Hello my friends and welcome back to the blog!

            So I’m going to give you all the truth and that is that my prom was almost a month ago and I wasn’t going to do this post, but I decided to after all and I figured since other proms are still going on that it wasn’t too late.  The reason I didn’t post this sooner is because I honestly didn’t have a great prom experience this year.  If you watched my prom vlog, you know I was actually sick on prom day so it really didn’t make prom as enjoyable as before.

            I decided that since I did a post like this for the past two years, it would really hurt me not to keep up with the tradition.  Also, being that I’m a senior, this was my last prom so I wanted to share it with you.  I covered a lot of the details in my video, but I wanted to go into a little more depth here.

Dress

            THE most important part of prom (if you’re a girl) is your dress.  Now I started looking at dresses in December (prom was in March) and I had no luck.  I tried on so many dresses but I couldn’t find “the one.”  My mom actually found this dress and I was a little hesitant at first because it is quite different than the typical prom dress; however, I tried it on anyway and ended up really liking it.  I won’t say I loved it though, but I don’t think I could have found anything better.

            I got this dress from Macy’s (shout out to my grandma for buying it for me) and originally it was $129.00; however, I got it for around $100.00.  I want to put this out there for any girls that have been or will be going to prom: having the most expensive, luxurious dress is not what prom is about.  To me it’s super sad that prom has become this popularity contest with who has the most expensive dress.  It’s not about the price and you can get a beautiful dress (like mine) without breaking your bank account.

            Here is the link to the dress: https://www.macys.com/shop/product/city-studios-juniors-ruffle-trim-embroidered-gown-created-for-macys?ID=5499370&CategoryID=18109#fn=sp%3D1%26spc%3D161%26ruleId%3D78%26kws%3Dblack%20prom%20dress%26ackws%3Dblack%20prom%26searchType%3Dac%26searchPass%3DexactMultiMatch%26slotId%3D9

            For my shoes I actually ended up wearing the same ones as last year!  I didn’t feel like buying a new pair of heels (I despise heels btw) for one night.  Everyone ends up taking their shoes off during dancing anyway (with the price of blisters for the next 3 days), so to me it wasn’t worth it.  The shoes actually matched my dress very well! 

Hair and Makeup

            As I said before, I was sick the day of prom and I was supposed to go get my hair done but being sick, I wanted to save my energy for the evening so I actually ended up staying home and having my mom and sisters do my hair and makeup. 

            I went with very simple makeup this year and I loved how it turned out!  I also wore my hair up because my hair doesn’t hold up very well when it’s down.  I’m pretty happy with how everything turned out and I hope I look better than how I felt that day.

Date

            The second most important part besides the dress is your day.  Fortunately I found myself a pretty cool one this year.  So yes, I did not have a date this year (in case you haven’t picked up on the trend of the past few years I never have a date) and I’m more than happy because STRONG INDEPENDENT WOMEN DON’T NEED NO MAN (maybe that’s something I’ll cover in a future post?  Stay tuned.)  Anyways, I went with my best friend and had the most amazing time and that’s all that matters.

Dinner

You already know, the food at prom is amazing.  I’ve probably raved about the mashed potatoes before.  They did not disappoint this year.  Besides the mashed potatoes there was also a salad, buttermilk crusted chicken with Dijon, green beans, and sautéed peppers.  Oh and chocolate chip brownie with mousse  on top for desert (which we did NOT miss this year.)  YUM.  Needles to say, it was delicious despite the fact that I could not hardly taste anything due to my cold.

In fact, it was so delicious that I forgot to take a picture of it all but here’s the salad.

Dancing

Alright so I have to say I was slightly disappointed with the music they played this year.  Obviously since it is a Christian based event we can’t be jamming out to Drake or anything but I feel like they played a lot of songs that only a few people knew.  I want the classics like “What Makes You beautiful” and “Party In The U.S.A.”. 

Overall, prom was fun but I’m definitely not sad about it being my last one.  In my opinion, it’s fun the first time when you’re first experiencing it, but it kind of loses it’s magic after that, at least for me.  If you haven’t been yet I would definitely encourage going at least once.  You don’t need a date or an expensive dress, just go and have fun because from what I’ve heard, life gets pretty boring after High School.

7 Ways to Stay Healthy and Fit This Summer

I am so excited to finally announce that…SUMMER. IS. HERE.  For me this means: a trip to the beach, staying up late, bonfires, the county fair, and of course the most important part, no school.  Although so far my summer hasn’t been all that exiting because all I’ve done is binge watch 13 Reasons Why Season 2…but that’s not the point.  Anyway, now that school is out I want to try to post more this summer, so keep an eye out for more new posts.

            Summer can be quite busy for some people.  Traveling, parties, festivals, and all kinds of things can fill up our summer days.  During all this it’s easy to get distracted from our healthy habits and lifestyle.  So today, I want to share a few tips that will help you stay on track during these next few months.

We all get bored of eating the same things all the time.  This summer, instead of getting lazy and converting to a junk food diet, try some fresh new healthy recipes.  Pinterest has a variety of easy, healthy recipes that are perfect for summer.  Try some fresh salads or cold veggie wraps for a delicious, healthy meal after a long, hot day.

I don’t know about you, but I get tired of doing the same workout routine after a while.  Summer is the perfect opportunity to switch things up a bit and try some new exercises.  Or if you don’t want to change everything completely, try your current routine in a new order.  If you keep the same routine for a long time, a) well it just gets boring, and b) it makes exercising a little more interesting when you have something new to try.  Try a few different things and find what works best for you and your body!

It’s summer.  The weather is finally warm, and the great outdoors are practically calling your name.  Take the opportunity to be outside and enjoy the season.  Buy some yard games such as corn hole, latter ball, or a badminton set (which you can find at stores such as Walmart or Target for pretty cheap).  Evenings are the perfect time for having a nice fire in a fire pit.  Take advantage or warm weather and don’t forget to wear sunscreen (because no one likes sunburns)!

No more schoolbooks….so that means there’s plenty of time for what I like to call pleasure reading.  Summer is the perfect time to spend your days outside reading a good book.  Set a goal for how many books you hope to read this summer and finish them!  I like to get on Goodreads to check my “to-read bookshelf” and read reviews on books I’m thinking of reading.

5.  Tan naturally

Exercising doesn’t always have to mean squats and lifting weights.  You can easily stay fit by doing some fun things.  Try bike riding on some trails, going on hikes, or even swimming a few laps in the pool.  These activities keep you active and are enjoyable, plus you’re having fun and it doesn’t even feel like a workout!  Grab a friend to do these things with to make it even more fun. 

I know this is something you should be doing all year, but during the summer, it is especially important to stay hydrated.  Heat strokes are a real thing, but you can avoid that by drinking lots of fluids.  This summer try to stay away from sugary and energy drinks that are unhealthy and bad for your body.  Try to drink as much water as possible (I usually try to drink 64 oz. a day) and you’ll be good to go for the summer!

Eating Vegan for a Week

            “You’re crazy right?” yeah, that’s exactly what I said to myself too.  There’s all kinds of crazy rumors about vegans.  A lot of people ask “so what do vegans eat?” and don’t actually know what vegan means.  So if you’re one of those people, here’s something that will make things a lot more clear for you”

Vegan- no animal products (dairy, meat, eggs, etc.)

At first it seems really scary, but when you think about all the things you CAN eat, it gets better I promise.  In fact, there are probably things you eat every day that are vegan and you don’t even realize it.  It’s not always necessary to change your whole diet (unless of course it’s for a health related reason).  It’s easier to start out with the foods you’re already used too, instead of suddenly changing everything.

So now I’m going to tell you about my experience.  I would like to say, however, that if you’re seriously considering becoming a vegan to give it a lot more time than just one week, which is what I chose to do.  Lifestyle choices like this take a while to take effect.

Monday

From my journal:

[eating vegan] was a lot easier than I expected it to be.  I barely even felt tempted to eat anything else.  I think the most important thing is to have the right mindset (saying “I CAN do this” instead of “this is way too hard”).  I ate dinner at Olive Garden and it was extremely difficult to order something that wasn’t vegan, but overall it was a good start to the week

So obviously the first day wasn’t too hard, aside from the Olive Garden part.  Olive Garden is one of my FAVORITE restaurants ever, so getting something vegan was a little hard for me (but I still enjoyed it anyway).  Also, I have a short story about the whole Olive Garden experience.  So I wasn’t sure if I could have the breadsticks they serve, so I asked the waitress about it and she told me the breadsticks were not vegan, and did in fact, have egg in them.  So I went home, disappointed, but later as I was looking on a website that tells you about the food at Olive Garden (for vegans, vegetarians, and people with allergies), it said that they were indeed vegan after all.  So if anyone who works at Olive Garden is reading this, you owe this girl some breadsticks.

What I ate:

Breakfast- apples and cinnamon oatmeal

Lunch- chickpea salad (like chicken salad except made with chickpeas and vegan mayo. Tastes DELICIOUS), Trisquit crackers, and mango

Dinner- pasta with marinara sauce and salad

Snacks- waffle fries from Chick-fil-A

Tuesday

From my journal:

Still going strong!  Today was a little harder than yesterday, just because I felt “restrained from eating other foods.  I felt really tired in the morning, but I’m not sure if it was from my new diet or from something else.  But other than that, day 2 was a success!

            So yes, the motivation and perseverance from day 1 had worn off by day 2, but still pretty good by my standards. I read that it’s important to make sure you’re getting the correct amount of protein and vitamins that are in things like meat and dairy, so that’s one thing to remember if you’re considering going vegan.  I wasn’t trying too hard, since it was only for a week, but if you’re going to be eating vegan for a long time, make sure you’re eating the proper amounts of protein and vitamins.

What I ate:

Breakfast- peanut butter whole wheat toast

Lunch- chickpea salad and harvest grains (a mix of quinoa, orzo pasta, and corn from Trader Joe’s.  THE BEST)

Dinner- leftovers from Olive Garden, salad, and garlic toast

Snacks- orange, mug cake, cereal

Wednesday

From my journal:

It got a lot harder to stay focused and not eat things that I can’t have.  I think it’s mostly out of laziness because it takes a lot longer to prepare vegan and healthier food.  But on the positive side, I am getting more used to it.  I definitely don’t miss eating meat.  I’ve noticed I feel really good after I eat too.  I don’t feel bloated or sick after I eat which is really nice.

            That was when I started to notice the effect of what I was and wasn’t eating.  I really don’t like meat that much, so that was why I said it was one of the easier parts.  Also, I wasn’t feeling sick or bloated after I eat too, which is something I normally feel after I eat a big meal.

What I ate:

Breakfast- apples and cinnamon oatmeal

Lunch- baked potato and brown rice

Dinner- Mexican chopped salad wrap and tortilla chips

Snacks- apple, Trisquit crackers

Thursday

From my journal:

I expected to give up by now and eat something I can’t have, but that still has yet to happen.  Today I felt a little more “full” from my meals than I have the last few days.  The problem is that these foods still fill you up, but not for as long so you’re hungry more often.  Today was definitely easier and I’m still not missing anything.

            So yes, by this day I’ve gotten in the rhythm and routine of this, still not missing anything.  Also another thing is that like I mentioned, you still feel full and fulfilled from these meals, but just not for as long.

What I ate:

Breakfast- cereal

Lunch- Mexican chopped salad wrap and tortilla chips

Dinner- pineapple stir fry, peas, and a corn muffin

Snacks- crackers and hummus, mug cake

Friday

From my journal:

Still going strong as a vegan!  I really thought I wouldn’t last this long, but I’m actually starting to like it.  I feel less conscious of what I’m eating now, like it’s become a routine.  I haven’t been missing the way I used to eat either, and I’m considering sticking with this if it is successful.  Now all I have to do is make it through the weekend!

Okay so by this point I’m starting to get used to it….and surprisingly liking it!  I didn’t have to think as much about what I was eating, and nope, still not missing anything.

What I ate:

Breakfast- cereal

Lunch- pasta and fruit

Dinner- enchiladas, white corn, and corn muffin

Snacks- ritz crackers, trisquits and hummus

Saturday

From my journal:

            Today was probably one of the harder days because I went to work and all the food there was so tempting.  Then I went to Cracker Barrel for dinner and they had hardly anything that I could eat.  I still feel pretty good though (besides hungry all the time).

            So like I said, I went to work where I was pretty much surrounded with things I couldn’t eat.  Resisting the temptation was so hard, but I only had one more day left so I couldn’t mess up at the end right?  And let me just say, restaurants really need to get on it and have more vegan options.

What I ate:

Breakfast- apples and cinnamon oatmeal

Lunch- black bean/hummus veggie wrap, apple, and pita crackers

Dinner- salad, fresh fruit, and fries

Snacks- toast with jelly

Sunday

From my journal:

            Today was the last day!  I’m so happy but also kind of sad at the same time.  I’m really glad I did this experiment because I felt so good about what I was eating.  One thing I did crave today was dessert….not surprising, really.  Anything with sugar was on my mind today.  I also didn’t feel as full after lunch, which is one of the biggest things I’ve noticed this week.  But I did it!

            It’s such a good feeling to prove yourself wrong.  I never thought that I would last the entire week, but I did!  Like I said, I craved a lot of sugar today but I craved that even when I wasn’t a vegan.  But I had a lot of motivation to stay focused obviously, since it was the last day.  But I did it!

What I ate:

Breakfast- cereal and toast

Lunch- salad, pita chips, and hummus

Dinner- Samosa patties,

            So that was it!  As I said, I’m so glad I did this because you really do feel better about what you’re eating.  I would totally encourage doing this if you’re considering being vegan or vegetarian.  Just try it out and see how it goes.  Also, if you’re already vegan or vegetarian, send me some of your favorite recipes! 

FALL IS UPON US.

But let’s be real for a second.  I honestly don’t understand why people like fall so much.  It means summer is over, school starts, and the weather gets cold.  What’s so great about those things?  Anyway, I ‘m excited because I have a bunch of fall themed posts planned for the next few months, so make sure you keep updated with my blog by signing up for email updates and following my social media so you’ll be the first to know when I publish a new post.

Today’s blog is all about things to do during fall.  I guess some people call this a “bucket list” and I’ve never made a bucket list before, so let’s see how this goes.  All these things are things you can do on dates, with your best friends, or even by yourself (who needs other people anyway?).  So if you’re bored, hopefully this list will give you some cool ideas of things to do instead of sitting in the house and watching the leaves turn colors.

I went to my first corn maize ever last year (as pictured at the beginning of this post) and loved it!  This is a great fall activity when the weather is nice, and it’s super fun as long as you’re not scared of getting lost…….or of the critters that live in the corn.

I’m way too scared to set foot in a haunted house.  The thought of it creeps me out.  But if you’re looking for a creepy fall adventure, a haunted house is the activity for you.

Did you ever take a field trip to an apple orchard in school?  Guess what, that was probably years ago so it’s time to revisit.  Fall is harvest season so it’s always a good time to pick apples.

This doesn’t have to be for Halloween, if you’re one of those people that aren’t allowed to celebrate it.  Have your friends over, make hot chocolate, and dress up in your favorite costume. 

You can’t even find regular food at the grocery store anymore without it being “pumpkin spice” flavored, which is very annoying for people like me who absolutely despise any kind of food relating to pumpkins.  But if you are a big fan of pumpkin, try some new recipes this fall with pumpkin or apple ingredients.

Have you seen all the creative things you can do with pumpkins?  Hop on Pinterest or create a new design that will be sure to win.

Want some cute fall clothes?  No need to go to the mall and spend hundreds of dollars on 2 shirts.  Find a local consignment shop and track down some trendy clothes- for cheap!

You don’t need a photographer or a nice camera.  Put on some fall colors, grab a few props, and take some Instagram worthy pictures with your iPhone in your backyard!

You can do DIYs any time of the year, but look for some fall craft ideas online or redecorate something you already own!

Some days, it’s just too hard and too cold to leave the house.  These days are perfect for a cup of coffee, a blanket, and a good book.

I hope these things gave you some ideas for the upcoming season and let me know if you have any other ideas!  As always, thank you for reading and I’ll talk to you next time!