Living Small

Have any of you ever heard of the Tiny House movement? I have known of it for awhile, but I recently stumbled across a documentary on Netflix called "TINY - a story about living small" and it definitely sparked some interest.

So for those of you who don't know, the Tiny House movement is a social movement where people are choosing to downsize from their large, expensive homes and moving into compact houses that are anywhere between 100 and 400 square feet. While doing so obviously lowers many expenses and is more economical, the main idea behind it is to lead a simpler, more humble lifestyle.

The movie focuses primarily on a man who decides to build his own tiny home, but it also introduces people who already have tiny houses of their own. It was really cool seeing how these little houses had such big impacts on their lives, and how happy they seemed.  Even though it will probably never happen, its fun to think about living in one of these little guys :)

The ones that are on wheels are the cutest! They mainly do that to avoid a lot of the building restrictions in most places, but I think its so fun to think that you could take your house with you anywhere :)

Also, as you could probably guess, Portland has quickly latched on to this ideal and created a Tiny House Hotel. You can find their website here. If you ever book a night there please take me with you.


House 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Things I Love about December

I love the Christmas season.  There is something so comforting and lovely about the cold weather, happy people, and wonderful decorations lighting up the town.  These are some of my favorite things about the weeks leading up to this wonderful winter holiday.

Hearing Christmas music wherever you go

    This may get a little annoying towards the end of the season, but right now I am loving it! 

Seeing Christmas tress in front windows

     I absolutely love driving through the neighborhood and seeing twinkly Christmas tree lights    
      in everyone's windows.

Having an excuse to wear all of my favorite winter clothing 

     (even though its still 70 degrees out)

Everyone is in good spirits

     There is something about this time of year that seems to bring a sparkle to everyone's eyes.

Making Christmas cookies

     I think everyone can agree that Christmas cookies are one of the greatest things about December :)


What are your favorite things about this season?


Merry Christmas!

Christmas Advent Devotional

Every morning I wake up, pour myself a cup of coffee, and sit down to spend some time with God. Sometimes I'm not exactly sure where I should be reading in my bible, which is why I love devotional plans. They give you a structured plan of scripture from the bible and a valuable lesson or two you can take away from it.

This Christmas season I have started using a devotional by the girls of She Reads Truth.  SRT is a community of women devoted to growing closer to God and staying in His word.  They have created an amazing app for your phone and iPad that combines a bible and beautifully written devotional plans, accompanied beautiful photography and design.

For this years advent, they have created a devotional titled "O Come, Let Us Adore Him" that gives you scripture and a lesson for 28 days.  It's a great way for us to stay connected to God in this wonderful yet hectic time of year.  Every day a new devotional is posted, and you can set a reminder on your phone or iPad to keep you going.  Its such a magical thing to wake up early, snuggle up next to a fire with a cup of coffee, and learn more about God and the truth of this Christmas season!

Find She Reads Truth here

Coffee Talk Vol. 2

Holy cow has it been awhile since I have posted!  School has been just short of crazy, and I haven't had much time for anything else.  Since I haven't been on here in the past few months, I'm going to do a quick update. Without further ado,

If we were to meet for coffee

...I would take you to the shop I am loving over in town called Scout

...I would recommend you order their milk and cookies, or maybe a homemade milkshake (YUM)

...we would sit at a cute little table in the corner looking out at the Fromagerie across the street

...we would revel in the warm and cozy weather, and talk about all the things we love about this time    of year

...I would probably tell you about the bible study I am leading and rave about how cute the girls are

...we would talk about what God is doing in our lives, and maybe a little about where we're struggling

...I would tell you that I have been lacking creative time lately

...I might tell you that I've started rollerblading but I fell on my tailbone last week and my butt hurts

...I would bring up that I am planning to study abroad in London this summer and I am stoked for this to happen 

...Lastly, I would tell you how excited I am to go home for Thanksgiving!

The Learning Curve

My years in college have been some of the best of my (relatively short) life. Now that I am here I feel like everything else was just building up to this really incredible time.  Even though I still have two years to go, I have learned so many things here that I am thankful for!

Find what you are truly passionate about and pursue it

College is a great time of trial and error. Testing out new clubs, experiences, activities and hobbies. There is no time like the present to find your passions, because sooner than later you will be thrust very quickly into the real world.  If you leave college knowing what you love and are good at, it'll be that much easier to figure out what you want to do with your life.

Find good friends.

My college experience would've been extremely different had I not been with the friends I am with now.  Much of high school ended up being difficult largely because I did not end up with good people to spend my time with.  I learned from this, and when I got to college I decided to seek out the people I knew that exuded happiness, love, and most of all followed God.  These people are some of my best friends and I know that they will be for a long time. On a similar note...

Friendships come and go, which is perfectly okay.

Unlike what we assumed in elementary, not every friend you meet will be one that sticks with you forever. God may bring people into your life for a reason, and he may lead them out for another. I have had quite a few of these friends, and while we may no longer talk or see each other, I know that God brought them into my life for a reason.  People change and relationships change; this is a fact of life. It is okay to let some people go and invite new ones in.

Take responsibility.

Going to college means embracing a lot more responsibility then you did when at home.  You buy your own groceries, make your own food, do your laundry, work a job, etc.  Our parents aren't here to help us with any of this. Being on your own is awesome and freeing, but you do have to take responsibility for your actions and life.

Persevere.  

This is definitely one I have learned quite a few times.  Whether it be continually pestering people to find a job, going in to see a counselor over and over while changing majors, or studying nonstop to pass a class, perseverance is a big thing I have figured out.  My parents always told me "the squeaky wheel gets the grease," so I guess they trained me well for this one. :)

No matter what, stay true to who you are.

All throughout high school I was slightly insecure. I wasn't sure who I was or where I fit in, so I would act differently around different people simply so I could feel accepted. The problem was that this never made me feel any better about myself.  It just made me feel worse because all of these people saw different sides of me.

That is partly why college has been so amazing for me.  I came here and had a completely fresh start where I was able to find the friends I really wanted and be myself around them because I knew they accepted me completely.  I now and perfectly comfortable being myself around everyone because I have friends, family, and a God that love me for me.  I've learned that I am so much happier being myself and sticking to my beliefs and values.

...

These are just a few of the things I have figured out in the past few years.  Since coming to college I have learned so much about myself and about the world around me, and I know that I have a lot more learning ahead of me. I have made incredible memories, met amazing people, accomplished some really cool things, and I can't wait to see what comes next!

Inspiration

Here are some wonderful quotes and sayings that I have found lately.  I love collecting these little things to go back to in harder times.  It's always nice to have a reminder of who you are, what you're here for, and how great life is.

Hope these little guys provide you with some food for thought! What do you look to when you need to be inspired and have your spirits lifted? 

Coffee Talk

If we were to meet for coffee....

...i'd take you to the coffee shop I work at, show you around, and introduce you to my great coworkers

...i'd order a medium roast coffee (black) and probably a yummy muffin!

...i'd ask you how your summer is going and maybe vent about the humid weather a little bit

...i'd tell you that I am obsessed with the Real Housewives shows and I'm not ashamed

...i'd show you the awesome new planner I bought that makes me smile (found here)

...i'd tell you that I just baked chocolate chip banana bread muffins and they are killer

...i'd tell you about this new singer I discovered that sings beautiful songs

...i'd talk to you about God a little bit

...i'd tell you that I am learning that having a relationship with God is based on more than just feeling        his presence, and that even when you can't tell he is there you have to have faith that he is

...i'd tell you that I'm going to Oregon soon and I'm SOOOO EXCITED

...i'd ask you if you have any pets, and if so i'd ask you to show me every picture you have of them

...i'd say we should hang out again :)

Music Favorites

I love music. It is something that speaks to me in a way that not much else can. I listen to all different kinds, with playlists on my iPod that suit every mood.  One band that you can currently find on my playlists is Kye Kye.

The first time I had ever heard this band was at a Gungor concert (if you don't know who they are, I would suggest you check them out as well).  They came on stage and I was immediately entranced - the stage was dark apart from a soft red glow that came from behind.  You couldn't see their faces, just their silhouetted figures playing this beautiful music.  The lead singer had a really great presence and they did an incredible performance.

That was way back in February. I meant to look them up after that but never got around to it. Then, just the other day a friend mentioned to me if I had heard a band by the name of Kye Kye, and I immediately freaked out and told them this story.  I ran home and listened to their albums on repeat.

Their sound is kind of this ethereal, electronic mix.  The lead singers voice is beautiful and the lyrics are great. They are Christian, with some of their songs centered around their religion and others not. These are some of my favorite songs....

I hope you guys enjoy them as much as I do! If you know of bands with a similar sound please let me know because I love this kind of music :)

Happy Days

I follow a great blog called The Girls with Glasses.  It was created by two awesome girls who are cute, quirky, and both wear glasses like me!

Their latest blog post is a video they made titled "How To Be Happy".  Obviously the name gives away the main idea, but it essentially talks about finding your 'happy tools' for when you're having a bad day.

Sometimes life just has you down and its important to know what things can pick you pack up again.
I decided to sit down and make my own list of happy tools.  Here are the ones I was able to come up with:

Nature

This has got to be the biggest one for me.  Getting away from everything and retreating into the wilderness really brings you back to who you are and reminds you of what a beautiful world we've been given

Wear a Flowy Dress

When in doubt, slipping on a nice twirly dress and doing a few spins can really brighten up any boring old day!

Reread an Old Book

One of my favorite things to do is go back to an old book, preferably one I read in my teenage years. Reintroducing yourself to the old characters hidden between the dusty pages and coming back to a comfortable story you have heard before is a lovely thing.

Listen to Music 

I especially love Sara Bareilles when I'm in a funk. Her music is very fun and empowering. Pumping up the volume when her songs come on (preferably when wearing a flowy dress) can cure any bad day!

Bake a Cake (Then Eat It) 

Creating something yummy out of nothing more than a few ingredients you have in your pantry is slightly awesome.  Especially when you get to lick the spoon and eat the finished product a short time later!


What are some of your happy tools? I'd love to hear!

Why We Rescue

I have always admired those who rescue.  I have three dogs, two of which are from shelters and one of which was a stray. It is such a gratifying experience to rescue an animal.  You are saving these animals from living in the shelters and worse: becoming another statistic. The Humane Society of the United States says that 6 to 8 million animals enter shelters every year, and 3 to 4 million of those are euthanized. By rescuing an animal from a shelter rather than adopting them from a pet store or a breeder, you are changing this statistic and saving a life.

Okay, now that I'm done with the PSA, I want to tell you about something.

So there's this guy named Theron Humphrey. He seems like a pretty cool dude. I'm not sure how I originally heard of him, but somehow I found him on Instagram and was blown away. Every picture he posts is beautiful (he's from Washington so that is expected), but the photos I love most are of his dog.

Her name is Maddie, a coonhound rescue, and she is in almost every one of his pictures. He actually published a book about her (you can find it here) called "Maddie on Things", where he poses her on top of all different sorts of objects for fun.  There is also a blog of the pictures he takes here.

Apart from his adventures with Maddie, Humphrey has been working on a project. It's called "Why We Rescue", and it is essentially a documentary of people from all 50 states who have rescued animals.   There are beautiful pictures of the pets, the owners, and their homes.  Along with this Humphrey recorded the people telling their stories so as you scroll through the photos you can hear them speaking to you. He made this documentary so that others can see the beauty that comes from adopting, and how these everyday stories display just how transformative pets are.

I love this project.  It really communicates in a beautiful way how such a small act of adopting can change lives.  I know this to be true, and now other people can see how great it is through "Why We Rescue".

If you want to check out his project, click here!

Have any of you guys ever adopted pets? If so, tell me your story!

Weekly Update

photo credit: ginnerobot via photopin cc

It is finals week.

I am currently writing this in between cram sessions for my next test and binge sessions from my cupboard.

My mind is stuck in an endless cycle: sleep, eat, work, study, sleep, eat, work, study.......it goes on and on, with tests splattered haphazardly in between.  In this week, the hands down craziest time of the quarter, it is hard to think about much else.  Its hard to get your mind off the next thing on your five page to-do list, or how late you have to stay up in order to shove all of the endless information into your tired brain.

Its weird to think that people, myself included, can make it through this whole week without truly enjoying it.  We spend a whole five days (at least) studying, eating, studying some more, and occasionally sleeping.

We are spending all of our time concentrating on these tests that simply end up as a number on a sheet of paper.  A number that, in no way shape or form, defines us.  We were not created to ace a class, or get an A on a paper. And yet, we have grown up our whole lives in an education system that teaches us that we will only be truly worthy if we get good grades in high school, go to a good college, and graduate with a good GPA.

While this does kind of suck, obviously we will always have some level of concern with our grade on the finals.

Wouldn't it be nice  if we could just let the stress and anxieties of finals week go? We could forget about the pressure behind the exams and, while still studying for them, take time to enjoy the beauty of this world we live in.

In practice of this idea, I present to you some things to do to relieve a little bit of stress and enjoy this beautiful week.  Whether you are studying for finals or not, use these little tidbits to brighten up your day and bring some joy into your life!

 photo credit: jenny downing via photopin cc 

Listen to music!

Particularly, this playlist. Every song on it is worthy of blasting. If you want to be extra daring, dance around the room to it.

If you're feeling a little more mellow, put on Josh Garrel's Pandora station and I promise you'll be a happy camper.

photo credit: Jason A. Samfield via photopin cc

Go sit on a patch of grass and read a book.  Do it.  You can't not enjoy life while doing this.

 photo credit: John Wiseman via photopin cc

Do some simple yoga moves.  Practice your breathing, curl up in child's pose for a little bit, rest in downward dog to get your blood flowing to your brain.  These things will calm you down and relieve some of the built up stress.

photo credit: Funky64 (www.lucarossato.com) via photopin cc

When in doubt, watch a funny TV show or your favorite childhood movie.  Sometimes you just need something that doesn't require much thought after you've been studying for hours on end.  The movie Frozen should do the trick :)


Hopefully you can do some of these things throughout your week to relieve some of the stress and just take a breather.  Just remember, your success in school doesn't define you!

xoxo
Melissa

photo credit: ginnerobot via photopin cc

Valentine's Day

Happy Valentines Day everyone! In the spirit of the holiday, here are some beautiful valentines that you can send to all your loved ones:

Oh, Grumpy Cat, you know exactly what to say. All joking aside, I hope you all have a wonderful day!! :)

xoxo Melissa and Grumpy Cat

My Favorite Books

Every since I was able to read I have loved it.  I can remember going to the library almost every weekend when I was younger and pouring over the books on the shelves.  I would walk slowly through the aisles with my head tilted to the side, reading every single title and searching thoroughly for every book that sounded intriguing to me.  My curious young mind was completely enchanted by the words printed on the carefully bound pages in these books.

Growing up books were always my escape.  Anytime I needed something to do, had a bad day, or just wanted to relax, I would pick up a book from the stash piled haphazardly on my bookshelf and just start reading. Getting lost in the mysterious characters and faraway places hidden in the folds of a novel was my favorite thing to do.

As most readers do, I have a few favorite authors that I have been loyal to through the years.  Ever since I picked up their first books I have been enchanted, and almost every book they've written since then I have read.

    

The first author is John Green. Ever single book of his that I have read has been AMAZING. Some of his most popular books have been Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Our Stars.  I have read all of his books but the latter, which as most of you know has been made into a movie and will be coming out soon (If you have a copy give it to me now).  

All of his books are unique in their own ways.  An Abundance of Katherines is a book about a teenage boy who has dated 19 Katherines and been dumped by all of them.  Will Grayson, Will Grayson is about two boys with the same name (but utterly opposite lives) that cross paths one night.  Looking For Alaska is about a boy who is shipped off to boarding school and meets a very interesting girl who changes his life.

The second author is Sarah Jio. I just recently discovered her about a year ago when my mom picked up one of her books and passed it on to me. As soon as I read the first few pages of the book, Blackberry Winter, I was hooked.  All of her books usually follow two different time periods, the present and sometime in the past, and the two always end up intertwining in the end.  I have read every one of her books, and they are all incredible. There is mystery, romance, and drama in all of them and they are all unique tales spun by this fantastic author.






And lastly, as a childhood "throwback" of sorts, J.K. Rowling. Obviously most of you have heard of the Harry Potter series, of which I am thoroughly captivated.  I know some people don't agree with the magical aspect of this book, but the underlying themes in ever part of the series are what I really love.  Each book tells a tale of courage, strength, love, and friendship. They inspire you to believe in yourself to the end, stand up for your loved ones, and fight for what is right in this world.  The fact that it takes place in a world of fantasy just adds to the excitement :)

Recently I discovered this quote by author Anne Lamott, which sums up my thoughts on the written word well,

"What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares a paper unfolds world after world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet or excite you.  Books help us understand who we are and how we are to behave.  They show us what community and friendship mean; they show us how to live and die."

So, now that you can't use the excuse of "I don't know any good books!" anymore, go read one. Whether you pick up one of the books I recommended or find one lying in the gutter, just read.  Trust me, you'll like it.