Pennies From Heaven

Ever since I was little I would always find pennies and other change in the strangest places. I had heard from someone that every time you see any coin in a weird or unusual spot it was left by someone in heaven as a reminder that they're still around! I used to find these pennies and then just smile, throw them in my pocket and forget about them. A few years ago I decided to save them in this little box I have. Every time I find a penny I keep it and add it to my collection!

The best part of the pennies is that each one has its own story depending on how/when you found it. I don't remember which specific penny in my collection I found at which specific place but the circumstances are hard to forget!

Next time you see a penny I hope you don't just ignore it! They seem to always come at the right time and never fail to leave a smile on my face!

Have you ever gotten a penny from heaven?

Tips to Avoid that "Drowning" Feeling

Being a freshmen in college, I always find myself "drowning" in my work load. With school work, actual work, tutoring and trying to keep up with friends, I find it hard to find time to even breathe (I should add that to my to do list). Here are a few things I do in order to try and keep my head above the water!

1. Lists, lists, lists!: This has to be one of the most important tips. Whenever I'm feeling too overwhelmed (which is more often then I'd like to admit) I always make a list. It makes me feel so much more organized when I have everything in order and laid out in front of me and I'm able to organize my thoughts and get to work!

2. Prioritize: Break things down into what has to be done first and what can wait for tomorrow. That way you will be able to get things done before they're due and not have to worry about finishing assignments/dead lines at the last minute!

3. Take A Deep Breath: No matter what I'm stressed about I always look back and remember that everything always gets done! Every time I had a due date for work or school I always got it done even if it was just in time. Basically what I'm saying is, it'll get done! Stop stressing...you will get it done!

4. Ask For Help: People may not be able to do your work for you but it's amazing how helpful it is to talk about your work load. Being able to talk about everything you have going on, makes the stress so much easier to handle. Plus, they'll be able to calm you down, which is crucial.

5. Keep A Calendar: It's so important to keep a record of all of the important things that have happened and all of the events and due dates you have coming up! If you have a calendar with everything written in, there will be no surprises which can keep the stress down without a doubt!

6. Me time: This one is sooooo super important! If all you think about all of the time is the things you have to get done, you'll break down. Every once and a while you must take time for yourself by reading a book (for enjoyment), watching a movie or even taking a nap! It'll allow you to clear your mind and you'll be able to start fresh again!

Next time you're in over your head, trying using some of these tips!

What do you find helps when you're stressed?

The Guest-House - Rumi

Whenever my english class gets cancelled (which is starting to seem like once a week) my professor emails us an assignment. Usually it's a boring assignment that just takes up time, but this week was completely different! We had to read a few poems and analyze them. The first couple I read were boring and I couldn't relate to any of them. Then, I found this one and I can honestly say I feel like I have a new perspective on emotions and how I should view them!

The Guest-House

This being human is a guest-house.

Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness, 

some momentary awareness comes 

as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all! 

Even if they're a crowd of sorrows, 

who violently sweep your house 

empty of its furniture,

still, treat each guest honorably. 

He may be clearing you 

out for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice, 

meet them at the door laughing, 

and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes, 

because each has been sent 

as a guide from beyond.

Say I Am You: Poetry Interspersed with Stories of Rumi and Shams, Translated by John Moyne and Coleman Barks, Maypop, 1994.

When I first read the title I expected a poem full of imagery and words I didn't understand painting a picture of someone's guest house. Boy was I surprised when it turned out to be the complete opposite!

The one thing I love about poetry is that everyone can interpret the same exact words into a completely different idea then everyone else! Here are just some things I found powerful in this poem.

Lines 7-12:" Even if they're a crowd of sorrows, who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture, still, treat each guest honorably. He may be clearing you out for some new delight." These few lines were my favorite. It took me a couple read throughs to try and figure out what this meant. I finally realized that Rumi was saying that sorrow can so easily swallow us up and drag us down and eventually empty us completely. How beautiful is it that he is able to see this as an opportunity for renewal and a way to start over with new, better emotions.

Lines 16-18:" Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond." I believe that word choice was crucial here for Rumi. He could've easily said that the emotions were simply sent from above but instead he chooses to say that they were sent as a guide. That these emotions weren't meant to fix us immediately but rather guide us to be stronger and joyous.

What did you take away from this poem? 

A Picture's Worth A Thousand Words

As you may know, one of my favorite things to do is take pictures. It doesn't matter where I am, I always have my phone out and ready to snap a pic. Here are just a few of my favorite pictures with the little stories that go along with them!

Love is Everywhere 

So I'm pretty sure Chinese food id the best food ever, I order it all the time. One day I was eating dinner and I looked down into my soup and this is what I found! I couldn't believe what I saw. It was so cool to look down and see four perfect hearts floating around in my soup!

Dad Doing Funny Things

This is one of my favorite pictures! It was my Dads birthday and we were at Texas Roadhouse for his birthday and when they sang happy birthday they made him sit on this saddle, it was priceless! 

Sunsets

I took this picture of a sunset two summers ago. I had gone to a little ice cream shop in Connecticut with my friends and family. Every summer we spend a week camping and we never fail to go to this ice cream place, it's a tradition! 

All Of The Lights

This was taken at a Fall Out Boy concert in June. I forget what song they were singing but it was so amazing seeing all of these people holding up their phone flashlights and swaying to the song. My favorite part of every concert is that everyone is there because they love the same music! 

Tips to beat the struggle of a long-distance relationship with your BFF

Ever since I could remember Jillian has always been my best friend! Our moms were friends in high school and then we just became friends through them! Only problem is...she lives in Colorado! It's so terrible having your best friend live so far away but I have to say that we are closer than I am with some of my other friends. Here are some of the things we do that keeps our friendship so strong!

1. Keep In Touch- I know this one sounds pretty obvious and it's definitely the most important. Jill and I text all the time and we try to FaceTime whenever we get the chance. With technology now it's impossible not to keep touch, you just have to put in the effort!

2. Pen Pals- Even though I just stressed how important it is to keep in touch with friends through technology, writing letters is also super fun! I love getting letters and packages. It's another fun way to keep in touch and also let the other person know you're thinking of them!

3. Visit- This is my absolute favorite one! There's nothing better than staying at your best friends house for a week and meeting everyone that you've heard so many stories about. Now that I'm older I'm trying to get there as much as possible, which is difficult but totally worth it. 

4. Be Open- Another super important tip! I tell Jill everything...literally, everything. It's the best feeling having someone who knows everything and anything about you. It makes it so much easier to go through everyday knowing there is someone who is able to help me through the tough times because she knows where I've been!

To Be A Kid Again

Do you ever look back on your childhood and wish you could just go back in time? Back to when it didn't matter what you wore,  when makeup wasn't even an issue and you could just leave the house with the messy hair you woke up with? Me too! (Even though I may still do this sometimes...) Life was so much easier!

Now I have to set my alarm super early just so I have enough time to do my hair and makeup. But now, when I look at the young kids I can't believe what they are wearing!! They all have their makeup done perfectly and their hair more straight then I could even imagine. Sometimes I even find my self envying them (Yikes!).

But then I remember how simple life was when I didn't care what anyone else thought of me. I was comfortable in my sweats and ponytail! Part of me feels sad for the younger girls now because when they're supposed to be having fun and not worrying about looks they are constantly stressing over their hair and "acne".

I have to say that I am very grateful for the childhood I had. Free of makeup and stressing about every little thing. I can't believe how much things can change over one generation!

Lyrics, lyrics, lyrics!

Other than watching Netflix, my absolute favorite thing to do is to listen to music! There's something about finding one song and listening to it non-stop and finding something new every time you hear it. My two favorite groups are Fall Out Boy and The Fray. They both have two completely different sounds but I think thats what I love so much about them! 

The best part of every song is obviously the lyrics! There is nothing better than going through something in your life and then you hear a song come on that relates perfectly to the exact same situation you are in.

Whenever I'm bored or super stressed and just need to relax I always go through all of my favorite songs, pick out my favorite lyrics and write them down! In my English class my professor gave us these notebooks and told us to graffiti the front. So, naturally, I put song lyrics all over the front!

I just love the way this one turned out. The colors work together so well and all of the lyrics fit together perfectly! I actually have a notebook dedicated to just song lyrics. It's so therapeutic!

Next time you hear a song or a lyric that stands out to you, write it down! You never know when it may come in handy! 

Ulta Mini-Haul...again

Let me just start of by saying how much I love Ulta and how much I love the picture that I took of all of the wonderful things I bought there! 

1. Real Techniques Silicon Liner Brush:

I had tried winged eyeliner once before and didn't like the way it looked. I tried it again recently and I loved it! One of my best friends is amazing with makeup and she has been giving me such great advice on makeup! She showed me this brush and I just had to get it! At first I thought it was strange that it wasn't made like a normal brush and made of silicone but that makes it so much easier to put the eyeliner on! Plus it was only like five bucks, highly recommended!

2. NYX Gel Liner and Smudger:

I've only used it as an eyeliner and I absolutely love it! it was cheap and you really don't have to use that much to get the job done! It stays on all day and looks great! Also, it comes of super easy with eye makeup remover wipes so, if you mess up it's super easy to fix! Also, highly recommended.

3. Ulta Cheek Color in Infatuation:

I was nervous about buying a blush without trying it before hand but the store was having a sale so I figured I should try it out! I'm not really sure how I del about it. The powder is suuuuper packed in and I feel like I struggle a little bit to even get the powder onto a brush! I might have to try another brand. Any suggestions?

4. Ulta Double Duty Lip Stain and Balm Drama:

I looooove this stain! Its the perfect color for anything! I love stains because you don't have to keep reapplying all day and it never smudges, so perfect! With this stain though you do have to put on a few coats but its totally worth it, definitely recommended, they have a bunch of great colors!

5. Ulta Matte 247:

For some reason their lipstick colors don't have names, just numbers! This one is the top one on my hand. I loooooove this color! I went to grab it to look up the number and I ended up putting it on just for fun (its 11:00 at night, whoops!) I also love matte colors so I couldn't go wrong!

6. Ulta Matte 221:

I love this color too! It's not matte but I love the little bit of shimmer that it does have! It's a subtle pink but it's still completely different than all of the others that I have. I definitely recommend the Ulta lipsticks

Have you tried any of these products? Have any favorite Ulta products?

Also, if you're into makeup or you're not really sure what to do be sure to check out my friends youtube channel 'MissMakeup' for great tutorials! 

Snow Day!

I'll be the first to admit that snow days are the best days! Who doesn't love getting the call or text from school saying that classes are cancelled?! Weirdos, that's who! I love being lazy and having no responsibilities but sometimes I feel like snow days allow for just the opposite!

The second I found out about the snow day I was so ready to stay in bed and watch Netflix all day long (Which I have been doing, don't get me wrong). But the whole day I had this nagging feeling in the back of my mind telling me to use this free time to get things done and be productive.

So, after watching a season of friends and finishing a puzzle I figured it was time to get to work. I did get a couple of things done but theres something about snow outside and warmth inside that makes me want to cuddle up and watch a movie.

I feel like I'm fighting to get my work done and it's not really working. Guess my snow days are going to be filled with laziness, hot chocolate and Netflix...poor me...

How do you pass the time during a snow day?

Ipsy Bag: January

Yet another amazing Ipsy bag! There's an Instagram for Ipsy and every once and a while they'll post little previews of what could be in the bags! I saw this gel eyeliner that I had been wanting for sometime but unfortunately I didn't get it in my bag. But, I did get a whole bunch of other great stuff!

1. Eco-beauty Moisturizer- I'm always a little worried to use new moisturizers because I have sensitive skin and the last thing I want is to break out! I waited a little while to try this moisturizer but I have to say that it worked wonders. My face was sooo soft and looked refreshed. Most importantly, no break outs!

2. Hikari Storm Eyeliner- I have a lipstick from Hikari that I also got from my Ipsy bag and it's one of my favorites so I was excited to try out the eyeliner. I usually only use black eyeliner but I was surprised how much I loved this silvery colored one! It went on really well and stayed all day!

3. (Malin + Goetz) Mojito lip balm- O.M.G. This stuff is amazingggg! Although I don't really smell mojito when I use it, I can't even tell you how well this stuff works! I used it when my lips were to the point of cracking and after a couple of uses my lips were super soft again. It's also perfect because if you don't feel like wearing lipstick but want something on your lips, this gives the perfect shine, I get so many compliments!

4. Pacifica eyeliner in Treasure- My favorite eyeshadow colors are browns and bronze which is why this color is absolutely perfect! It has a little bit of a shimmer which is great and it goes on super easy. I did find that I had to use a little more than I usually did but it was totally worth it. Might need to look into more of this!

5. Manna Karda Shimmer Lotion- The phrase "a little goes a long way" is an understatement when it comes to this product! I love the way it looks but you have to be careful because a lot comes out at once! 

What were your favorite products this month?

Room Re-Do!

My bedroom has been many different colors, the furniture has been moved a ridiculous amount of times and picture frames emptied and filled with new memories. I have to admit, I'm actually obsessed with changing my room around. With that said, I am obsessed with my new room! I don't think I'll ever change it again! My goal was to have a "grown-up" room and I have to say, I'm pretty sure I have achieved my goal! (Yes, I know it looks like it is off of Pinterest, I'm very proud of that :P)

I have been posting updates on the certain things I have been doing around my room in order to make it look more grown-up. I finally was able to put the picture frames and shelves up, and they looked pretty great!

My favorite part of the entire room? The lights! Look at how awesome they look! They make the room so much more peaceful and calm. They give off the perfect amount of light and it makes doing homework, writing papers and writing blog posts so fun!

Do you have any room DIY ideas? I'm always improving my room!

Isaiah 43:18

I am a Christian, a follower of God and I am proud of it. Because of my faith I have been able to over come obstacles that would have otherwise destroyed me. Dealing with the losses of two people who meant so much to me took a real toll on my faith. I couldn't believe that these things could happen to real people, it made no sense to me.

People always told me that everything happens for a reason, I struggled believing that was true for a very long time. Sometimes I still struggle believing it.

One day someone showed me this bible verse and it really put everything into perspective.

Of course it is wayy easier said then done but how great would life be if we were able to let go of the things that have happened in our past? Leave the dark days behind and simply enjoy each day as they come. Every once and a while I have to remind myself to leave the past behind and focus on the future, but, my faith has definitely played a huge role in my ability to do that.

Despite whatever your beliefs may be, it's so important to leave the darkness in the past and live a happy life...try it! 

Anniversaries

This week, believe it or not, I actually had two "anniversaries"! I never know what is actually considered an anniversary or not but I'll consider both of the anniversaries!

The first one I celebrated would be the one month anniversary of the restaurant I work at's opening! It may not seem huge to other people, but to the rest of the staff and I it was a huge accomplishment. We had a lot of bumps in the road leading up to this point but we had come together as a family and pushed through, it was so exciting! It's so empowering knowing that I helped open a restaurant. It's going to be so awesome when I'm able to look back in however many years and tell my grandkids that I helped open such a well known restaurant!

The second anniversary, unfortunately, wasn't such an exciting occasion. One year ago yesterday my grandpa had passed away. It was completely unexpected. I was dreading the one year anniversary because I feared all of the terrible memories from that day would come rushing back. My family and I actually ended up having a great day. We had a couple of people over for dinner, all people that loved my grandpa and we just talked about him all night. Funny stories and memories that we all had with him, it was exactly what we needed.

Sometimes I find that celebrating anniversaries or even little accomplishments that happen throughout life can make every day just a little bit brighter!

Have you had any small victories that had made your life a little brighter?

Here's The Story

Ever since I was little, I had always loved to write. I had books filled with poems and short stories, I didn't need people to read them, just the fact that I was able to write and be creative was enough for me! Now that I'm older I found the opportunity to write a blog. After I first set up my blog I wanted followers as soon as possible and as many as possible. Now I'm not to sure why I was so thirsty for followers.

When I was little, I was happy just writing because it was something I loved to do. Now, it just seems almost like a chore. I found myself saying "I have to write a blog post for tomorrow" "I have to go write so I can get followers" Now I'm starting to realize how silly that was! I go through and look at other blogs and I love reading the blogs that are just about people's lives. From now on, that's what I am going to be writing about in my blog.

Even if there isn't a lot of people reading my blog, I want to write about the little miracles that happen every day of my life, the funny moments I share with my friends and family and even the ups and downs of my every day life!

So, basically what I'm saying is, welcome to the life of Olivia...Here's The Story!

Tuesday's Top 5: Amusement Parks

I don't know about you, but one of my absolute favorite things to do during the summer is go to amusement parks. I love roller coasters and pretty much any ride that makes me scream so loud I can't breathe (and trust me, I scream a lot...ask my friends). Even though I am absolutely terrified of these rides I find it so fun and enjoyable. It's lucky that my dad also loves roller coasters just as much as I do, we will ride pretty much anything. Here is a list of our top five favorite amusement parks (so far!)

1. Cedar Point: Probably THE best amusement park we have been too! The rides were absolutely insane! I went when I was younger so I wasn't able to go on one of the rides but you better believe I went on every single one I could! At the time this roller coaster was the second largest in the world. We had waited online for about three hours and just as we finally strapped into our seats, they shut the ride down and made us get back in line. After waiting what felt like forever, we got back on the ride. It was the craziest and most exciting ride I had ever been on.

2. Hershey Park: Let me tell you, this place is not only about the chocolate! The rides are awesome! They have three or four major roller coasters which are absolutely terrifying and amazing all at the same time. My favorites are the wooden roller coaster (The Cyclone) the one where your feet dangle (Great Bear) and finally, the one with the terrifying drop right in the beginning (Fahrenheit). Not only do they have amazing roller coasters they have fun rides for people that don't like roller coasters!

3. Six Flags Great Adventure: This amusement park is without a doubt the best out of all of the Six Flags. The amount of crazy amazing rides is insane. The most crazy ride being King Da Ka of course.  When I first went to this amusement park was with my school. I had no idea what this roller coaster was but I heard it was incredible, so I figured I had to try it. We arrived before the gates opened so my friend and I decided to run as fast as we could to get to the ride. I had no idea how huge the drop was! It. Was. Amazing.

4. The Boardwalk At Wildwood: I recently went to the Boardwalk with a couple of my friends, it was an amazing week. We had soooo much fun and believe it or not, the rides were pretty intense. There weren't many roller coasters but there were plenty of rides that could scare you just as well. The windy spiny rides were so fun and exciting, the view of the water and the beach while at the top of the log flume wasn't too bad either!

5. Busch Gardens in Virginia: My family and I recently took a trip to Virginia in order to see what kinds of rides Busch Gardens had. We got lucky and the day we went, the park was empty! It was a little rainy, but it could've been way worse. We got on every ride without having to wait. One ride I remember was the Griffon. We rode this one at least four times. It was so scary but gave you such a thrill, the ride lasted a long time which was so awesome. I'm really hoping we go back there soon!

Do you know of any fun amusement parks not listed here? I'm always looking for a good roller coaster!