realistically, there are only so many hours in a day, and assuming that you have been paying attention all term, eight hours per class is usually unnecessary.  I only study exactly as much as I need to, and I am generally quite happy with the grades I receive.  Here's my secret: GRADE CALCULATORS.  I swear by these things.  They let you easily figure out what grade you currently have, and what you'll need to get on the final exam in order to earn an A, B, C, D, or F.  This can save so much time, and it's a nice reality check.  For example, if you need to get 110% to get an A or 54% for a B, you know not to study as much for that particular exam.  I'm telling you, it's all about budgeting your (very precious) time!

Happy studying, and good luck!