Merry Christmas!

For all of those that celebrate Christmas, Merry Christmas to you!! (and a very, very happy day to those who don't!).. My family celebrated altogether last night (my first time as an 'adult' in the family... never realized how watching the kids open presents, and not opening any myself!). Stockings are the main event in my family, so I was super stoked for that! I got lots of everyday things that I didn't want to buy for myself (haha best ever).

Today at approximately 3 am, my youngest brother woke me up to tell me that Santa had visited. Usually I'd be excited, but I knew what Santa brought me this year, so I stayed in bed. At 7, mom woke everyone up and we got to open gifts from mom and dad (mom bought me a book about surviving away from your mother... haha, love her ideas).

Church went old school with hymnals (and an extremely short message!) and we all went over to grandma's for brunch (pancakes and bacon!). Later this evening, we're having ribs and other manly meaty meals, and going to the movies!

This is new for us, our traditions are really strict and the same every year, but with Christmas being on Sunday, and having church, it kind of threw us all off! It was still wonderful. And I am so thankful for my family and the time I get to spend with them. Plus, I got new owl jammies. No complaining over here! ;)

Merry Christmas,everyone!

So thankful for all of you! ♥

xo Haley

Christmas Cheer.

As a reference, the picture below is what I'm used to during the Christmas season...

My mom takes great pride in our home during the holidays. As soon as we get back from St. Louis for Thanksgiving, the tree is up and the house is full of snowmen. Sometimes, it even happens before Thanksgiving. I l.o.v.e my home during this time of the year. So cozy and just all around Christmas-y.

To no surprise, this Christmas has just snuck up on me! Usually I have my mom's winter decor around to remind me that Christmas is coming, but this year, it was all left up to me.

Moving out on my own has been the best experience (it's hard to believe I've been on my own for 6 months!), but things have been a bit challenging when it comes to making my new home feel like Christmas as well.

Anna put up Christmas lights (which I love!) and then she taught me (and Blake) how to make paper snowflakes (can you believe I couldn't remember how to make them?!).

I then saw a photo that Elsie had pinned on Pinterest and since we don't have a real Christmas tree in our home (waiting for Targets post-Christmas sale.. but I'm still holding out for a pink tree!), I told Anna we should use our snowflakes to make a tree on one of our huge windows!

I woke up to quite the surprise this morning when I noticed Anna made one last night!

In addition to the snowflake tree, I have like, 3 mini sized Christmas trees in my bedroom.

Seriously, Target is Christmas decor heaven.

I have found thought, that one of the perks of moving away (and close to downtown Springfield) are the lights...

These are the gorgeous views from right outside my window!

Christmas is my absolute favorite time of the year. I just love the cozy feeling and cuddling up on the couch with a good Christmas movie and hot tea. Best feeling.

I'm making a list of Christmas traditions to start (and Elsie is providing great inspiration lately!), do you have any ideas or suggestions?! I would love to hear some of your favorites!

Blake and I have multiple jammie days during the holiday season (our first is tomorrow! We have lots of movies planned to watch!), but I'm itching to start some new traditions!

Send your ideas this direction ;)

Merry early Christmas, everyone!

Only a little over a week to shop! Eeek!

xo Haley

One Year.

One year.

One extremely wonderful year with this boy.
I have no words to express just how grateful I am for Blake.

A little over a year ago, I was really bummed, like all of the time. I was going through my own personal hell and he was just there for me, no matter what. He was a friend to me when I needed one most. And now, over a year later, I love him more than I could ever say.

Blake, you make me the happiest girl. I can't believe how fast this past year has gone by. I've loved absolutely e.v.e.r.y. minute of it, and I can't wait for the next year, and every year after that. You mean so, so much to me. Let's spend forever together, okay? Okay. :)

xo Haley

All I Want For Christmas...

1. I have had my eye on this beautiful Anthro bed frame for years... sigh. The $6,000 price tag has this wish on hold for a while. 2. I love anything and everything Bare Minerals. Get me a gift card to Bare Escentuals, and I will be in heaven. Seriously. 3. The Complete Sex and the City series. Yes. Puhlease. Not to mention, the SATC/HBO gift shop has Samantha inspired fake lashes. Adding that to my wish list... 4. A REAL Orla Kiely bag... I have a fake that I got in NYC last summer, but a real one would be a dream. 5. Hunter wellies. I absolutely love these boots. Need them. 6. I don't think a Dior diamond would be out of the question, right? 7. I want, want, want tickets to see West Side Story in St. Louis next February! Ah! Favorite musical, I need to see it live!

Not to mention, Breigh and I also found this gorgeous, GORGEOUS purse on Etsy today, and I am drooling over it (drooling, I tell you!)...sad to say, it's been sold, and I want it so badly! I'll definitely be keeping my eye out for more..

What's on your Christmas list this year? I know Blake's gonna have an awesome Christmas this year! I'm just freaking out about how soon a few of the gifts will be shipped. I'm cutting it close this year! :)

xo Haley

p.s. coming soon on the blog - new changes all over the place! a brand new design, concept, and schedule! I'm so excited to share this with you all... I'm having so much fun developing it (during naptime at work!) and I hope you all like it! ♥

Watch the Throne.

This was seriously the best concert I've ever been to (and the Band of Horses show I went to last October has been hard to beat...). But I've been wanting to see Kanye since I first saw the video for Gold Digger on VH1 when I was 14 years old. Now, at 20, I finally got to see him! AND Jay Z! Life is good.

The show was absolutely amazing - everything I'd hoped it would be. It was just so... dramatic. Like, everything felt (I hate this word....) epic.

They performed all of the classics, and basically all of Watch the Throne (with the exception of my favorite, How I Love You). And on top of all of that, they did N****s in Paris 4 times in a row. Seriously, best night ever. Ever.

And of course, I got a t-shirt. Le sigh. #ilovekanye

(Many thanks to whoever it was who's already uploaded their videos from last night)

xo Haley

Thoughts on Breaking Dawn, Part One.

As I do every year, I saw Breaking Dawn P1 at midnight Thursday night. It was an "eh" kind of night (won't go into that), but the movie was not disappointing, in the least. I absolutely loved it, even though it seemed to be dragging in some parts (then again - I had been awake for nearly 23 hours by the time it was over).

Just so you know, I am for.ever. Team Jacob.

Also, just so you know, past this point are spoilers, spoilers, and..more spoilers. You've been warned.

I'll start from the beginning.

Alice's wedding prep: the scene was funny, but short lived. I agree with Betsey when she says they rushed into the wedding scene. It was like, "oh hey, the movie is starting, oh hey, Bella and Edward are getting married." All in like, 2 minutes. I also disliked how the day before the wedding Bella was stumbling around the heels, and the day of the wedding, she walked (basically) perfectly down the aisle.

The wedding: my dream wedding. Seriously. I was in awe of the atmosphere they created for the scene. Absolutely gorgeous. Other than that, Jessica kept me cracking up the entire time with her pregnancy jokes and her sarcastic remarks about how the cake wasn't big enough. Loved it. Charlie seemed like a "real" dad all during the wedding. His character was perfect and relatable for fathers, I'm sure. The toasts during the reception were spot on. I loved Emmett's hidden vampire joke that Charlie super took the wrong way. I loved Jessica's bitterness towards Edward choosing Bella ("She's definitely not the captain of the volleyball team... or class president...").

Bella's wedding dress: U G L Y. In my opinion, at least. I know plenty of people loved it. And she was all kinds of stunning in it (K.Stew actually looked pretty for once! She could've smiled a bit more though, darn emo kid), but I just wasn't a fan of the dress.

The honeymoon: I was rather disappointed in this entire sequence. The "sex scene" made me feel weird. As I was telling my friend Cassie, I've been waiting 3 years for the honeymoon, and when it finally happened, I just wanted to cover my eyes because I felt so weird and awkward watching it. I love the series, and I respect Stephanie Meyer's lack of sex in the books, but seriously - we all wanted it, why not give it to us?! I did love seeing Bella's anticipation and anxiousness though. That was super adorable.

The pregnancy: Bella drinking blood through a straw was gag-worthy. Especially when blood was like, all over her teeth and lips. Ewwy.

The wolves being all weird and stuff: The little scene where Jacob rebels against the pack was SO cheesy, I wanted to laugh the entire time. seriously, why didn't they just phase back into humans to fight? So dumb.

The birth: So perfect. I love that Edward had to bite through her stomach. That was my favorite part of the book, for reals.

Jacob imprinting on the baby: Yet again, another incredibly cheesy scene. I hated the way they shot it. Lame, lame, lame!

Rosalie: In the book, it's very clear that Rosalie is very possessive and protective of the unborn baby, and even when it's born she's all over it. But in the movie, I didn't really "feel" it. I think they could've done more with that. They tried, I'll give them that.

Over all, I enjoyed it. I am a TwiHard through and through, so I'll never say that I didn't enjoy it. It's the best of the series, but definitely not my favorite.

Have you seen it yet? Do you have any thoughts? I'd love to hear them : )

Back to School.

I've never really discussed it here on my blog, but this past fall, I took the semester off of school to kind of re-evaluate what I want to do (it's awful hard to choose classes when you have no idea which direction your life is going, so I was basically wasting time and money taking these random classes I had no interest in).

The time off has been wonderful. I got to enjoy and settle into my new pace of life. I get to enjoy my time at my new home, and I got to settle completely into the routine of my new job as a nanny. I absolutely love the way things are right now, which makes going back to school even harder (it is *so* completely true that once you quit, it's tough to go back).

Last year, I was just going to a community college (that I have a full scholarship for, so I'm going for free), and was just taking gen. ed classes and kind of blowing them off (like I said, I had no interest in them, so I wasn't spending quality time studying and all that). But in the Spring semester, I'm completely switching gears (still going to the same school, though), and doing a different program of study. I'm going to start taking classes to earn my certificate in Baking and Pastry Arts, and I couldn't be more excited. *side note, there's a woman next to me in Starbucks that has been talking on her phone since I've been here, which has been a long, long time*

Looking at the classes I need to complete to be certified makes going back to school so much more exciting and a ton less stressful. European Pastries and Classical Desserts? Cakes and Cake Decorating? Chocolate, Sugar and Confections? Sign. Me. Up.

I'm beyond thrilled to start this journey, and I definitely cannot wait to share it all with you!

Depending on classes and scheduling and all of that, I should be done and completely certified by December '12/January '13, so I can start working in a bakery! I'm so happy, and my heart feels so full.

Wish me luck!

xo Haley

**ps, I will be back tomorrow with my thoughts on Breaking Dawn Part One, because, duh, you know I have an opinion on this. :)

Breaking Dawn, Part One.

We are patiently waiting in line at the theater to see Breaking Dawn (6 more hours to go!)... we're getting a little antsy, and we don't have anything to do (we didn't plan very well).

We are SO STOKED.

If you wanna follow my Instagram (@elizabethhaley) /Twitter updates, I'll be updating on there all night!

xoxo Haley :)

Why am I covered in feathers..?

Party Times.

These are just a few of the photos from the housewarming my momma threw for Anna and me a few weekends ago. We are so grateful for the support our families and friends have given us throughout this whole moving-twice-within-three-months stuff. So grateful.

Other things going on:

* I'm currently developing some fun blog stuff for my other blog, After Your Heart. I recently went to a ladies event at my church and came home super inspired! Excited to launch this "blog event" in 2012. :)

* 4 days until Breaking Dawn! Blake and I are on a time crunch to make t-shirts...

* I'm blogging at Barnes and Noble. I don't have internet at my apartment. So this will have to do for now. :)

* I bought a super cute new dress yesterday, I think this calls for a new outfit post soon!

* I will be back soon to post more photos of the house. I promise to do it real soon! :)

Love you all *so* much!

xo Haley

I'm alive and well, I promise.

I have so much to share and absolutely zero time to do so. Such is life.

Lately, life has been hectic. I've been working a lot, crafting a lot, and trying to sleep as much as possible.

As I mentioned earlier, Anna and I moved again (Anna posted peeks into the new apartment, you should take a look). We are so in love with our apartment! We had a housewarming party this past weekend, that I'll share photos of soon. It was all pumpkin themed and so much fun. I'm so thankful for my mom, she put almost every bit of it together!

I've also been thinking of starting a book club. I love to read, absolutely l.o.v.e. it, but I "feel" like I don't have enough time to read, silly right? You can always find time to read! Another problem - all of my IRL friends aren't too hip on reading. How 'bout an internet book club? Yeah, yeah?! I'm currently reading "Good in Bed" by Jennifer Weiner (oh, how I love chick lit).

Have any good book suggestions?

In other news.

* 9 days until my dad and Blake and I go see Breaking Dawn at midnight! We're STOKED.

* Blake and I celebrate 11 months on Saturday.

* Colby could use some cheering up! Stop by his blog and say hey :)

* On November 29th, Blake and I are going to KC to see Jay Z and Kanye West on their Watch the Throne tour. So excited, I cannot find the words to express my happiness.

Anyways, this was just a teensy update into my little old life. I'll be back soon with a substantial post, I promise!

:)

xo Haley

**ps, hello new followers! It's nice to have you here, don't be strangers, introduce yourself! :)

Peeks of my new home.

I must apologize (a million times over and over!) for the silence here on the blog for the past couple of weeks (eeek, so sorry), but... I moved!

My roomie Anna and I had some issues with our downstairs neighbors, so we moved into a bigger (and way, way better) apartment that's even closer to downtown Springfield, AND out of the ghetto!

Here are some peeks (and if you follow me on Instagram, this is probably old news to you. Hahaha):

Side note: I am way too excited about my new closet. This closet is huge. Seriously, like the size of my bedroom at my parents home. It's h.u.g.e!
(this is in my bedroom - still trying to find a way to hang things on the wall without using nails. A few have pointed out that there's a method on Pinterest... can someone link me to this?!)

I am seriously head over heels in love with our new space.

The brick walls, the exposed pipes, the huge windows and beautiful natural light... sigh. It is beyond perfect! Anna and I are so, so happy!

Things may continue to be quiet for a while.. we have absolutely no internet at the new place (maybe something we need to invest in...), so forgive me in advance.

Bits & Pieces:

* pop on over to Anna's blog and congratulate her & Isaac... they just got engaged! :)

* pray for Miss Breighann. She's feeling way under the weather & may have to have surgery on her port placement (again. sad face).

* I am beyond happy right now. Beyond. I'm ready for these next few months to speed on by! #vague

* Blake and I are going to a Hawthorne Heights concert tomorrow night... my 8th grade dreams are coming true!!

* I'll be back soon with a full home tour, a peek at the family photos Colby Kern did for my fam, and a late fall playlist!

xo Haley

Spotted.

I wore my Red Velvet dress for the first time yesterday! And... I'll probably wear it again for church on Sunday ;)

Just wanted to pop in and say hello and leave you with a few links to the stuff I've been loving lately!

* SO glad I noticed this post on Michelle's blog... It led me straight to the Early Bright shop and I found bracelets for Breigh & I (we've been searching for the perfect friendship bracelets! I picked this one).

* I stumbled upon a sweet post on MaieDae the other day, and fell in love with these adorable Disney Princess prints by Claire Hummel. So, so cute!!

* I have been in s.u.c.h. a mood to bake lately, and this post on Sunshine & Carousels isn't making it any easier! I have to try these recipes when I move into my new apartment!

* Have you ever read the True Story series on the Yes & Yes blog? So amazing, and so raw. I always look forward to these interviews.

* In case you somehow missed it (and to miss it, you have to be living under a rock), Carly is hosting a giveaway every day on her blog for a few weeks! Hop on over to her blog and enter all of them!

* There have been a plethora of DIY's on Elsie's blog lately, and I'm going crazy over all of them! I need to make a trip to Hobby Lobby for some supplies, and then as soon as I move, I'm getting crafty. Something about fall makes me want to bake and craft all. the. time.

I'm working right now (thank goodness for nap time!), it's a long day (12 hours today, and I worked 13 on Tuesday!), and tomorrow I work again! It's been a long week, but I'm so thankful for this job. I stressed and struggled for nearly 2 months of not having a job, that I'm perfectly fine with working all of these hours!

I hope you're having an awesome Thursday!

:)

xo Haley

Makeup Loves.

Growing up, my mom didn't tell me much about beauty products and how to do my makeup, so I kinda just went at it blindly. Up until a few months ago, I still had no clue what I was doing (and really, I still don't). But after reading a couple of beauty blogs, I decided it was worth a shot to at least try and learn a little more about makeup and how to apply it. I absolutely love trying out new products.

Currently I've been working my way through the ELF Studio products. I like them ish, but some aren't quality products, and although the price is great - you really do get what you pay for. I am a huge fan of Mary Kay, though (tried and true products - they'll always be a favorite of mine!) Since I'm still learning - are there any certain products you swear by? I'd love to read about (and try!) what you all like to use! I'd like to have the key products I use on a daily basis, and really cut down on the amount of makeup I own! Any suggestions would be useful. :)

xo Haley

I Heart My Tattoos.

It is absolutely no secret that I love tattoos. So I thought it was about time to do a formal post on mine. All two of them. Haha!
This was my very first tattoo, and apparently it's very popular on We Heart It, Pinterest, and Tumblr! I love how small and discreet it is, it's very rarely noticed. The only time anyone ever brings it up in conversation is when I'm first meeting a person. So after that initial conversation, they rarely notice it. I love that about it. I got my second tattoo (a red bow) last month, when Blake got his first tattoo. The bow doesn't really represent anything significant, but it really shows just how girly I am. I love all things cute and girly, and this just fit my personality. Back in April, the original plan was for my bff Cassie and I to get bow tattoos together (we've always said we were "tattoo buddies" and wanted to get something together), but she ended up going without me to get her bow (sad face)! So, instead of just ditching the idea, I went ahead and got mine. Ours are significantly different designs, which is good. We love them.

My family was not okay with my tattoo at first. I distinctly remember my mother telling me not to come home the day that I got it... I was so scared to show it to her! But a few days later on my birthday, she wrote "Happy birthday my tattooed girl!" on my facebook wall (and even almost bought me a shirt that said "Jesus loves me and my tattoos" haha), and I knew she was ultimately okay with the idea. My grandma, however, believes that all tattoos, no matter what, are trashy. So she's harder to please.

Now, when it came to my second tattoo, absolutely zero people in my family were in favor of it. Even Colby wasn't alright with it! So that has been a harder adjustment for me. I had to stick to my guns and really believe that I love my tattoos, no matter what anyone else says. It's been a lot harder than I thought it would be.

I haven't yet experienced the bad-person stereotype that some people associate with having tattoos, but then again, I don't have very many tattoos. But overall, I love my tattoos, and I can't wait to get more! :)

xo Haley

Game Night.

In case you live under a rock, Mr. Colby Kern (my very favorite blogger) just so happens to be my best friend. Ever since school started, I haven't been able to see him as much as I'd like, but this weekend, Colby invited me and Blake over for a game night! It was absolutely perfect.

We played Clue (Colby won) and Life (I won. Blake was in debt the entire time. Ha!), and Colby's boyfriend, Blake, made us yummy grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup.

I think more people should have game nights like this! It is way too much fun. :)

I'll be back soon with a post about my tattoos!

:)

How was your Monday? ♥

xo Haley

October.

photo by Colby Kern, last October

This month means:

* pumpkin patches and carving pumpkins

* scary movies that I've never seen before

* haunted houses with my Blake, Colby, and Colby's Blake

* moving into a new apartment with Anna

* making said apartment feel like home

* Paranormal Activity 3 at midnight

* getting our tshirts ready for Breaking Dawn at midnight

* getting new glasses, so I can see at least a little bit

* hugging my parents a whole bunch, they do a lot for their only daughter

I think this month is gonna be pretty great, don't you?

xo Haley

Journal Day!

So, I decided to join in on the fun over at Danielle's blog, Sometimes Sweet, and post my own little journal entry. I always tell myself that I'm going to do it too every time she posts a new prompt, but I never do. So, this is the first, and maybe sometime I'll go back to and the others. :)

Looking at all of the life you've lived so far, can you pinpoint one time frame or instance that you feel truly contributed to your growth as a person? This may be a turning point, a positive or negative experience, a moment or collection of moments that stand out in your mind...something that changed you as a whole.

I moved out of my parents home at the end of June, and even though I was 20 years old and living on my own, I still felt completely dependent on my parents for everything I needed to help me get by. It was an awful feeling.

The first few months of living on my own were absolutely awful. Nothing was working out the way I planned at all. I moved out on a Thursday, and started my new job on Friday morning. I was an in home aid for old folks that were still independent. Within a week, I had already gone to the main office, making a crying fool of myself telling them I couldn't handle this job.

I was completely unemployed all through July. The only thing that got me by was my paycheck from that one week of working, and money from a painting I had done for someone.

I interviewed for a job at a clothing store, but after 3 interviews, and zero phone calls back, I didn't get the job, and was still super unemployed.

I was calling my dad every week to ask him to buy me gas. My grandma bought my groceries. My mom (and her amazing couponing skills) bought me all of the necessary things you need for a home. So I was living on my own. But still depending on my family for every single thing.

Halfway through August, I interviewed to become a nanny for a family not far from my town, and that night I was offered the job. About a week after I started, I was out getting gas, and as I pulled away from the gas station, I realized, "I just paid for that. I filled up my car, and I paid for it myself." The next day, I went grocery shopping. And I paid for my groceries all on my own. I had never felt this much independence in my life. For the first time ever, I felt like I could actually take care of myself. I was so, so proud of myself.

I never would've guessed that something as insignificant as paying for my own gas would make me feel independent. Although the first couple of months on my own were less than desirable, I am so thankful for the experience, and even more thankful for the job that I have. I am so blessed to not only be employed, but to have a job that I actually enjoy.