First, a little forewarning- most of my posts (well, pretty much all) are focused on providing fun, light-hearted content, like fashion-line spotlights and recipes and everything in between. This is going to be a little more serious tho- and if you like it, then great! If not, don't worry- I've got a super fun post on festival fashion in the works, coming to a screen near you soon ;)



After seeing many recent posts like "why our (millennial) generation can't have successful marriages," why our generation is obsessed with themselves and the like, I wanted to bring a question that I hadn't yet seen addressed... where did all the time go?

We text because its faster than phone calling. We phone call because it's faster than visiting. We e-mail because it's faster than writing letters. We check blogs and websites because they're faster than reading magazines. We read "Sparknotes" because it's faster than reading the actual book. We post Instagrams and Facebook albums because they're faster than developing a picture and making and actual album. We post "Snapchat stories" because it's faster than Instagram and Facebook.

We drink diet shakes and "diet teas" because they're faster than actually dieting. We grab fast-food and pre-made meals because it's faster than cooking our meal. We stream music and download iTunes because it's faster than driving and buying the album. We watch Netflix and illegally download shows because they're faster than watching for the show to actually play on TV.

We abbreviate words (lyk brb c u l8r) because it's (apparently) faster than typing out the actual word. We take notes on a laptop because it's quicker to type than write what someone is saying. We online shop because it's quicker than going on an actual shopping trip. We've even created a faster way to brew coffee (Keurig anyone)?


And yet...


We still complain that we don't have time for our friends. We still complain that we don't have time to visit home, or talk to our parents. We still complain that we don't have time for the gym, that we didn't have time to study for that test. We still bail on events last minute because we're "too busy," we're late to work because we didn't have "enough time" that morning.

We still complain that we don't have time to go to church on Sundays- that we don't have time to "just relax." We still complain that life "moves too fast," and will often voice that opinion through social media.



But...

All the shortcuts I mentioned in the above paragraph were primarily created in the past decade, and all boast that they make our lives less burdensome- that they are faster, that they keep us more "connected" in a shorter amount of time than our predecessors. Yet, does anyone in our generation actually feel like we have more time? For the majority of us, no- we still feel rushed, we still feel like parts of our lives lack attention.

So...

Where did all the time go? Why do we "not" have time to visit with our parents, to study for that test, to hang out with our friends? Why do we "not" have time to exercise, to explore our community, to create hobbies?



Because...

Because those exact things that are disguised as making our lives quicker actually make them more cumbersome. We don't just post a photo on Instagram- we incessantly check for our "like" count, and we "like" our "friends" posts as well. We don't shoot a text message- we spend time before hitting send, making sure it's exactly the words we want to convey our message. We don't just post a status on Facebook- we spend hours "stalking" our "friends'" profiles, comparing our current lives with the seemingly more exciting lives of theirs. This list can go on and on.


So my question to you is- where does all your time go? Is that minute you "save" really worth it, when you cut out other activities for it?

If you haven't figured it out by now, I like to try new things. Recipes, fads, styles, products- if it sounds good, I've probably tried it (or have at least thought about it). As I've shared before, I have a pretty bad intolerance of anything gluten in my diet (think: laying on the floor, fetal-position causing pains, bloating, etc). I recently stumbled upon (or I guess, pinned, would be the more accurate internet-verbage) a recipe for gluten-free cheese bread made from cauliflower. Yes, cauliflower!

This vegetable seems to be a hugely in "style" right now (or at least as much as a vegetable can be in style, I guess... haha!) and I honestly have heard the craziest foods using it as their base, with everything from pizza to ice cream (yes, really..). I recently decided to give in and give it a go as an appetizer for my family, and honestly, it was amazing. Although they were all skeptical at first, it ended up tasting amazing and was a really great alternative to the your beloved greasy, cheesy, amazing cheesey bread.


Although I initially found it off pinterest, the recipe is originally from the website "Jo Cooks" with a direct link here  (I am not taking any credit other than saying it's amazing!) I've reprinted it for convenience below, but definitely go check out her site for more yummy recipes like this :)

With the recent release of Disney's live action fairytale re-telling of Cinderella (if you haven't seen it, go now, it really is a fabulous telling of everyone's favorite story!), many brands are following suit with the princess craze and creating specialty lines to make every girl live out their own fairytale. I've spotlighted a few of my favorites that I can't wait to go out and make my springtime style muse my favorite blonde heroine in a blue dress. It's time for every girl to have their own "Cinderella Moment."

1) Lauren Conrad's Cinderella Collection [For Kohl's]

Let me let you in on a little secret- writing a blog is hard! Keeping focus, providing information that you think people will actually find useful and entertaining- sometimes, life can get in the way and a blog can get easily pushed to the wayside. But, I'm back, with a brand new look and a brand new attitude. Being back in my home state of sunny Florida has definitely helped inspire me to provide the best content (with a little sunny style, of course). So explore with me, as I continue to re-vamp the site, Instagram, and Pinterest accounts. There's a little construction going on as I continue to edit and move things around, but I promise to provide the best quality content there is.

Superbowl halftime shows can be almost as widely anticipated as the actual game... or the latest Clydedale Budweiser commercial. The choice of Katy Perry, after her 'success' on College Gameday at Ole Miss has been hyped for months now, from the will-she-or-won't-she-diss-Tswift to the hush-hush dissection of who her "secret guest" would be.

And, although oftentimes these big acts disappoint (Really Bruno Mars? We expected better), Katy Perry succeeded in pulling off a girl-charged, fast-paced show that was equally  enjoyable for the 5-year old who could only stay awake for the halftime show to her 45 year-old mother, also praying to stay awake for the halftime show.


Katy succeeded where many acts, especially female, cannot- she performed a highly entertaining, spectacle-driven stadium show without controversy.  No nip slips, no awkward twerking- and she even managed to *somewhat* hold her own when Missy Elliot braved the stage and managed to almost upstage her.

Ultimately, Katy deserved that SB-inspired tattoo she rewarded herself after the show. Although much speculation before the show was how "she's no Beyonce", Katy proved that she didn't need to be- she was Katy Perry, through and through, and America, and the Superbowl, loves her for that.

We gathered up a couple of our favorite shots, just to reminisce, below:

I know it may seem a little late for this post, but for most of us, we're still in the deep heat of August, which is the perfect time to schedule that last-minute get-away before school/work/fall/Congressional session/whatever starts back in September!


Packing the perfect beach bag is essential for a successful beach day, so I'll spill "what's in my bag" on my recent trip to the beach!

Bag: Lilly Pulitzer

Book: Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Sunscreen: Australian Gold

Coozie: Lilly Pulitzer

Flip Flops: GAP

Magazine: Seventeen

Sunglasses: Mall Boutique

As I prepare to move back home to Florida, away from the land of politics and into the land of beer and football (oh yeah, and school), one of the things I am most excited about is moving into my new apartment and decorating! Although the decorating I can do so many states away is limited, the one thing I have been able to do is order desk accessories! Here are some of my faves, and won't break your bank!



Clear Acrylic Accessories

I've been seeing these EVERYWHERE, and I have to admit, I've given in to the trend. They're just so cute! Shop Dandy (follow her on insta too, if you can- she's fabulous!) has a really great set that I'm so excited to order and use.

Organization: check! (with monograms, of course)

Cute Coffee Mug: check!

Perfect Agenda: check!

The biggest debate currently in the organizer world (aka only, but hey gotta make it sounds exciting!) is what agenda to buy. Since I'm SUCH a Lilly-lover, I immediately went out and bought the jumbo agenda below. And, although it's super cute and I'm excited that I can finally start using it (tomorrow!) Kate Spade's agendas may give Lilly a run for their money. Although I've never owned one, I have seen them in stores, and they're not only cute but are a little more "office-appropriate" I think. Check them out below, and see for yourself!

 




 

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