What I Wore Wednesdays

So I'm going to try something new, What I Wore Wednesdays where I will post at least two outfits I wore that week. Here is my first one and hopefully I can keep up with this!



First outfit:
Shirt - Thrifted and then cut
Shorts - Urban Outfitters

Second Outfit:
Shirt - Thrifted
Shorts - Thrifted (Goodwill 50% off day, woo!)
Watch - Target
Belt - Thrifted

Happy Wednesday, it's almost a four day weekend! Woo!
Alex

The stars all gleam with possibilities.

I'm feeling a little drained from the first couple weeks of meetings, events and now classes so I like to read a little inspiration. I love this website and it always has good little reminders and positive thoughts. That specific post just reminded me of why I do everything I do. Sometimes I get really envious of the people who go to class a few hours a few days a week and then go home, hang out with their roommate or boyfriend, maybe do some homework and then just have free time without ever really being on-campus or committed to anything. Then I realize why I do this all, because I am exploring new ideas and opportunities and everything that comes my way. I give it a chance and that is how I am slowly discovering myself and the things that fill me with joy. Here is to doing what I love, working with people that I love (& sometimes hate), and living through stress-inducing crazed weeks of excitement and hard work to figure out what life is about, or maybe this is exactly what it is about.


From my hike up Camelback mountain, kind of scary hiking down in the dark, but worth it for the views!

Keep on keepin' on,
Alex

So long sweet summer

Before this semester continues into another whirlwind as this past week has been, I am going to share a little bit. I am moved into my new apartment, just brought in the last of the boxes today and everything is finally getting settled, I'm so pumped! It's very cozy and just the right size for me, and I haven't yet missed living with a roommate, but I have been surrounded by a million people at all hours of the day the past week, and probably will continue to be, so a little me time will be nice at home.

Farewell to a summer of world traveling, working, training, moving, playing, living.

To another summer that changed my life.
I went to Passport tonight, which is like an involvement fair for all of ASU, and it just got me thinking about a lot of things. Last year at this time I had just moved in, new at a campus with over 50,000 students and went to Passport by myself looking to find out where I would fit. Flash forward a year to today and I am volunteering at multiple booths, walking around with my best friends, waving hi to new ones, and roaming ASU with my heart full of happiness. Just knowing all the people that I have come to know and friends I have made, the places I have been and events I helped create and the whole experience that has been ASU and the past year is incredible. After tonight, I can't even imagine how amazing this coming year is going to be. Here's to the greatness that is this year, past and future.
So long sweet summer,
Alex

End of summer countdown

It's scary that it's almost the end of summer. How sad, but I guess I can't complain too much since I've kinda travelled around the world.. or maybe just Europe but still! I have totally been slacking on this blog, sorry for the 2 people that may actually read this.. but I was just not into it. I decided to step back and live life more disconnected and enjoy time laying by the pool, singing in the car and laughing with my sisters and so far it has been great. I don't want to feel guilty because I started this blog because I enjoy blogging, and I blog for myself so I should do it when I feel like it, not when it feels like mandatory homework.
Anywho, I still have things to check off my summer to-do list and better get to it seeing as my life turns back in to a whirlwind again in almost a week. I'm so pumped to get back into Tempe, going to class, going to meetings, playing frisbee, planning events for my apartment complex and meeting even more new people! Yay!
I've become attached to Tumblr. It's so easy and quick, and I love the tid-bits of information, quotes, and pictures. Good for busy people, and I can do it from my phone if I feel so inclined :] Here I am: Free to Wander Check it out if you'd like!
Here
Well I saw this and it is sooo true, at least from the girl's part and what I always want to say but never do. It makes me happy that guys do it too.
Well, just thought I'd catch you up on my summer. Hope you are doing slendid and enjoying the last of summer, but even more fun is just around the corner so don't worry!
Alex

Estate Sale Finds

So you think with all the free time I have,it being summer and all and only working a few days a week I'd be blogging all the time! But, unfortunately that's not the case. Sorry! Anyways, I've been keeping busy, sometimes I'm not really sure doing what, but I have been luck enough to go estate sale shopping the past couple weeks and I thought I'd share an outfit I put together from what I've found.
This is a cool pair of high-waisted vintage pants I cut into shorts!

How-to:
Get a measuring tape, scissors and a fabric marker or regular pencil works fine!


Try them on and mark what length you want them to be cut (I always give myself an extra inch in case I make a mistake or cut them uneven). Take them off then measure the inseams and make sure you marked them so they were both even and then cut the pant legs off.


There you go, a cool retro pair of pants, and the best thing is they were only $ .50, sweet! Don't mind the fact they look super uneven, it was just the way I was standing, or maybe my legs are uneven! ;]

The Elvis in concert tee is also from an estate sale, again for only $.50, yeeeahh!

I have found so many cute things for my apartment, hopefully I can get some pictures of them. If not you will probably see pictures of my apartment when it's all put together and it will mostly be decorated with thrifted things and stuff from estate sales.

Well I'm happy to be back working and enjoying the last week until my sister's home.. I can't wait! Have a happy week!
Alex

Happy 8th!?

Okay, so I may be a little late for the Fourth and a little behind in blogging. Which I really don't know how with the lack of things I've been doing. Just staying busy watching movies, estate sale shopping and cooking. It's been a nice couple of weeks off, but now I'm ready to go back to work. A couple more days and I'm back, woo! Who would have thought I'd be so eager to start work, but I'm not good at not doing much.

So here are some pictures from the Fourth, which was my first in Arizona because I've been celebrating it in Texas for the past 7 years or so... crazy! Hope you all had a fantastic Independence Day!



So here are some of my summer plans that I hope to complete by the time I move back to Tempe!
Go to the zoo
Make a DIY statement necklace
Get apartment decorations(already started, more on this later!)
Start a Tumblr
Scrapbook with my Study Abroad pictures
Go to the River
Take a trip to Cali
Make a t-shirt quilt with all my old shirts I've been saving
Blog (more frequently than I have!!)
Go estate sale/thrift store shopping
Practice my photography (use my new tripod!)

I'll add more and check them off as I go, assuming I accomplish them! So I'm halfway through with Summer, but there's no reason I can't get these things done! Trying to keep myself busy with my lack of a twin and dying to get back in my pace of work, school, clubs and all that jazz.

What're your summer plans?
Alex

PS: Just saw Horrible Bosses, and it was amazinggg!! So funny!

Hope

I'm back! Ah, it feels great! Actually cooking my own meals, eating Mexican food, DRIVING (on the right side of the road!) and being with my family in the warm... okay maybe scorching, weather. I've been running in the mornings because my internal clock now has my waking up at 6:30am, but I love mornings so I'm okay with it. This morning I used my EA Active for the Wii that I bought myself for my birthday. It was actually a really good work out, and kind of kicked my butt. I'm excited to use it more and keep track of my progress. So my last weekend in Scotland went well. The last night we went out and found a pub that was open late and they just so happened to turn on the Glastonbury festival and Mumford & Sons was playing. Just the cherry on top of a wonderful night. After 12 hours in the air and a few movies later I made it back to Phoenix, and have been soaking in the joys of being home the past few days. Being away has definitely taught me an appreciation for not just America, but Arizona and Phoenix. I have always loved where I am from, and coming back after the trip I especially appreciate the sunshine, open spaces, and amazing people Phoenix manages to encompass. Ah, all I can say is it is fantastic to be home, and it feels almost surreal that I have more than a month of being here until school starts again! I'm hesitant to start work again, but a few days a week will keep me satisfied I suppose.
I can't believe it is over, but every new beginning comes from some other beginnings end as they say. So here's to another chapter, after my mind has been opened even further to more cultures and the people around me. I have learned more about myself; how I am when I don't get enough sleep, when I have too much caffeine, when I'm angry, and when I cannot stop laughing and how the people that stick by me through all of that I can really consider friends. So thanks to the girls that I hope to continue to watch movies all night and make up accents with - my trip would not have been the same with out you.
Here is the letter our professors wrote us and read to us the last night of the trip and pretty much sums up my fantastic time abroad.

Each year I pick a theme for the group that I think captures some essence of this group. This year I've picked the word 'hope'. Primarily because a number of you had conversations with me during the year, hoping that you'd find the money to make the trip; hoping that someone would help out; hoping that you'd have the time; and hoping that it would fit into your schedule.
So, Drs. Tracy, Brouwer and Edson put together some thoughts for you--
What we hope you've learned by coming on this trip--
that money is better spent on adventures and experiences like this versus consuming things you think you need to own.
we hope that you've learned to trust in yourself
that anything worth doing well is worth doing badly in the beginning for example:
remember going the wrong way on the tube?
learning to ride the bus, where to buy the tickets for the bus; how to buy the tickets, and just what was it that the bus driver said?
learning to walk places because you can (OK, so its not 110 outside)
we hope you've learned that: a good Guinness is always pulled twice;
that there is a bell curve to drinking--one glass of wine or beer maybe better than a whole bottle or two of wine
we hoped that you've learned (back to walking) that walking is a form of transportation and isn't that bad.
how to live without your car, your cell phone, your text messages, and that you can choose to be disconnected;
we hope you've learned being outside of America--that you get to see how America and Americans are seen by others and how that may differ from how we see ourselves;
we hope that you've learned that you needn't go the bathroom immediately, you can wait, especially when we are at the theatre;
We hope you've learned that practical shoes work best on cobblestone streets;
how to travel how to get places, what to do when you arrive in a city or place you don't know
That beauty sometimes comes without lots of make-up and alterations;
that maps are a good thing
that you need not have a computer lab, or a traditional classroom to learn
that extraordinary learning can take place between and outside of the classroom;
we hope that you learned some history about:

Ireland
England
Great Britain
and Scotland
so that you understand just a wee amount about the people who live in these places.

We hope that you've learned that families come in weird and wonderful configurations and that this family (although about to split up) has provided you with wonderful new friends; challenging people and situations that you've learned from; and in general a sense of just how wonderful and different people are!

And finally, we hope that you've learned that professors not only care about course work, but that we also care about you as whole people and we hope that you've learned that memories--in the end--are all that we are left with. So we, Sarah, Dan, and Belle--thank you for being part of our memories. And we hope that others here will be a part of your memories in the coming years.

Dr. Edson, Dr. Brouwer, Dr. Tracy


Went Downtown and had some iced coffee and took photobooth pictures with the awesome big sis this morning, I'll share some of that later!
Have a happy Fourth of July weekend!
Alex