Easy Halloween Costumes

Happy almost Halloween, y'all! I just got back from a fantastic Georgia/Florida weekend in St. Simons, and all I have to say is GO DAWGS! I was so proud of my team for pulling out that win and our formerly struggling defense for not allowing the Gators to score a single touch down! After a loss to South Carolina and a struggle against Kentucky last week, no one thought we could win, but my babies sure proved them all wrong!
Enough about football though, it's time to look forward to Halloween on Wednesday. I haven't picked out my costume yet, but I have a few ideas for those of you like me that are going to have to throw something together last minute.

1. Sandy (at the end of Grease) | Pair some black leggings with a black, off-the-shoulder top, hoop earrings, and show-stopping red high heels for this look. Curl your hair and rock this look with confidence, and you're "bad" Sandy! I might just love this because Grease is one of my favorite movies.
2. Tom Cruise in Risky Business | This is my favorite idea for a costume ever because it costs no money and would be so comfortable. Just raid your guy friend's or brother's closet for a white button-down and boxers to wear with tube socks and sunglasses. Boom. Comfortable and cute without being too revealing.
3. Karen from Mean Girls | Though Karen rocks some rather risque lingerie, you can make this funny costume with a classier black dress with a silver ribbon tied around it and, of course, the mouse ears. This is what my roommate is wearing and she intends to walk around all night tell everyone, "I'm a mouse, duh!'

What are y'all dressing up as for Halloween?

Love and hugs,
Blake
"When you stop doing things for fun you might as well be dead." -Hemingway

I just can't contain my excitement!

Right now I'm sitting in class, anxiously awaiting this afternoon when I will be on my way to St. Simons Island for Georgia-Florida weekend! The only things standing in my way are two classes and and an Educational Psychology test (NOT looking forward to that). But then, at three, I'll be headed down south for a weekend on the beach! I am so excited. This will be my first time going, and for those of you not quite in this culture, it's a BIG deal. I take for granted that not everyone grew up in Athens where everything is planned around the Georgia-Florida game. After all, UGA's fall break is basically just for this game.
I'm currently in a class on 300, and I'd estimate that there's about half of that in here today. UGA students are making their way down to St. Simons Island for the pre-game celebrations: Frat Beach. While I've never been, I've seen pictures. The beach is absolutely packed and can get a little crazy. Then, on Saturday, everyone heads over to Jacksonville, Florida (the neutral playing territory) to tailgate and maybe go to the game- if you can find a ticket! This weekend though, I'm just staying in St. Simons and watching the game on TV :)
I'm so happy that I finally get to experience this Georgia tradition that I've heard about for so long. If any of my readers are headed that way as well- be safe and have fun! And GOOOO DAWGS! SIC EM!

Love and hugs,
Blake
"Live a little; love a lot" -Kenny Chesney 

My Top Ten iPhone Apps

Last Friday I traded in my old clunker Android phone for a new iPhone 4s! I am absolutely in love with it. #TeamiPhone all the way. I've spent so much time playing around with it and finding out which apps I can't live without. Besides the basics (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc), I can already tell that these top 10 are ones I will be using religiously. Plus, they're all free! (I'm way to cheap to shell out even .99)

Background courtesy of Carly over at The College Prepster :)

1. Evernote
I've been using the Mac app to take notes in for my classes this semester and I absolutely love it. It has such a clean and simple organization that auto-saves and automatically backs up your files. If you download the iPhone app, they automatically sync there too so you always have them with you! Lately I've started using this app as place to keep track of all of my lists. I have a "notebook" for my blog, so when I think of a good post idea, I just jot it down in Evernote and I have it saved on my laptop and phone! The other night I had a great idea for a post as I was about to fall asleep, and I just typed it into my Evernote app on my phone instead of forgetting about it. I cannot sing the praises of this app enough!

2. Shazam
Am I the only one that gets really bothered when I hear a song playing somewhere and I just can't put my finger on what it is? Just me? Ok, Shazam solves that problem! Just pull up the app and have it listen to a sample of the song that's playing and it will tell you the title and artist. No more arguing whether it's Billy Currington or Dierks Bentley that sings that song because you get them mixed up. Once again, am I the only one that does that?

3. Bejewled Blitz
I am addicted to this game. It's perfect for those little bits of time when I'm just sitting at the bus stop because one game is so fast. It's simple to learn and easy to play! I play Bejewled Blitz so much that I swear I see an ongoing game when I close my eyes at night.

4. Gas Buddy
Whoever came up with this was simply a genius. It takes your location and gives you the gas prices at the nearest gas stations! It's great way to find the cheapest gas around you.

5. ESPN Score Center
All the quick info about any current game in one app!  The "My Teams" feature allows me to keep up with my Dawgs with real time updating when I have to miss a game. I can also flip over to the NCAA Football tab to check all the scores for the day! I'm sure someone that's more sports obsessed than me would find this even more useful, because I doubt I'll be using it once football season is over.

6. IMDb
What I love about Shazam, this app does for movies. I watch a lot of movies, and I always feel the need to know what I've seen someone in when they look familiar. I can just whip out my phone and look up the cast! Then I get back to my movie without constantly wondering "Where have I seen them before?"

7. StudyBlue
I have sung StudyBlue's praises repeatedly on this blog. The iPhone app allows me to always have access to flashcards and other study materials for all of my classes in my pocket!

8. GroupMe
Though iPhone has a group messaging feature, this app is the best for communicating with those who don't have one. We used this at camp this summer to quickly give each other information without having to individually text a ton of people and relay it back. Even if someone doesn't have the app, it all shows up in one message thread.

9. Units Converter
Living in my apartment has been an adventure in cooking. Most of the time, the recipes I use serve a lot more than just the two I'm usually cooking for. This converter easily allows me to figure out just how much I need of a unit if I cut something in half and may not be able to exactly measure 3/8 of a tablespoon or forget for a minute how many cups are in a quart :)

10. The Weather Channel
I check this app every morning before I get dressed. It has the basic forecast for the day right on the first screen, and an hour-by-hour is only a swipe away. This is a necessity for unpredictable Georgia weather! No more getting caught in Norts when it's freezing or long-sleeves when it's hot.

What are the apps you can't live without?

Love and hugs,
Blake
"Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." -Emerson

Recent Realizations

Lately I've had a lot of time to think and I've come to a major realization:
I don't actually know what I'm doing in life, but it's ok, because I never have.

I've been looking back on what I was like a year and a half ago when I was transitioning from high school to college and it's crazy to think how different everything was. I had everything planned out. I was going to Lee University, majoring in Journalism, rushing a certain local sorority, leaving Athens and never looking back. I thought I had it figured out.

I was so wrong.

Lee was a nice place, but it wasn't for me. It was nothing like I imagined my college experience. I couldn't find somewhere to fit in. There's a very certain type that truly enjoys it there, and they just aren't anything like me. I started taking Intro to Communications, the first class for my major, and I absolutely hated it. I found it all incredibly boring and when we began talking about Journalism, I realized I couldn't see myself doing that for the rest of my life- at all. 

In short- I was miserable. Thanksgiving break rolled around, and I went out to eat with my parents in downtown Athens. The trees were decorated with lights like they are every holiday season and it suddenly hit me how much I loved Athens. It's such a wonderful, perfect town. I had no idea why I ever left and realized- I wanted to transfer to UGA. In that moment I made an amazing decision and I'm so glad I did. I'm now at UGA majoring in English Education and I'm so happy.

Lately I've been questioning the plans I'm making but I'm beginning to see that everything in my past has had a way of working out, so why shouldn't my my future? I just need to keep trusting in God and seeking His plan and it will all be ok.

Love and hugs,
Blake
"Call to Me and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things which you do not know." Jeremiah 33:3

"We Won't Ever Look as Good as we do Now"

Finally, I'm done with all of my tests! I made it through and now it's time to celebrate. Tomorrow, I'm going to see Luke Bryan! The title of this post is from his song, "Love in a College Town," one of my favorites. I'm so excited. I'm just a little in love with him; I mean, look at him.

Yes, I will shake it for you.

PLUS, two friends from my old school are coming to visit! (Which means I actually cleaned my apartment) However, I've been so caught up with school that I realized this afternoon that I had no idea what to wear. It's on a farm out in the middle of nowhere, so I decided to go the simple route with a lightweight blouse, skinny jeans, and (of course) cowboy boots. I put together a similar for y'all here; unfortunately the boots are the only thing I own!

H&M chiffon shirt /Seven for all Mankind Skinny leg jeans, / Steve Madden stacked heel / Bauble Bar Chain link necklace

Are y'all going to any fun concerts anytime soon? What are you wearing?

Love and hugs,

Blake

"I am just what I am, I'm just what you see. So I'll make it easy, I'll stay me."   -Luke Bryan

Studying Sunday

Happy Sunday loves! After an absolutely HEARTBREAKING loss from my Dawgs last night (still love them and my school!) I'm spending today studying for my LAST MIDTERM! Wooooo! I'm curled up on my couch with my favorite coffee mug, big t-shirt, yoga pants, and notes with a Sex and the City marathon on TV. All in all, it's a pretty good day.

Hanes t shirt / Victoria's Secret activewear pants / Five Star Style Wirebound Notebook 1 Subject / Elemental Poppy Mugs- Set of 4 : Target

Love and hugs,

Blake

"Decide what to be and go be it" -The Avett Brothers

It's Ok Thursday

For this post I'm linking up with Neely over at A Complete Waste of Makeup. I'm really needing an "It's Ok" day because I am struggling!

It's ok...

• That I'm completely dragging this morning due to lack of sleep, and I'm not getting much more tonight
• To want to kill the girls around me in class that feel like it's ok to have a full conversation during a lecture...but not to act on it ;)
• To eat the ridiculous amount of calories I've been consuming over the past few days because I eat a lot when I study
• To wish it was this time next week so I'm done with all my tests and getting ready for Luke Bryan!
• To still be unsure of who I'm voting for in this election
• That (speaking of the election) I generally hate most political opinions voiced in a facebook status or tweet
• To be terrified of the future
• To want a nice boy to date one minute and to be single for a long time the next
• To be craving a Chick Fil A biscuit something fierce right now

Love and hugs,

Blake

"Nothing can bring you peace but yourself" -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Happy Mean Girls Day!

"On October third, he asked me what day it is."

AND It's a Wednesday!

Mean Girls is a classic movie and if you don't think so, you're wrong. It's flawless, just like Regina George. 

Love and hugs,

Blake

"That is SO fetch."

Putting Things in Perspective

There are currently a lot of things stressing me out, but there are also a lot of things to be excited about. I've got to think about both to keep from going insane with anxiety.

Stressful things:

• I have a Weather and Climate test on Friday and I just straight up don't get it. No eloquent way to put that.
• I have so much to learn for my Anthropology midterm on Monday, but (bright side) I find it much more interesting than... weather.
• I'm not doing so hot in my Educational Psych class, which is really discouraging because, you know, my major is in education.
• I'm having kind of a mid-college crisis and realizing I'm not so sure I know what I want to do with the rest of my life right now. I just have so many interests and I want to pursue them all!
• My apartment is a mess but I just don't feel like cleaning. 

Exciting things:

• I LOVE OCTOBER! Soon, maybe, it will actually be cold enough to wear long pants!
• There are so many things to look forward to after this hump of midterms: the Luke Bryan concert, Georgia-Florida game (aka a weekend in St. Simons!), and Halloween!
• Math, my worst subject, is currently the least of my worries! Today we had a group quiz and for once I was the one people asked questions because I actually knew what was going on.
• It's Tuesday, which means $5 large Papa Johns pizza. Judge me.
• Saturday's UGA/USC game is going to be a good one and will be a much needed study break!
• Supernatural and 30 Rock both come back on this week! Revenge is already back AND SNL is new on Saturday! Sorry... I like TV.
• I'm about to take a lovely nap.

There are so many more things to look forward to than to dread! Sometimes all it takes is listing it out to make you realize that.

Love and hugs,

Blake

"Keep your face always towards the sunshine and the shadows will fall behind you." -Walt Whitman