Shop till you drop & Get cash back!

Long time no post;) I have been MIA in the blog world but I have been as busy as a bee in the shopping arena! It's pretty bad, but if I get cash back, it's okay right??
I feel like this new year, I have learned so many tips and tricks regarding shopping!
Here aresome easy apps and sites I use to get cash back or earn points toward rewards!*
















1. Shopkick
For this app, to get basic "kicks" (points) all you have to do is open the app whenever you walk into a store! You can also get kicks by scanning certain items and linking a card for purchases. So far I only have 1850 kicks since I always forget to open the app at the mall (the app does notify you when you're shopping but I tend to ignore it haha). The rewards are gift cards to stores such as TJ Maxx, Walmart, Target, Starbucks, JCPenny, & more! However, it takes awhile to earn a lot of kicks to get larger amounts of gift cards.
my referral link: http://app.shopkick.com/wr2/berkeley27033

2. Panel App
This app is pretty great because you don't even have to do anything other than have it on your phone! You don't even have to open it! To earn points, the app tracks your traveling distances--the more you travel, the more points you get. The app rewards paypal money and amazon gift cards.
my referral link: http://bit.ly/1TzQq4U

















3.ibotta
Okay, this is my favorite! ibotta is an app that rewards cash back for certain purchases, mostly groceries. You can earn up to $1 for buying things such as kleenex, eggs, milk, soap at regular stores like Walmart or Publix. All you have to do is unlock the items on the app and verify your purchase by taking a picture of your receipt. If you already buy essentials, then why not get cash back along the way?? So far I've earned about $85 worth of Sephora and Amazon giftcards!
my referral link: https://ibotta.com/r/bbxodmb
my referral code: bbxodmb

















4. Ebates
Ebates was one site that I wasn't sure of at first. I always heard about it, but I initially thought you had to link your card which made it gimmicky. However, I finally googled how to join and found out you didn't have to link anything! All you do is make an Ebates account and access online stores through the Ebates website. Every online store affiliated with Ebates offers a certain percentage of cash back so when you purchase through the Ebates website, you get money back! 6% may not seem large but it all adds up! At certain times of the year, Ebates will send you a "big fat check" in the mail. If you're an online shopaholic like me, it's very rewarding!
my referral link: http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?
referrerid=6SnBod75q7AamCRn5UXIPg%3D%3D&eeid=28187



I hope these tips and tricks will help you earn money as you shop!
If you need any help, comment or just search it on youtube;)

*p.s. I am not sponsored but if you use my links or codes, you will be helping me tremendously! You may even earn welcome bonuses by using them:)

♥♥♥

3 Weeks till School...

Well really 2 weeks and 4 days... pshh, I'm not counting!
Haha, actually, for the past few nights I haven't been able to get lots of sleep. I lie down in bed and it takes me literally two hours to get knocked out. I sleep at 12 and I wake up at 8-.- Today, I even woke up at 6! I think it's mainly because I keep thinking about school. I'm really excited for this new year! My favorite part of back to school is shopping for school supplies and clothes and of course seeing my friends too. But this year, I'm taking two college classes (Spanish I & OT) in addition to my regular high school classes. I'm nervous but since I have friends in the class, it's not super scary. I have a some other things to look forward to this year:
1) Yearbook staff: Graphic Designer/Photographer
2) Jr Sr
3) meeting new people
4) more memories with my besties
5) Artist Series
6) school events

***One thing I'm definitely not looking forward to is the ACT exan:(

Last year was awesome, even though I had some regrets. I hope this year will be epic and even better than last year!

My style...

Ok, I have no clue what my fashion sense is! It's all over the place... I kinda wish it had a category but I guess it's cool to be unique at the same time.
How would I describe my style?
Hmm... I would say cute, girly, and when I wanna dress up- classy.

-I love formal and preppy (well Pinteresty, not exactly Lilly Pulitzer). I think tucking tops or collared shirts into skirts is so classy. If the skirt is flowy and A-line, it gives me a young cute look, but if the skirt is a pencil skirt, I look grown up and a bit sassy.

-But I am also drawn toward floraly, bohemian, tribal kind of items. I would have to say that my favorite brand at Macy's is American Rag. Their comfy sweaters and floral dresses are to die for. I just wish they were more affordable:( That's why I wait for sales;)

-Vintage inspired pieces make me want to jump into a time machine and head back to the 1930's! And retro bathing suits just need to be in my closet!

-I can be casual, of course. Recently, I've been loving the athletic/laid back boyish look that comes from sneakers/keds. I just got a new pair of navy keds look alike at Old Navy for $13! I love it with a pair of denim shorts and baseball tee inspired top. I bet that outfit would look really cute too with a baseball cap.

-Fabrics & Patterns: I would say the material and patterns I'm into are girly. I like tribal and bohemian, but crochet, lace, and ditsy floral are my favorite. Stripes and chevron (mainly non-clothing though) are a nice addition to my wardrobe too.


One thing I'm not is punk or Cali trendy. Sure, I have pieces that are "in style" but you wouldn't catch me in a black studded leather jacket, a crop top or brallete that "gives enough coverage to be appropriate", or high waisted distressed short shorts. I don't think any of those are classy or give the right impression that I'm Christ's child.

Whatever our fashion sense is, we need to remember that when someone looks at us, they should see Jesus!

<3

Birthday Box

I don't know about you but sometimes I don't know what to put my friends birthday gifts in. Sometimes I help my wallet and just reuse a gift bag given to me, but a couple of months ago, I saw some cute hat boxes at TJ Maxx. They add something different to a gift--they can even be used to keep memorabilia and photos later on! Some things I would have loved to have added to this gift: tissue paper & a big bow on top (instead I taped a polaroid birthday card).

♥♥♥

Driving myself crazy...

So, I've had my permit for almost a year now but I have never actually gotten on the real roads till drivers ed this week.

My instructor was great--she talked A LOT, which I guess was supposed to calm me down. But every time she talked to me about her life I was only half paying attention cus I wanted to keep my head on the road. She would demonstrate something sometimes and she would squawk like an angry bird haha! And she reminded me of Mrs. Puff from Spongebob! except she was a much better teacher than her haha.

First lesson, the instructor took me into residential areas and hills and I was scared!! I was going like 55 mph in a 40 mph road haha! It was pretty crazy.

Second lesson, she made me parallel park and do a 3 pt turn and a certain reverse maneuver--- lemme just say that this lesson was the most frustrating. I'm still a little confused on how the wheels work and stuff :S

Third lesson (today), I conquered downtown and the interstate!! How crazy is that? She said that downtown is the worst because of all the pedestrians and cramped roads but I liked it. The atmosphere was just so homey to me. The interstate wasn't so bad, except for merging. I still need to gain confidence when merging and seeing cars merge into my lane.

I did a lot of crazy things on my 3 lessons haha... went 15 mph above speed limit, abruptly stopped on a yellow light and ended up in the intersection and deciding to go on ahead when the light turned red-.-, almost followed a car to a right exit when I was supposed to go straight, and not listening to instructions, and so on....

But hey, I have gotten so much better! Little Me On the Road!!! Next time you know it, I'll be having road trips with my girlies:) I need to get my license first tho..which means Ive gotta practice approx 32 more hrs! 

♥♥♥

The Perks of Being a Short Girl

Some of these are positive things I have noticed living my wonderful life as a shortie:) Sometimes I hate being short but that's only sometimes. Most of the times I love it and am proud of it!

1) You are seen as "cute" lol:) Even if you wear a not so great outfit, your cuteness overshadows that.

2) It's easier to get modest skirts since skirts short on tall girls still reach around your knees.

3) People tend to show you more care and compassion.

4) People help you reach for things that are too high.

5) People tend to protect you more. (It might get annoying though, especially if you know you're even stronger than the other.)

6) You can pretend that you need rest after a short time since you get tired "easily".

7) Talents that you have seem better because they don't expect us, shorties, to be capable of certain activities.

8) Ankle maxi dresses reach the floor for you--what maxi dresses are supposed to do. (Alas, some maxis are drape on the floor too much, and we have to get them hemmed.)

9) You have more places to hide for hide and go seek! Your limbs are short and bendable enough (hopefully) where you can hide under the kitchen sink. Helpful when a burglar comes to your home (no personal experience haha). And you can also scare people more like when I hid in our small kitchen pantry:)

10) You have more actual swimming area at the pool because you can't reach the bottom of 5 ft without standing on your tiptoes.

11) In professional pictures, shorties are made to stand in the front of the crowd in pictures, so it's less likely for you to be covered and forgotten.

12) When you go through a low doorway, you won't have to duck your head.

13) You have more leg room in the car.

14) You can lay down in the third row of a van and sleep when going on a road trip (unless you have siblings).

15) You're most likely going to date a guy taller than you (not that short guys are bad...).

16) Guys are less likely to be intimidated by you.

17) You will be approachable by both genders.

18) You'll become a cute little grandma when you grow older.

19) You won't be too tall in heels; you'll look just right.

20) You'll have to tiptoe to kiss or hug. And don't deny it; it's cute!

21) You're easier to carry and cuddle.

22) Your bed will be long enough.

23) Pants will hit your legs at the right spot, and you won't have to pay extra for "extra long".

24) You look younger.

25) If you're like me, you will have tiny feet. You can buy shoes in the children's section and pay less money.

26) You're sometimes like a ninja. You're so fast and small, you won't be seen coming like in sports.

27) You can move around in a crowd (tall people will show kindness and let you) and manage to go up to the front or find a seat.

28) People will give up their seat for you.

29) You feel cute and innocent when you look up at people.

30) Your legs will become strong because you have to power walk to catch up with people.

So ha! Take that tall people!;)
I'll be adding more in the future.

♥♥♥

Joy in the Kitchen #1: Lemon Bars!

When life gives you lemons, zest them and squeeze them to make lemon bars:)
Our kitchen is so much bigger now! I'm so thankful cus I'm finding that I really like baking. And I'm pretty messy too so now, I've got more space to make a mess in!
Yesterday, I baked the first ever goodies in our new kitchen. I used the recipe that Kara's grandmother used for her birthday party lemon bars. They were sooo good then that I ate about five! I've been craving them since her birthday in February (and her book report over Sense and Sensibility). I even bought Fresh Market lemon bars and Publix lemon cakes one time, but they weren't nearly as good. The lemon bars were too soft, and the lemon cakes were a little bitter.

•••

Quick note to myself: 
1•Spray the pan. (haha, totally forgot!) 
2•Lessen the lemon juice. (I personally love it really sour but I have to think of others!) 
3•Wait till it's all the way cooled to sprinkle confectionery sugar on top. 
4•Wait till it's all the way cooled to cut into bars. (I was just so excited!)

•••

I think they turned out well. I know the lemon bars look a bit sloppy but despite their looks, they were delish! They were soft but chewy enough on the outside and gooey on the inside to have a nice texture. They were tangy but balanced by the confectionery sugar and crust. When you eat one, it's like a little sweet & sour party in your mouth!
Mom thought it was too sour, but Dad thought it was good and gave it a 7 out of 10. Yay! haha:)
I sent my grandparents some and finger crossed that they will enjoy it!

♥♥♥

This summer, I wanna do this little segment "Joy in the Kitchen" featuring different recipes I have tried. If you have any suggestions, feel free to comment! I'll probably look on Pinterest for recipes;)

New Home♥

My family has been praying for our own house for a long time now, and God provided us a perfect one this summer! It's farther from my school but it's worth the drive cus it's our house. So last week we planned to move on Friday, May 30th, but Thursday one of the men who was going to help us with his truck and trailer called and said that there's a 60% chance of rain the following day and that we should reschedule or borrow a U-haul trailer. But, my dad was already off Friday and Saturday, the man with the trailer was traveling somewhere. We brought our worries to God and prayed for him to withhold the rain. I had full confidence that God wouldn't make it rain because it seems like every time I pray for good weather, He has answered my prayers. My dad even read a passage that morning for his devotions that said God contained the winds in His fist. And that Friday morning, the sky was clear! Early 8 am, the man with the trailer showed up because he wanted us to have a head start just in case it rained. Other helpers came, including two very important helpers-- the 2 little boys I babysit from church:) They made moving fun and they were very helpful! For lunch, one of the ladies cooked us a delicious meal which strengthened all of the workers who needed to carry my heavy piano and dresser. At around 2:30, all the heavy furniture was moved from the apartment to the house. And guess what, at 3 pm it started raining cats and dogs! Praise the Lord! He was like a giant umbrella, shielding us from the rain the entire morning. For dinner, our pastor came over and his wife made us some soup and dessert. God is so good to us! Our move went smoothly thanks to Him! Also, we were very thankful for all the helpers and meals provided. We still have to clean the apartment and buy furniture for our new house, so keep us in your prayers. We're praying that the Lord will use this home not only as our shelter but also a way to fellowship with fellow believers and reach out to the lost in this neighborhood.
Prayers much appreciated.

♥♥♥

goodbye, sophomore year!

Well, happy summer, everyone!

Yes, it's finally summer!
Goodbye, sophomore year!

This year was probably my favorite of high school so far but who am I kidding--I had some awful moments.

I don't think I've had another time when I was so hard on myself. I was hard on myself over academics, speeches, friends, boys, girls, and just plain old me. I started not liking myself for all my stupid mistakes, but God was by my side the entire time and He showed me mercy and patience. He showed me that no matter how stupid and lame I felt, I am perfect just the way I am cus He made me in His perfect image!

It's crazy; this year was the best- like for reals, this was the first year a guy (well more than one haha..) actually paid attention to me (at least the first in my knowledge) and other things happened... concerning the guy I actually liked:) But that's another story! And I realized who my true friends were. And boy, am I so blessed! My best friends are the greatest! They're always there for me, leading me to the Lord, and we have the funnest times together!
Sophomore year was definitely a roller coaster filled with loops of happy ups and dramatic downs! I'm glad it's over but I'm glad it happened.
I'm looking forward to next yr! Junior year is going to be a blast--I will make it a blast if I have to!




















What's in store for next yr you ask? Well there's me driving to school because we are moving, JR SR banquet (guys, if you're reading this, just  ask the girl; we are wanting you to!), school yearbook (yes, I made it in!), college Spanish class and Spanish gents (haha just kidding! wow, I'm totally sounding like I'm boy crazed which pshh..I'm not...), no class officer responsibilities so I get to lay low and chill, new house, and meeting new people! It'll be so different just working behind the scenes and not planning for class parties but I'm excited for the new opportunities that lie ahead of me.

P.S. I finally know what I want to major in for sure:) I want to be a Graphic Design major! I've always loved designing and drawing so I think that would be fun! Right now, I'm actually designing for our class button next year and it's really fun just getting inspiration online. I was working on the yearbook supplement a little bit before the year ended and I got to try out some software, which I'm thankful I did cus now I'm designing on my own without being too blind about it. I have so many sketches; I hope I can actually play around on the program and deliver them well! It's funny; my teacher was asking what I wanted to major in and when I said Graphic Design, she said that I'm half way done cus I've basically designed for every class event so far in high school haha. It's such a great opportunity to show others what God has given me through art!

I'm so excited for everything. I just can't help but smile!

♥♥♥

2 more weeks!!!

of insanity...
haha just kidding:) but for reals though, I'm starting to crave for summer!!!
I have so many things planned, not traveling wise but just activities I want to do like biking, reading, painting, playing the piano... things I haven't been able to do cus of the monster called school.
This year has been the greatest school yr of my life; it was full of great friends, inside jokes, new opportunities, parties, guy friends, crushes, drama, bad memories, mood swings.... hey, I'm just telling the truth here.
I loved this year; I felt like a different person!
But I also can't wait for my beloved vacation cus frankly, I'm tired of school mood swings:P
I just want to lay in a hammock, sketchbook in my lap, earbuds in, mango shake in my hand, and forget the bad memories of school. Who's with me?
Oh goodness, writing this is making me crave it even more!!
Can't wait!

Lend a Helping Hand

Recently, I have been learning to know someone for their real selves.
In the hallways, people laugh and smile but are they really happy inside?
You never know how a person actually feels until you genuinely ask "How are you?" and you don't settle for a typical "Good." answer.
When we take prayer requests in class and a certain someone shares a struggle or asks prayer for a relative, you see their need-- now I'm not saying that they need help all the time and that they're always melancholy. But seeing that side of them, outside of their goofy grins and la-di-da days, you gain compassion and you just want to know them more.
Aside from praying for them, why don't we actually go outside of our ways and ask them for progress on their need? We can even send them private notes to cheer them up.
If you see someone sitting alone, go over to them and chat with them or invite them over to sit with your friends (and once you do that, don't just ignore them).
The last thing I ever want to know is someone living a lonely life without any real friends, when i could've done so much more. Or when you see them every day all happy-go-lucky but later you hear they were really sad inside.
I just realized while writing this that the helping hand I can give is Jesus. I pass many unsaved people, even in my Christian school, and I just live with them like that. I really need to change.
I want to go out of my way and know people better, and share the joy of Christ with them- the only way I have joy in my own life.

Lend a Helping Hand.
Make Someone's Day.
Share Christ's Love.

random thoughts of February 14th

Happy Valentine's Day? More like single's awareness day! Or as I said, "adolescence awareness day" haha...
I actually haven't eaten any chocolate today other than my mint chocolate Klondike bar! And obviously I didn't have a valentine, other than my bed and food lol.
We had a "snow storm" on Wednesday and we had 3 days off from school! So we only had 2 days at school this week--it was pretty amazebeans:) Well honestly, I got bored Thursday and I felt like I wasn't doing anything productive but the rest was definitely needed. I worked ahead on some of my homework too haha..
I don't really have anything else to say... well I was going to write something out but I changed my mind... I hope Spring starts soon! I can't wait to wear pastels and sandals!

Ok, Bye.:P

♥♥♥

Happy New Year 2014!!!

Wow, 2013 just flew by!
I'm kind of hoping the first part of 2014 doesn't go by that fast because I'm actually enjoying this year of highschool.
Anyway, I was hoping to make a Christmas post but I was just too busy (maybe lazy haha..or both). I hope your Christmas was a great reminder of Jesus' birth.
 My family went to Tennessee after Christmas, and we just had a great time seeing the mountains, lights, and cute little shops.
I recieved so many awesome gifts that I'm very thankful for! I got my mom's ipad and now I can blog on the go.
(Sorry if this post is a little choppy lol; I slept at 1 am this morning!)

I love New Year's day because it symbolizes a fresh, new start.
I've made a list of resolutions and I hope I can keep them with God's help.
One of them is to read throught the Bible in one year. I almost got it last year but I slacked off; hopefully that doesn't happen again. (I made a daily alarm on my phone to remind me to do my devotion!)
Some other random resolutions I have is to eat macaroons (they are so adorable), try tempura shrimp (allergic), and exercise (get a hula hoop).
I hope you guys can accomplish your resolutions list!
HAPPY 2014!!!

More School Tips:)

School's coming up for me. I'm excited to use my new school supplies but not about studying.
Here are some tips for this school year. This is what works for me and I hope you find something that will help you!

•Quizzes & Tests:
-index cards: I divide one index card in half because I don't need that much room. I use it for everything, EV-E-RY thing! For vocab words, you can write the meaning on one side and the word on the other. I do the same for math formulas. With more detailed information like in science or literature, I make fill in the blanks within the information so that once I go through it I can recall what I know and fill in the blank and the next time I go through it it's already filled in. The index cards serve double purpose, kind of like when your teacher used to write the entire verse on the board and slowly erased all the words while you memorize it. When you have the blanks, the extra words give you clues, and then you can quiz yourself completely later (get it? haha sorry).
-write it out: It's the same process as the fill in the blanks index cards but this one you can outline into a notebook. I personally like the index cards better because the info is in smaller chunks.
-vocab lists: Last year, my English teacher gave us stems lists in table formats which were very handy. I just covered the definitions with a book and moved the book down each line, uncovering the meaning of the stems. If I forgot a stem's meaning, I would look at it and then go back to the beginning of the list and repeat the uncovering part till I knew all of the definitions by heart.
-type it up: During summer school, my history teacher only gave us skeleton notes (as in just the main heading and you had to listen for the extra stuff) and my notes were always kind of jumbled up because I kept adding things from other people's notes. US History was my only class so I had time to type everything out. It helped a lot to read over my notes and type them out into a neater copy. It also helped when I was studying for my finals.
-quiz each other: Ask a parent to quiz you on your notes. I'm very grateful for my parents' willingness! You and your friend can quiz each other either by the phone or in person. I don't do this on the night before a test because I get easily distracted by my friends. I will do this over the weekend sometimes and right before a class. Don't be afraid to ask a friend for help or their notes.

•Organization:
-locker crate: Instead of using a metal locker shelf, I use a plastic locker crate. It takes up more space in your locker but it doesn't collapse constantly like the metal locker shelves. Plus on your first and last days of school, you can just stuff everything into the crate and carry everything home in one "box."
-planner: Planners save your entire school year. You can put important meeting dates, tests, assignments. They are better than a simple notebook because they have the actual dates.
-index card holder: This year I'm going to try to use an index card holder because last year all my index cards kept falling to the floor. The holders have index card dividers to separate your different subjects.
-backpack: Make sure your backpack has enough room and back support. I have a messenger bag that is a little too small for all my books so I have to carry another bag.
-label your things: Don't be that kid who loses everything and has to pay $.25 every time at the Lost and Found. Label your most valuable possessions. Keep them locked up tight in your locker.
-make it fun: School supplies don't have to be boring. As a girl who likes art and sees the world in full color, school would be so much duller with same old, same old school supplies. You don't have to spend a lot to make your supplies fun. You can use colorful tape, scrapbook papers, colored pencils, sticker, and pictures to spice up your supplies. If you have a locker, try to make it your own, following the school guidelines, of course. It might be harder if you're a guy, but guys are also creative.
-be neat: If you don't have neat handwriting (when teachers talk so fast and there are a lot of notes, no one really has time for that), type it out. It's best if you're just neat in the first place.

•After School:
-relax: When I get home from school, I take a 30-60 min. break from school work. I eat a snack, read a book, watch some tv, take a shower, sometimes take a nap, and just relax. This will help you concentrate better later as you're doing your homework.
-get away from distractions: Put away your phone. I constantly like to check facebook and instagram and if I had my phone beside me, I wouldn't get anything done. Sit at a desk, not your bed. Laying on a bed works for some people, but when I do it I get more tired and too relaxed and eventually fall asleep. I only lay on my bed if the assignment is really easy and if my back is hurting from sitting too long.
-tackling your homework: Last year we had study tips given to us and they said that you should do the hardest assignments first. It's your own preference really. You can try different ways and see which one you prefer the most. I personally like to do the easiest/shortest amount of time to accomplish first and the hardest/longest last. For example: English grammar, math, then science. Or. Math, first half of English writing, science, last half of English writing. I usually do writing last because it is more fun and it's not really an assignment.
-take breaks: There are many suggestions by teachers who say you should take a break after every 45 min. or so for 10 min. What I do is I take a 10-15 min break every time I finish a subject. If one subject is short, I combine with another short one. If a subject is too long, I split it.

•During the Weekends:
-don't wait till Sunday afternoon: I usually relax Friday after school, do my hard (or all) homework and prepare study guides on Saturday, do my easy homework and study on Sunday. The weekend is the time to relax but don't procrastinate. You never know when one assignment will be harder than usual or if you've forgotten your notes.
-work ahead: (This doesn't have to be just over the weekend; work ahead during the week too.) This is why planners are important. You can look ahead and see if you have any possible tests or assignments clumped together. If you see a math test squeezed in the same day as your science test, start making flashcards. I try to make flashcards each day we take notes in science, because you never know when there's a pop quiz and to prepare myself and lighten my load the night before the actual test.

If I think of any more, I'll add them later!

♥♥♥

School Essentials & Tips

I've always wanted to make a post about this so here it goes!
This is all of the items I like to have for school. I hope this gives you a lot of ideas.

Locker: 

-shelf

-magnetic cup for pencils

-mirror

-things to make it your own: pictures, magnets, white/cork board

-for the daring: rug, chandelier, curtain, wallpaper, disco ball

Survival Kit:

-lotion 

-chapstick 

-hand sanitizer 

-breath mints for after lunch 

-sick days: cough drops and tissues 

-contacts wearer: eye drops, contacts case, glasses

PE: 

-body splash

-hair ties, bobby pins/ headbands

-extra socks

-chapstick

-lotion

-tissues

-cough drops

-makeup remover

-personal hygiene

-gym clothes

Actual Supplies:

-folders, one for every subject, best with brads 

-binders or perferated notebooks 

-filler lined and graph paper 

-binder pencil case or regular pencil case 

-black, blue, red pens; my favorite brand is Pilot G-2 because it doesn't bleed and it's really smooth 

-fun colorful pens and markers for doodling -pencils, try to reuse pencils from home! -led 

-erasers and pencil eraser tips 

-index cards and holder, so you won't lose them for the finals 

-planner, this is a must! it's best if you get a cute weekly one because it will motivate you while keeping you organized 

-homework folder/accordion/binder, if you don't want to take all of your individual binders home to do homework, just take your homework papers and needed notes and stick them in a divided folder and then put the notes back the next morning. Last year, I stuck all my homework into a two pocket folder and it was messy. This year, I'm reusing my old light binder with dividers. It seems "silly" to put the notes and homework into a different binder but it makes it easier for me to walk home. I basically only take my real class binders home if I'm studying for a test or I have a lot of notes that I'm scared I might forget a page. 

-backpack
-ruler, protractor, compass
-calculator
-scantrons
-whiteout
-lunch bag/lunch money
-ID card

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Last Monday, I got contact lenses! It was so hard to put in at first. The lady said to slide it side to side, up and down, and that took so long, but now I just stick them straight in. Taking them out is harder if your eyes are dry so I've used up a lot of my eye drops. Tomorrow I go back to tell them about how the contacts are and I have to tell them that my contacts aren't very sharp. They're blurry compared to my glasses.
On Tuesday, I got to hang out with my good friend, Ghevont. When we were swimming we found a bunch of coins in the bottom of the pool and we both got about 50 cents each lol. That's great since I have a big coin jar that I turn in every Christmas to buy people's gifts. We also watched Megamind which was really good! I love animated movies like that.
On Friday, I went school shopping! Why am I so excited about that? Well I'm not excited about going back to school and waking up at 6:30 am but I love shopping for school supplies. Usually I'm a big money saver and try to use up all my old stuff but I've been watching a lot of school supply hauls on youtube and that just fueled my back to school supply shopping spree. I'm still going to use some of my old stuff but I got a lot of new things. I got a new pencil case and it's shaped like piece of mail; it's so cute. I wish I could find some postage stamp patches to sew onto it! I also got a really cute binder with flowers all over it by the brand Pink Chandelier and an adorable floral planner by Green Room. And I'm ready to deck out my locker this year-- I got a cute cork board and I printed out some of my instagram pics. My next post will be about school essentials and tips!

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I haven't been to the zoo in a long long time but last week I got to babysit three little boys at the zoo. It was a lot of fun and the boys were cute as always. Last Friday I also got to go to my friend, Lyndsie's, birthday sleepover. It was my first time going to a group sleepover (I have been to parties where you play Truth or Dare but I never stayed for the sleeping part). It was fun just goofing around and sleeping at 3 am and waking up at 8 am xP For one of my dares I had to have a ketchup and whipped cream face mask! On Monday, my mom asked me if I wanted to take my permit test and get it over with. I did take it even though I felt like backing out but I passed, no mistakes;) Now I can drive!!! Kind of lol, I'm learning.. This coming Friday I'm babysitting the boys again but at a bouncy house this time. I better rest up for a lot of energy! 

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What are you up to lately?

Well, last week my mom and I actually had a picnic at the park! It was really fun and relaxing except for the noisy little kids-.- lol. We went to the shops near the park but when we were at Anthropologie it started pouring and we didn't have an umbrella! We were planning to wait the rain out but it just didn't stop so we had to run like crazy to one of the stores that sold umbrellas (Anthropologie surprisingly wasn't selling any, even $50 ones!) The umbrella we bought was so big! We're probably only going to use that on really stormy days or we'll look ridiculous. Even with the rain, I had a really good time with my mom. I was thirsting for adventure and that was kind of like an adventure--a calm picnic before a storm, literally. I liked dashing from store to store in my flip flops and getting soaked and not caring and just laughing with my mom. 

One of the profitable things I did last week was I actually painted something. I'm usually too lazy unless I have a school art assignment but I gained inspiration from our past beach vacation. This is one of the works I came up with. I have some other ones in my head but I need to buy some watercolor.

Me reading at the beach

Today I was bored so I made a braided leather bow bracelet. I'm not really sure what outfits I can wear it with but it looks cute on my jewelry box so yeah lol. Basically, you just take three strands of leather and braid. Hot glue the ends. Wrap the bracelet around your wrist and leave a little bit of wiggle room for when you insert your hand through and then hot glue the ends together. You can also use a hook and chain or a button thing but I didn't have any of those. I was contemplating between putting a bow or little charms on it but my charms wouldn't fit on my jump rings so the bow idea won. You can follow my bow tutorial here: D.I.Y. Hair Bows, minus the hair clip of course and a lot smaller. Once you have the bow completed just hot glue the bow onto the bracelet or sew it on. There are so many possibilities with this bracelet but I just tried a bow.

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Back from my Beach Vacay!

Our vacation to Myrtle Beach was terrific! It was the longest we have ever spent just beside the beach and not running around to different locations. On Wednesday, we woke up really early and drove to Broadway

 at the Beach boardwalk. We went to the Ripley's Aquarium and I enjoyed the glass tunnel with all the different fish. I was really excited to go to the TOMS store there to get a picture in front of the huge logo again but the logo was gone. The store was still full of super cute Toms but of course I did not need any more. When we got to our hotel which had a great view of the beach, I must say, we immediately went swimming in the ocean!

Thursday was Fourth of July--Belated Happy 4th to all! I'm so thankful that God gave America its liberty and that as of right now, we still have our freedoms in this land. And also that He gave us the freedom from the bondage of sin by sending His son to die on the cross for our sins and rising up again on the third day. We went swimming basically all day and we were planning to go the the boardwalk to watch the fireworks but it just so happened that there were fireworks just outside our hotel at the beach!

Friday we went swimming all day again but we went back to Broadway at the Beach and ate at Joe's Crabshack where 96.99% of the food I was allergic to-yay! We also walked around at night and found an awesome candy store, ItSugar; everything was enlarged and there were gummy bear nightlights!

There was also another candy shop where you could watch them make the candy. Their world famous caramel pralines were to die for. Saturday was the day we headed home:*( On our way home we stopped by the Tanger Outlet and picked out some great deals. I only got a new pair of kelly green shorts from the Gap and some jewelry from Forever21 (I just found out that their bags have "John 3:16" on the bottoms of the bag, expect the unexpected..) We arrived home safely,even through heavy downpours, all thanks to God. I got a lot tanner from our vacation but it's peeling off grossly because I got sunburnt; I hope it will be golden afterwards. We had a lot of fun and are really thankful for this experience!

It won't let me rotate it.

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I finished summer school last Friday! The exams were actually prtty easy^^

Friday night I went to Lauren's summer soiree (is that just a fancy word for party? haha idk) It was rlly fun; we played twister (which I won after pushing Candace down lol), flinch, mafia (which I was wrongly accused in-uh!-and died first), never have I ever, failed at making a human pyramid..., ate, and ate more:D 

I went with Ghevont to Lauren's party and before we went, I did her nails all nautical like for her summer cruise trip.

I haven't done anything super exciting so far this summer but I just like sleeping in. I got a haircut yesterday though and I got some new fabric for my handmade bow business (unfortunately I don't have an Etsy account) 

I have also been shopping around for our beach trip next week. Target has been my favorite store lately; they have rlly cute clothes for different styles and the clearance selection is amazing. I got a really cute red floral dress for $16 and some nice denim shorts for $17 (so good since I rarely see shorts that aren't short shorts). I also got a new tankini top from JCPenny for $16 and got a pair of cute heart sunglasses for $5 at Charlotte Russe. And the biggest deal I saw was this lace skirt from TJ Maxx for only $25 when my friend got hers for $50! I saw some really cute mint shorts (same style as my coral ones) at Gap the other day for $30+ and they looked so cute but they didn't have my size:( which was prolly good since that's kind of expensive for shorts and my mom got the neon pink pair. Plus at the beach we're going to there's an outlet mall and there's prolly a Gap store with them on sale like I saw last time. 

I'm so excited to go to the beach!!! What are you guys doing for summer?

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