Devotional Review {P.S. He Loves You}

Hey y'all,

I am really excited to share with you a book written by a fellow blogger. Erin James of Sweetness Itself wrote a beautiful devotional book titled, P.S. He Loves You which you can purchase HERE. 

Erin was really sweet to give me a copy of her book to review. The devotional is eleven days long filled with letters to the reader, bible verses and lots of beautiful photography. I do not want to give any of the devotion away but they all revolve on reminding yourself that you are completely and whole loved by God and through Him you are healed, cared for, respected, cherished and so much more. 

While a short little devotion I think it is definitely worth looking at as a refocusing of your heart when outside factors are challenging you or you just want to remind yourself that you have a Father in Heaven that loves you unconditionally and sent His only Son to rescue you from sin and death.

Also, going along with this devotional review, one of the girls in my small group sent out a link to Naptime Diaries' Lenten Journal. I just checked and yesterday was the day to order to guarantee it's arrival before Lent (which starts next Wednesday) but the journal is 40 undated journal entries so you can begin anytime that you want. I just thought I would share!

What Devotional Are You Currently Reading/Studying? What's Your Favorite Devotional? Are You Sacrificing Anything For Lent?

Book Review {Dead Beautiful}

Hey y'all,

Onto day two of a week of book reviews! I picked up this next book on Netgalley and was pleasantly surprised. 

The Book:

Synopsis:

On the morning of her sixteenth birthday, Renée Winters was still an ordinary girl. She spent her summers at the beach, had the perfect best friend, and had just started dating the cutest guy at school. No one she'd ever known had died. But all that changes when she finds her parents dead in the Redwood Forest, in what appears to be a strange double murder.

After the funeral Renée’s wealthy grandfather sends her to Gottfried Academy, a remote and mysterious boarding school in Maine, where she finds herself studying subjects like Philosophy, Latin, and the “Crude Sciences.”

It’s there that she meets Dante Berlin, a handsome and elusive boy to whom she feels inexplicably drawn. As they grow closer, unexplainable things begin to happen, but Renée can’t stop herself from falling in love. It’s only when she discovers a dark tragedy in Gottfried’s past that she begins to wonder if the Academy is everything it seems.

Little does she know, Dante is the one hiding a dangerous secret, one that has him fearing for her life.

Dead Beautiful is both a compelling romance and thought-provoking read, bringing shocking new meaning to life, death, love, and the nature of the soul.

My Opinion:

I thought this was another high school girl who goes off to boarding school but this book included a lot of mystery. Yes, there is the classic boy meets girl part, and the girl meets her roommate and they become best friends (I mean this is a teen novel we can't expect a lot of deviation) but the rest of the story is filled with lots of questions. The boarding school itself is not your typical high school teaching Math, English, History, etc but rather Latin, Horticulture and Philosophy. The reasons for the change in subjects is explained in the book so I do not want to give anything away. The book also ends with a big cliff hanger since there are at least two other books: Life Eternal and Love Reborn (which just came out this year).

Have you read this series?

Book Review {Vampire Academy}

Hey y'all,

My weekend was nice and relaxing but not worthy of a weekend update. I was brainstorming ideas for blog posts and remembered that it had been FOREVER since I had done any book reviews. If you did not know my goal this year is to read 114 books. I think I can make it and at this point I have read 15 books (a few are half done and will be joining the list soon). 

So this week I will go over a few of the last books I have read and I encourage lots of book suggestions/recommendations. I do want to preface that I tend to read a lot of teen novels or paranormal romance series but I will also be reviewing Erin James' new devotional later on in the week.

Today's novel:

Vampire Academy

Synopsis:

St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger. . . .

Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.

Opinion:

Ok, so the movie trailer makes this book series look awful but I gave it a chance since one of my co-workers said it was actually good. I am indifferent. I didn't love the series or hate it. I don't think I will continue on since I was not hooked. It is mainly about Rose and Lissa and their relationship as friends as well as a guardian/vampire while dealing with boarding school/high school. I think if I was younger while reading this I might be more interested but it was not something I would say is a must read. I say if you enjoy books about vampires and high school aged individuals it is not a bad idea to check it out but it is more of an ok/like than a love.

Have you read this series? Thoughts?

5 on Friday

Hey y'all,

Sorry for the extended absence, between Snowmagedon, Valentine's Day, the Olympics, and catching up at work after 2.5 snow days it has been a busy week.Here are some things I have been loving this week:

one. UNC's win over #5 DUKE. 
WHAT?? I know! I was so happy and proud of Roy's Boys last night as they topped our rivals. While I wish I could have been at the game, even on TV the Dean Dome looked energized and was loud. After a few years of not winning in the Dome including my Senior year I was so excited to see all the celebration. As always, It is a great day to be a Tar Heel, and GO TO HELL DUKE!

via The Daily Tar Heel

two. MY LITTLE IS HERE!
Ok, so my little (aka little #1 or kBb) is in town this weekend! I haven't seen her since she graduated back in May and headed back to FL but she will be here for a surprise visit before heading to South America for two years with the Peace Corp. Yep she is awesome. I can't wait for our YoPo date this afternoon!

three. My Valentine.
So this year my small group did a Valentine's exchange this week. So similar to Secret Santa we all drew names and then there was a survey of things we liked, favorite chocolate, etc. It was a lot of fun picking out the best items (and our exchange was Monday so clearance was a great advantage.) I received M&M minis, bubble gum tape and this baking mold:

Wilton 12 Cavity Silicone Baking Mold, Lips

four. the weather. 
Yep. I said it. Last Thursday the Triangle area was covered in snow and ice and yesterday we were in the 70s. Right now it is 67 degrees outside and it is not even March! I think North Carolina has some trouble deciding which season it wants sometimes but I am not going to complain about T-shirt and sandal weather!

Right Now

Today

Tonight

66°F

FEELS LIKE 66°

67°

HIGH

36°

LOW

Cloudy

T-Storms

Mostly Clear

Past 24-hr Precip:

0 in

Chance of Rain

five. Y'all!

When I signed in to blogger today I saw that I had a whopping 200 followers here and 131 followers on Bloglovin! I think I will try to gather a few of my favorite things for a giveaway but for now I just want to say THANK YOU!

What are you loving this Friday?

Link-Up Here

Happy Valentine's Day

via

Hey y'all,

I hope you have a wonderful day celebrating and sharing love to everyone whether significant other, friend, parents, co-workers, strangers, EVERYONE! 

I have a great Snow Day planned. I was expecting to be back at work but I am not going to whittle the day away. I have some dishes to finish, some Men's Figure Skating watch, and the second season of House of Cards is on netflix. I think that is one great day!

SNOW DAY!

Hey y'all,

I hope you are all safe and sound. If you live in the Carolinas I hope that you are safe at home rather than out in the storm. Yesterday, I left work when the office closed (it never happens) around 2pm and did not reach home until almost 5pm. I live 5 miles from UNC and it was very slow going with lots of cars abandoned. It was a long drive but when I got home, my roommate and I were able to have a bit of fun in the snow before making dinner and watching the Olympics. 

One mile in and one hour down.

 SNOW!

 SNOW DAY SELFIES!

 I am spending this unexpected snow day cleaning my apartment, finishing my laundry, watching the olympics and maybe some yoga later. It has started snowing again! I love the snow but I am much happier that I am home rather than out there.

Do you have a snow day? What is your favorite thing to do on an unexpected snow day?

Duke/Carolina

Hey y'all, 

Today is a very important day in the world of sports. If you are not from North Carolina and do not care about basketball you might think today was an ordinary Wednesday but to enlighten you here is a 10 minute video.

 

Duke-Carolina, The Blue Blood Rivalry Movie Trailer from Hassan Pinto on Vimeo.

Duke/UNC is the greatest game in college basketball (in my opinion) and as a Carolina Alum you know that I will be watching the game tonight (even though it starts at 9pm and this girl goes to bed by 11pm). I was actually really blessed to attend a Duke game while I was at Carolina. We have a lottery based system and your senior year you have priority in the lottery. I was given phase 5 (the worst phase) ticket for my Senior game so even though I was in the rafters, I was there. It was a rough game in 2012 with the Austin Rivers but it was such a game of passion. 

And, if I had the opportunity to head to the Dean Dome tonight, I would wear something similar to this. Really, this is my dream UNC game day outfit. The Dean Dome seats are close together so you want to keep your bag to just the necessities. 

duke/carolina game by janeaustenprepster showing how to wear silver tone watches

This rivalry is war on the two nights we play every year. So I will leave you now so I can go cheer on my Tar Heels! 

I'm a Tar Heel born, I'm a Tar Heel bred.

And when I die, I'm a Tar Heel dead.

So it's rah-rah, Car'lina-'lina!

Rah-rah, Car'lina-'lina!

Rah-rah, Car'lina-'lina!

GO TO HELL DUKE!

Top 5 Tuesday {Romantic Movies}

Hey Y'all,

I am happy that Rachel is back with her Top 5 Tuesday link-up. This week's theme in honor of Valentine's Day is your Top 5 Favorite Romantic Movies. I am the girl that has mainly rom-coms on my DVD shelf so this might be pretty tough. My list is below:

one.The Lake House

via

I love this story. It because I love hand written letters but it is such a beautiful film and I cry every time. It's an unusual romance of a former tenant and the architect's son but it has such great charachters. It is written very well with lines like, "Life is not a book, Alex. It can be over in a second."

two. Pride & Prejudice

via

Apart from the fact that I love Jane Austen's writing which makes this a wonderful love story, the cinematography of the film and the music is fantastic. I have spent one summer watching this movie weekly and I still am not tired of it.

three. Dirty Dancing

via

I mean, who didn't want to go on a family vacation, find a hunky guy to teach them to dance and then fall in love. It is such a summer romance film but I love it and with the passing of Patrick Swayze it makes the film even greater as it has always been my favorite of his films.

four. Definitely, Maybe

via

A dad telling his daughter how he met and fell in love with her mom through telling her his main three relationships shows you all the heartbreak. I love the way the story is told so you along with Maya have no idea who her mom is and who Will ends up with until the last second. It also discusses happy endings of love stories and how sometimes your happy end is not what you thought it would be.

five. you've got mail

via

The perfect fall chick-flick, this is such a story of foes who find themselves with more in common then they thought. I watch this movie every fall and even though it is very dated (I mean no one I know still uses AOL mail or even AIM messaging) it is still relevant.

Honorable Mentions:
Made of Honor
Sweet Home Alabama
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
The Notebook (of course)
 Crazy Stupid Love
Notting Hill
Two Weeks Notice

You can check out the other Top 5's on Rachel's blog and this list of The 100 best romantic movies is great including even Disney movies like Wall-e, Up, and Beauty & the Beast.


What is your ultimate chick flick/rom-com? Did I forget a movie? Any plans on Valentine's Day?

Treat Yourself {Kate Spade Surprise Sale}

Hey y'all,

With Valentine's Day on Friday, the Surprise Sale at Kate Spade comes at a perfect time. Whether buying a gift for yourself, your best friends, or even hinting to a significant someone there are so many options from kate spade that are now under $100! I love celebrating Valentine's day with friends since I have never had a valentine so if you are having a pity party grab your friends for a movie night or have a Valentine exchange like a secret Santa and buy your single girl some nice chocolate and a note that explains how important she is to your life without having a significant other. 

Anyway, here are some amazing finds at the sale:

baubles and bags by janeaustenprepster featuring a strand necklace

Now if your budget is $20 0r $200 you will be able to find the perfect trinket for Valentine's day or just to treat yourself.

Also, if you remember my ksny Pride and Prejudice clutch from this post, you can snatch one for yourself here.

Sunday Sayings.

Hey y'all,

Sorry this post is so late but the roommate can testify/confirm that I have not been in the apartment at all today since I have been running from meeting to meeting and other commitments but I think this is the perfect inspiration to start your week off.

via

 I hope you all have a lovely start to your week! Who has been watching the Olympics? My roomie is officially obsessed and I love it! YAY for lots more events over the next few days!

5 on Friday

Hey y'all,

This week has been really crazy at work and through out the rest of my life so I am glad that it is (almost) the weekend. I was going to do a What I'm loving Wednesday post but why not make a 5 things I'm loving this Friday!


one. Stephanie of The Midwest Prep posted this blogpost the other day and it was like she had read my mind. I have been talking to a few of my blog friends and this is exactly what we have been feeling about the change in blogging over the past few years.

two. bid day! Today my chapter will welcome home a great group of girls! I am so proud of them and can't wait to get to know and advise other members. Spring is informal recruitment at Carolina but our girls put on an amazing week and we are welcoming home one great pledge class! Also, one of our Associate Members from last semester wrote this great blog post on recruitment! GREAT JOB CASSIDY!

The Recruitment Theme has bee "Spring into Sisterhood where Life is Good"

three. The new She Reads Truth devotional started this week. The series is on 1 John-3 John and is called Abide. Today was only the third day if you wanted to jump in and get started but I have learned so much already and a lot of it has just spoken to my heart when I read it in the morning along with my Jesus Calling devotional. This morning what shattered me was the discussion that our peers are not our measuring sticks but rather ours is our advocate and propitiation, Christ. I struggle a lot with comparison to others and it hurts our hearts since we all fall short in comparison to the worldly things but we need to shape our lives to his example and abide in Him as he fills us so we are justified before God. ISN"T THAT THE AMAZING THING! We are short but are able to be in the light of God. 

via

Also, on the spiritual topic, I'm loving my small group ladies as usual and can't wait for our Secret Valentine exchange in 10 days! My church's young professional ministry is having a weekly dinner series and last night's talk was on anxiety through Philippians 4:4-9 and it was another topic I think young professionals struggle with especially in comparison to our peers. We become anxious that we are not doing enough or as accomplished, or even anxious in our relationships when compared to those around us. Remember, anxiety results from our need in an idol and a collapse of faith in God. We all struggle but we must be steadfast and not moved through the suffering.

four. the Olympics have begun! I am so excited! Did y'all watch the moguls or team ice skating yesterday? I have already decided that I need to be up by 9am Saturday for more ice skating! I also might have been talking to friends last night about going to learn curling at the Triangle Curling Club. Yep, the Olympics are great and the Opening Ceremony is tonight! Hopefully I will be able to catch some of it after bid day celebrations!

five. Caroline G Shop necklace club. I first found Caroline G Shop thanks to Molly and I am so impressed! I mean, who wouldn't be when you find out Carrie has one fantastic store, a great blog and a huge heart for the Lord. Carrie actually attend the same church as I and we have a few friends in common. Maybe one of these days we will even meet but for now I will revel in my birthday present to myself. Carrie created a necklace club. After signing up you receive a new necklace at the end of every month. It averages to under $13 per necklace and each is valued between $30-$50! I know she no longer has any spots available but follow along and she might have a new CGClub soon! My first necklace is this beauty and you can find it in Carrie's store in many colors here.

Honorable Mentions: This post on what not to tell single girls. I am content in my singledom since it has been my entire life and I am happy for my friends in their various stages of relationships but these phrases get to me as well.

What are you loving this weekend?