Nerd's the Word....

This is the pattern I chose- I'm so excited!

So, since I'll be going back to school in January, and my lovely Lilly Pulitzer planner has come to it's end (see my obsession post here), I'm needing a new planner. After obsessively researching, I've decided to purchase an Erin Condren Life Planner. Y'all, I'm SUPERFREAKINGEXCITED. Like, this thing is the bomb.com. You can bet your butt I'll be doing another planner obsession post... Eventually. That is, if Abby ever gives me any blogging time.

Anyways, if any of y'all are thinking of purchasing anything from Erin Condren, PLEASE follow this link and create an account. Then, we BOTH get $10 credit. Like, yes please!

I ordered mine the other day (check the site for sales and coupon codes- I just happened to order on a day where everything was 25% off!) OR use my link to get your $10 off ;) which is a pretty sweet deal, honestly. (And yes, it's legit- I got my $10 off from using a link from someone else's blog, so I know it works).

She has tons of cute stuff besides planners, like notebooks, pens, stationery, etc. Check it out!

xoxo, a.

**disclaimer: The picture above is not mine, it's from erincondren.com and the links above don't earn me any money, they're just links to make things easier for y'all!**

Photos by Erin!

First, let me just apologize for being MIA once again. I started a new job, plus I'm playing volleyball for the purple side (PV!!!), so between school, work, and volleyball, I'm super busy. But I've got a few drafts saved up, so I'll post whenever I can! Anyways... I decided that my best friend deserves some publicity from my oh so famous blog (ha). So, recently, I went to the Mayday Parade concert at Zydeco with my best friend, Erin. Let me say, for my very first concert, I was definitely impressed. They were awesome and it was just a lot of fun.

But that's besides the point. While Erin was in town, she did a photoshoot for me. There were more pictures with someone else, but I've chosen not to include them due to recent changes in my life. But take my word for it, she does great couple's photography. And, I must brag on my girl. She's an incredible photographer, as you'll see in the pictures below. She lives in the Eufala area, but I'm always looking for an excuse to get her in Birmingham! ;) If y'all are interested in doing a photoshoot with her, you can contact Erin (littlemisswildeyes@gmail.com) or me (aubreyjennaa@gmail.com) and I'll forward your message on to her!! She's really fantastic at what she does, honestly.

She does great portraits and such too! Ignore my weird arm...

White girl poses!!

Thank you for scrolling all the way down! You're the best! I hope you consider using Erin's talent for your needs! 

xoxo, a.

My "White Girl" Guilty Pleasures

We've all heard the term "typical white girl." It encompasses and sassy, frilly, extravagant shopoholic with a taste for things most people can't afford. Despite it's denotation, the connotation is typically used to excuse one's silly admiration of a product. It rules out embarrassment over things that people might look down on you for.
For example, the other day I told my friends a story about the time I almost dropped my Starbucks on my new leather purse and my car, at the same time!! I then proceeded to call it a "white girl problem." Now don't get your panties in a wad, it's not actually meant to be prejudice, it's simply humorous. Take it with a grain of salt.
That being said, here's my list of a few of my "white girl" guilty pleasures.

• Car decals. Lots of them. Of course, I have to have my initials, plus school pride, an Air Force sticker, and more! 
• Monograms. Oh, come on! They're classy and cute! If I can't afford a sorority I can at least pretend I'm in my own! 
• Starbucks Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino. It's literally too perfect to even explain. I'm the type of girl to get cold drinks even when it's below freezing outside. I may die of hypothermia, but at least I'll be happy!
• Singing in the car. Okay, so most people do this. I, however, put on a freakin' show! Next time you see me jammin' out in Cassandra (yes, I named my car, judge me), feel free to throw me roses or give me money or applaud. Thank you, thank you.
• I like my beats fast and my bass down low. Yes, I will drive around wearing a frilly dress listening to Roscoe Dash. I may look strange but my bass is pretty killer.
• Lilly Pulitzer. It's all just so cute and so... Perfect. If you're a sorority girl, I suggest you get on this. 
• Comfort Colors. There is no better t-shirt, tank top, or sweatshirt than a Comfort Colors one. They're cute, and like the name says, comfortable. They can be pricey, due to their thicker fabric, but they are beyond worth it. I only own two t-shirts, two tanks, and one sweatshirt so far, but I plan on investing in more. 
• Vineyard Vines. Whales, anyone? They're beyond cute, and so beachy! It's like summer all year long!
• Vera Bradley. Oh my Lord I own too many Vera Bradley items..... Just kidding- that's not possible!
• Chacos. You either love them or hate them. I, for one, love them. My two-tone blues may be kinda ugly, but at least they're beyond comfortable and great for any outdoor event!

There are so many more I could list but I'm afraid to freak y'all out... So this shall be enough for now. Comment your opinions and your "white girl" guilty pleasures!

xoxo, a.

The Best and Worst of School Technology

As school starts to get busy, I'm struggling to get posts online in time. I'm trying my hardest! And if anyone has any ideas for posts, please let me know!! I'd love to hear your suggestions!! Anyways..... Some high schools, mine included, tend to go overboard with technology. Some of their ideas are train wrecks, while others are very useful. Here are my reviews of stuff I used in high school:

The Best:

• Schoology: Okay, so this one is a toss-up. For high school, I loved it. But I'm not so sure it'll really be good in college. All of my classes could be easily accessed on my computer or on my phone, with an app that actually kinda works right. Occasionally, there were goofs, but as a general rule, this site was pretty cool. Hey that rhymed.
• Google Drive: I will literally swear by Google Drive. For starters, the interface is so simple, so you really don't have to learn anything new. Plus, you have plenty of free storage, and you can always purchase more if you really use that much (or just make another free account). Even better, you can access your files from anywhere with internet, and I'm pretty sure you can download your files for offline use as well (correct me if I'm wrong). 
• Canvas: I actually only used this for one class, so I'm not quite sure how I feel about it yet. But so far, so good. It's pretty simple, and honestly it's very similar to Schoology, but more geared towards college students. 
• Air Printers: So now I can print from my phone? Maybe this should go on the worst list for feeding my procrastination addiction. I have started something awful, but wonderful: download google drive app, do work during class change, print from phone. Who said homework is meant for home? Due tomorrow? Do tomorrow (or the next day or next week or just never).

The Worst:

• Citrix: Throughout middle school, I thought the idea of being able to get to your school files at home was AWESOME or "awsum!!!!! (:" in middle school terms... However, after going through the pains of downloading twenty different virus-inducing softwares (is that a word?) and STILL not being able to get to my dadgum English project, I'm so done. Even at school, it took a good 10 minutes to load all my files, and half of them mysteriously disappeared. No thank you.
• Wyse Computers: They were the absolute coolest things in 2009 but yeaaaahhh no. If you find one that keeps all of its keys for a whole week, steal it, it's rare. 
• Sixteen Thousand Different Types of Computers: Why do we need to learn to use all these types of laptops that are going to fall apart and be replaced with something new in a week? Sorry if I'm partial to, I dunno, quality products.
• iPod Touch Carts: No, I'm not kidding. This is a real thing. Teachers at my school could check out a cart of 25 iPod touches for their class to use. Did they really think we're looking at an ACT Prep app when the selfie option is still there??? The iPad carts weren't so bad, but iPod Touches???
• Prometheus Smart Boards: If you can get these things to work, I guess they're actually kinda cool. But considering only the dorkiest, most underestimated genius teacher (who is also 6'8 and very young- yes I was totally crushing on him) was able to get it working, I'd say it's probably useless for the coach "teachers" and most public school teachers as well.

I guess that's it for this episode of "the greatest and worst school technology"!! More to come later!

xoxo, a.

And So It Begins...

Tomorrow is the big day! It's hard to believe that after 18.5 years, I'm actually moving out. Packing has been... Interesting. I feel so overpacked, but there's still so much crap in my room that I'm not even bringing... How did I accumulate so much stuff? I blame my packrat sentimental mother. I keep EVERYTHING. Oh well, I'm sure my dorm will be full enough.

The guest room.. So much stuff...

Of course, the anxiety is starting to kick in. I'm excited, definitely. But this is such a huge step! I wish my sweet Zachary could be here with me, but duty calls (sob sob, sorry). At least I have my parents and 'Vallo friends. I wish Ern could be there with me (long story, miss you babe) but I have Marlee and Kaye and Britt! Yay me!

I have plenty food to keep me goin for a while, hallelujah!!!! College girl's dream, right?

Stay hydrated!

So. Many. Snacks.

I'm gonna cry, mom's gonna cry, dad's not gonna cry, Nanny's gonna cry, and Sasha will probably pee. Is it bad that I'm most upset about leaving the pup, though? Sorry mom, Sasha is my baby. I'm still excited though, really.

Packing the cars... Now there was a task. How the heck was I supposed to get everything I own (not really) into two cars??? Ugh, the struggle. Well, I mean.. They're actually packed pretty well. Between my OCD and mom's HUGE car, it fits pretty well. It's weird to have an empty closet and all but one outfit in the car... I'm beyond thrilled that it's supposed to be in the upper 90s-100 in Alabama this weekend. Man, what great weather to run in and out and up and down in.... Sooo looking forward to that....

This is a short post, but I have tons still to do... Wish me luck! I'll be posting whenever I can, but I may be relying on drafts for a while, so there may not be too many updates. Again, prayers and thoughts requested, this is gonna be tough. Thanks!

xoxo, a.

Review: Longchamp Inspired Monogram Tote

I promise I'm not trying to go commercial on y'all. I just think it's only fair that I occasionally give public credits to people who provide excellent products. I promise, I won't review every toothpaste on the marked and junk like that, only things that are relevant to this blog!

That being said, I'd like to introduce my first review. It seems as though I've done the impossible- I decided to join a sorority. So that means: Rush. And Rush means cute outfits and lots of parties (not that kinda party, mom) and lots of time spent not having time to freshen up. Hence, my newest purchase: my large Lonchamp inspired monogram tote. I bought it through Etsy, the most addicting site on earth... I spent a lot of time searching and reading reviews, careful to find a product worth the money. And I happened across this one. When I placed my order, I mentioned that I would either need it kind of soon, or I would need to change the shipping address to my college dorm. After just a couple prompt replies, I found that my order was actually ready to ship the next day. No extra charge! I ordered it Wednesday and received it Saturday. How fantastic is that? That alone made me super pleased with such a sweet gesture to ensure my satisfaction! The lady I contacted about the product was very sweet and prompt in replying.

And that was all before I even got it!! Y'all, I love this bag. It's big enough to hold everything I'll need for rush (extra shoes, makeup, snacks, etc.) but it's not awkwardly bulky or cheap! Longchamps were so popular in high school, but I never had the $145 to spend on them. This bag looks just like the real thing for a fraction of the price. It's so cute!!! I couldn't be happier with it all, and I highly recommend you checking out their Etsy shop!

I am obsessed with this bag!!! 

Thanks for reading this little review. Again, I promise I won't become some sell-out commercial blog. I just thought y'all would want to know about this really great purchase. I'm beyond excited to go to college (5 days what) and go through rush week. Now I have a totes preppy bag to make me feel like even more of a typical white girl! Life's good, man. Life is really good.

xoxo, a.

Knee Deep in the Water Somewhere

The moment had finally come. After four years of dreaming and planning and disappointment, I was finally on my way. Gulf Shores was calling my name. I could taste the salty air, the sand crunched between my toes... Granted, we were still in Shelby County, but I was ready.

Y'all, the last time I went to the beach, I still had braces. Let me set the scene. The wind whipped around the train tracks- the ones glued to my teeth. Yeah, that's about all you need to know. And if you still don't get it, here's photographic evidence:

Oh my.... 

So yeah, that's just... Not a pretty sight... But now I'm off, to the beach, as an adult.... With my parents. Don't get me wrong, I love them. But man I'd love to just chill on the beach with some friends. Oh well, just laying by the shore alone was lovely enough. Before the trip I bought this waterproof case for my phone! That way, I could take my phone on walks without being afraid of ruining it when my inevitable clumsiness reared its nasty head.

With four magazines (Cosmopolitan, Teen Vogue, Girls' Life, and Seventeen) and John Green's Paper Towns in hand, I head towards the shores. I'll admit, I've always loved the idea of laying on the beach with a magazine, but I've never been oh so fond of the exhibition. However, without a friend to goof off with me, I don't think anyone would take too well to an 18-year-old trying to catch with a fish with a net... So this year, as an escape from all the insanity of my ever so quickly approaching college days, I decided to actually relax by the shore. I love the water, but I also love a good tan line…

That was once a big fish...

Turns out, I suck at catching fish. Live ones, at least. I buried 3 dead fish, and I caught 2 fish skeletons... Gross. I spent most of my failed fishing time using my net for seashell gathering. I caught a couple neat ones, but there really weren't many big ones along the shoreline! I bought a new body board and rode a few waves, but I usually just ended up underwater with saltwater in my eyes. I saved the nerdy goggles for swimming in the pool late at night. May as well avoid as much embarrassment as possible, right?

I never had any trouble sleeping, my time in the sun absolutely wore me out. It was like being a kid again, especially in the cozy bunk bed I slept in… It was a strange arrangement, but the bed was long enough for my never-ending legs, so all was well. I had my monkey with me, so that’s all that mattered anyways. 

Shopping was fun. We hit up the classics: the shark at Souvenir City, Mikee's Restaurant (it's really so good), and the beautiful pier at Gulf Shores Park. It was hot as anything out there, with no breeze off the shore, but everyone sweats at the beach, so no worries. It took me years to realize it, but Souvenir City is just as cool in the back- there's a giant pirate ship, complete with a huge anchor and pirate!!

*typical white girl shark pic*

I became a pirate behind Souvenir City.

A crappy panorama of the view at the end of the pier!!

On Thursday, we decided to go to the beach at about 10, giving us plenty time in the sun. I could feel the sizzle on my skin, but it was not until a few hours after I came inside that I realized I had turned into a human lobster. No joke, I had the Coppertone baby butt. Luckily, I tan overnight, so I woke up with a lovely tan. Unfortunately, though we practically brought our entire house with us, we forgot aloe vera, which I would have preferred over the sticky lotion mom brought. On that note, why is everything at the beach so freakin’ sticky?!!?!? Rage, rage rage. 

On the way home, we of course made a stop at Peach Park in Clanton, Alabama. While my parents got peach ice cream, I opted for a cookie dough milkshake, and it was lovely. I'm happy to be home, for sure. The beach is beautiful, but there's no place like home.

I have "ridden" this "horse" every year at Peach Park for as long as I can remember. I grow- it doesn't!

Ultimately, the late night swims with mom and humid nights I spent reading on the balcony were worth the long drive and sunburn. Now, I have exactly two weeks until I move to Montevallo. I’m glad we got to spend time together as a family relaxing without a care in the world. Except, of course, the air conditioner going out at home where Nanny and Sasha were staying, and dad forgetting his phone charger at home. Regardless, it was a wonderful week, and it reminded me of my love for the ocean. 

I love my new floppy hat! I think it suits me..

Favorite place to be.

Momma's a good photographer sometimes! ;)

"Someone in the Air Force loves me!"
Sent on time, but received as a late anniversary present!

I’m feeling extremely refreshed and ready to move on to the next big step in my life. From here on out, it’s prep time!! Also, on a completely unrelated note, I came home to a package from my airman, what a sweetheart he is. I told him I wished I had something to cuddle with while he's away, and what did he send me? Take a look! I'll be back with more posts soon as I get ready for school! Off to pack!

xoxo, a.