Galentine's Day

Happy Tuesday!

I'm finally finished with both tests I had this week.. phew! All I've been doing the last few days is studying, so I'm allowing myself to take a break (but only for a couple hours, of course). 

Something I'm looking forward to this week (besides a break from nonstop studying) is Galentine's Day. My closest girlfriends (hence "Galentine's") and I are having brunch on Saturday morning, complete with all kinds of yummy food. I've been designated the caffeinator, what with me owning an espresso machine and all. Plus, Nordstrom inspired me to paint my own nails like this!

Wishing everyone a great week and Valentine's Day!

Gina

Monthly Musings

Wow, this past week has flown by! It's been a bittersweet mid-July for many reasons. First, I finished up my last few days watching two awesome kiddos. I also got around to (finally) unpacking everything from Rome. Tomorrow, I leave Dallas to spend the rest of the summer interning in NYC. I'm so excited, but I've had to pack for the city as well as for Omaha since I'll be heading back to Creighton right after my internship. To top it off, I was seriously the luckiest girl today because I was able to grab gelato with my friend Emma from my semester abroad! It was so nice catching up and reminiscing about all things Rome.

But anyways, on to what's been on my mind recently...

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale! I've already done my shopping, so hop to it! There are some spectacular deals that you really won't want to miss. 

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This week I received not only one, but two handwritten letters in the mail. Getting a letter always puts a smile on my face and writing one leaves me feeling very satisfied with myself. Reach out to a friend you haven't seen or talked to in a while and shoot a letter their way!

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I'm a book junkie; reading is probably my all-time favorite hobby. It's so easy to delve into a whole other world created by someone else. I just finished reading Four: A Divergent Collection and would recommend it to anyone who's read the Divergent series. You get a deeper look into a fan-favorite character, plus sneak a peek at what was happening "behind the scenes" so to say during Divergent.

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My two major pieces of luggage are London Fog beauties. While the price tag on these babies is quite high, Macy's is having a sale on practically every London Fog luggage piece!

I hope your summer days continue to be filled with happiness (and gelato) and unseasonably cool weather!

Gina

May's Monthly Musings

Yes, I do realize that there are only two more days left of this month, but that's not going to stop me from posting about the things I've been mulling over in my mind this May!

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Is there really anyone out there who hasn't heard of Divergent? It has not even hit the one month mark of summer, yet I've managed to read the whole series, read Divergent again, and see the movie in theaters (I swear I saw one of the last showings; it's May for crying out loud). I got the first book for Christmas, but just didn't have time to read it over break. While the writing is far from eloquent, the storyline will keep you reading on until you realize it's 2am and you should probably get to bed. It's a great read I'd recommend to anyone!

Here's my favorite line, which comes from the Dauntless manifesto: "We believe in shouting for those who can only whisper, in defending those who cannot defend themselves."

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Since getting back from Rome, I can't stop listening to the song "Rather Be" by Clean Bandit, my program's theme song. It took a few days before I could bear to hear the tune without breaking down in sobs, but now I enjoy listening to it since it reminds me of the past four months. I swear, it's going to take the US by storm before you know it.

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The recent weather in Dallas has truly been unbelievable. So, I've taken advantage of the unnaturally cool temperatures and have been exercising outside. After a run through my neighborhood, I love doing this Victoria's Secret Angel Workout in my backyard. It's great to do once you have your blood pumping! Plus, I know everyone's trying to get that perfect bikini bod.

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Continuing on with the weather trend, I love restaurants with outdoor seating, but the Texas heat usually makes dining outside unbearable. However, this low pressure system has allowed me to enjoy my favorite taco joint Torchy's Tacos while sitting outside twice in the last week. I usually frequent the Preston and Forest location, but I've discovered that the SMU and Garland Road locations have a very Austin-like vibe (in addition to a full bar) with a plethora of outdoor seating.

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In Texas, May means summer, which also means bringing my cute summer sandals out of hibernation. I'm completely obsessed with my new Lucky Brand Kyndra wedges (shop for them here)! Not only do they draw together multiple materials, but they're not too tall and incredibly comfortable. Plus, you can wear them with a summer dress or shorts, dressing an outfit up or down.

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May has been fantastic, but I can't wait to see what June will bring and what I'll find myself obsessing over next.

Gina

P.S. Nordstrom is currently having its Half-Yearly Sale and Lilly Pulitzer just released their 2014-15 agendas for pre-order. Shop away!