Happy Birthday! Gift Ideas

 

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It’s summer and it seems to me that every corner I turn it is someone’s birthday [summer babies unite!] so I thought why not give out a few cheap and very doable DIY birthday ideas for anybody who like me always struggles with present ideas or is working last minute. I hope this is helpful.

MissMikaylaG

BENTO BOX:

 

 

 

 

 

 

–  Buy a container from any craft store [i.e. Michaels]

–  Fill it with your friends favorite candy [i.e. Starbursts, Sour Patch Kids]

–  Add a small Happy Birthday card or note to the top

SALT BATHS:

–  Mix:

– 1 cup epsom salt

– 1 cup corn starch

– 1 cup baking soda

– 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

– Put mix into jar [can buy at Michaels, Walmart, Dollar Store]

– Add sprinkles [of any kind]

BIRTHDAY CARD:

– Buy a box [large enough to fit balloon and birthday card]

– Paint lid of box [any type of paint]

– Write birthday card and put in box

– Add tissue paper

– Put a simple balloon into the box

– Tie it all together with ribbon

BIRTHDAY OREOS:

–  Buy a treat box [any kind]

–  Buy oreos [flavor of your choice]

–  Put a few candy melts in the microwave for 30 secs

–  Dip oreos in them

–  Add sprinkles and put the oreos in the treat box

Sophia Pruett

BOX OF SUNSHINE:

– Buy a basket or box [of any kind]

– Write on a piece of paper “Box of Sunshine”

– Put anything food related that is yellow [i.e. Lays, M&Ms, etc] into basket

Flower Letter:

– Layer three pieces of tissue paper and cut out squares

– Fold layers fan style [fold, flip, and repeat]

– Secure with ribbon

– Round out corners

-Spread each layer of tissue paper

CUPCAKE BATH BOMBS:

– Mix:

–  1/2 cup of baking soda

– 1/4 cup of epsom salt

– 1/3 cup of water

– 1/3 cup of lemon juice

–  2 tsp of almond extra

–  Few drops of food dye [any color]

–  Put mix into the freezer for an hour

–  In a bowl:

–  Add 1 egg white

– 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar

–  Whisk until whipped cream texture appears

–  Put in a ziploc bag with a poked hole

–  Take out “cupcakes” from freezer and compact them into cupcake holders

–  Put the whipped cream you did on top

–  Add sprinkles!

Flubber:

– In a bowl:

– Pour bottle of glitter glue [can purchase at Walmart]

– 1 water bottle

– Whisk the ingredients

– Dissolve 1/2 tsp of borax in 1 warm cup of water and put into a spray bottle

–  Slowly spray and whisk solution into the bowl of glue

–  Mix until it’s non sticky

–  Put in jar

–  Add a happy birthday note

Stephany Suarez

MEMORY SHADOWBOX FRAME:

– Buy a shadow frame [from any store]

– Bottle of spray paint [any kind + remember to spray on top of something]

– Print pictures and glue them onto frame

– Decorate surrounding space however you want

NEVER ENDING PRESENT:

– Gather multiple boxes of any kind [i.e. cardboard] of various sizes

– Decorate each one with a little joke or pick up line note

– Buy a few small presents [i.e. socks, chapstick] and wrap them in tissue papers

–  Put gifts into each box and put the boxes inside of each other according to size

 

 

 

 

 

Jenna Marbles:We’re Here for a Good Time Not a Long Time

Photo by YouTube

Since of late I have been posting about many comedic You Tubers, such as Kurtis Conner and The Try Guys, and so I thought that who better to talk about then the very Godmother of comedy on YouTube, Jenna Marbles!

Jenna Marbles whose real name is Jenna Mourey is a YouTube personality, comedian, and actress. Jenna graduated from Brighton High School in 2004 and then went to earn a Masters of Education from Boston University. Smart, hard working and ambitious, Jenna was able to build an online empire at the age of 26 and now at 32 she continues on strong.

What makes Jenna so wonderful and hands down one of the funniest people out there is that she is honestly one of the most kindest, caring, realest person you’ll ever know. Incredibly sweet to her fans and considering of others, she truly shines the most and can always make you feel better even in your worst of moods. Jenna is so unapologetically herself and creates content that she feels good about and not necessarily something that is trending, although she has participated in a few trends such as the yoga challenge from a while back, but out of curiosity rather than for the views. Such a strong individual too have gone through so much both personally [car accident] and professionally [career choice] she still stands with us better than ever and with so much love to give.

Jenna has been around for so long and has been able to inspire the lives of so many but the most beautiful thing is that you did not have to be there since the first day to become part of the family. You can just feel included simply by watching her videos and despite her huge success and billions of views on YouTube she remains one of the humblest people you’ll know.

 

What makes Jenna even more lovable is that she always emits such positive vibes and she doesn’t get involved in scandals or dramas. Her one and only apology video that she had to make, because she felt wrong in not doing so, was posted in 2017 and in it she apologized for causing harm to her fish by buying the wrong fish tank. It disturbed her to know that although unintentional, her fish was hurt because she made a mistake and so she made a 40 minute video apologizing to the fish community and then including some fish resources for fish pet owners. It may seem like a silly thing to do but the fact that she felt the need to admit and correct her mistakes no matter the level of seriousness to them is admiring to say the least. Shows you what kind of person and role model she is. Jenna is honestly such a gem and if you don’t know who she is then I truly suggest you go and find out because you have no idea what you are missing out on.

To leave on an inspirational note, whether you need to hear this message or not, in the wise words of Jenna,

“What are you going to do next?

People tell you ‘you need to have a plan’

But what if your goals are vague. Like mine?

To be happy.

To Laugh.

Everyday.

To find love.

And loss.

To just feel what it feels like to be a human being.

Where do you go with goals like that?

People associate being lost as something bad.

Failure is bad.

But it’s not.

It’s life.

Because the way I see it

No one ever knows what they’re doing.

No one knows what life has in store.

You can take steps toward whatever you want.

But you can’t control where the cards fall.

People focus on how to get somewhere they’re not right now.

What’s wrong with the step you’re on?

Don’t miss what you have today

For many of you the novelty of me has worn off

That’s because all I can give you is me

We get tired of people everyday 

And that’s okay

This is my path

If you ever want to walk with me

You can

I’ll always be here”

Good day my lovelies, here are some of my favorite videos of Jenna that I linked down below. Until next time.

• Just Trying to Blend in With My Green Screen
• My Boyfriend Teaches me Jiu Jitsu
• Camouflaging Myself into a Chair
• Teaching Dogs How to Swim
• I Made That Awful Jean Chair
• Cutting and Coloring My Hair
• Reading Mean Comments About My Dogs
• A Full Face of Rhinestones
• Prank Calling People But We Can’t Hear Them
• What’s the Best Mascara to Cry in
• Treating My Dogs Like Babies For a Day
• I Want to be Tall
• An Adventure in Paraffin Wax
• Making My Dog A Bed Out of Soap
• How Many Balloons Will It Take to Make My Dog Fly

The Try Guys: Comedy

Photo by Wikipedia

 

Once again derailing from the more traditional informative blogs I am going to be basing this post on The Try Guys today! Consisting of four group members Ned Fulmer, Eugene Lee Yang, Zach Kornfeld, and Kieth Habersberg, The Try Guys are YouTube personas/American online comedy series who as the name suggests try out new things. Originally part of Buzzfeed Motion Pictures up until 2018, The Try Guys who now run solo have greatly expanded their channel as they have worked hard to write, produce, direct, act, and shoot each of their episodes. The overall objective of their channel is to try out new things and then later right down any final thoughts or learned knowledge that they got from the experience. Their first ever video was Guys Try Ladies Underwear for the First Time while still under Buzzfeed and as seen, no challenge is too odd or strange.  Now the boys still follow the same concept but have moved onto bigger projects such as participating on life performances and following through with their series parenthood and Eat the Menu (where Ned goes to a fast food restaurant and literally eats everything on the menu in one sitting).

       

 

As they have spent more time on YouTube they have matured as people and YouTubers and so much of their content has become more extravagant and detailed. Now their channel as well as their public image has expanded much greater than ever before. The four of them premiered their show Squad Wars in 2017 and have even appeared on Today magazine as well as been interviewed by channels like Wired and even hosted the 8th annual Steamy Awards 2018, winning Show of the Year Award in 2017.

Photo by Buzzfeed

Their success has been unstoppable and they slowly continue to climb up the scale. In fact one of their highest grossing videos and one of my personal favorites, The Try Guys Try Labor Pain Simulation gathered over 30 million views and others like The Try Guys Try Drag for the First Time and The Try Guys Try The Ancient Olympics hold similar numbers. Actually very recently they had the opportunity to co write a book called The Hidden Power of F***ing Up which is scheduled to be released June 18, 2019 and available for purchase at Amazon and Barnes and Nobles. My sister is actually a huge fan and a couple months ago purchased her own copy which considering all things is a huge deal since she rarely buys anything from celebrities even if she adores them.

Photo by Try Guys

The four of them are just honestly very funny, genuine people and even though they are comedians they do a lot of videos that address bigger issues at hand The Try Guys Try Therapy for example where they sit down and take a little time to be honest and get real with each other. Now I know this isn’t anything new, a lot of people, famous people do this but its the fact that these wonderful, intelligent, goofy men could put all their pride and differences aside and teach acceptance and talk seriously about life and choices needed to be made. These are a just a great group of guys who care so deeply of their families, friends and humans in general and who try to spread those positive vibes to the rest of the world. They use their platform for good and obviously to mess with each other but they are a great bunch and if you stuck long enough to get to this part, then I really do suggest you go check them out. You won’t regret it.

 

 

 

You Had A Bad Day

Photo By TooPics

Watch Kurtis Conner!!!

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It’s fun when someone makes you chuckle or laugh! It just leaves you feeling great and you tend to love and appreciate the people that can make you crack a smile or giggle. Their humor is probably one of your favorite aspects of theirs and the one characteristic that keeps pulling you back in and sometimes you can find these particular people on social media! So you had a bad day, find content that makes you happy and makes you laugh. Relating today’s blog post to my essential theme of YouTube I wanted to talk about a hilarious comedian, Kurtis Conner, that I just so recently found out about. 

Born in Whitby, Ontario in 1994 , Kurtis began pursing his comedy career at age 19. After graduating from Humbler College: Writing and Performance he took off and preformed stand up comedy in ONEXONE Toronto International Film Festival. Since then he has continued this path and may even be familiar to some from Vine where he held a large platform of 250, 000 followers before its demise in 2017. Today Kurtis is doing better than ever and posting regularly on his YouTube channel Kurtis Conner. 

 

Photo By Kurtis Conner

 

Every Friday on YouTube, Kurtis posts silly and relatable content that just makes your day. Sometimes on those anxious and stressful Mondays I just look forward to when I can sit down with my sister and cousin and watch his latest video. His dry humor never fails to make us laugh. Kurtis focuses mainly on satire or critics of certain trends or of  disingenuous people to which he likes to poke fun at and analyze the hypocrisy in them. He for example will talk about scripted scenarios that certain YouTubers like to try and pull off as 100% real and similar themes to which he goes well into depth of.  And if you want to see what I’m poorly trying to describe then you should definitely check out his channel *wink wink* 

 

Photo By Kurtis Conner

Within his genre, Kurtis covers a variety of topics and in the past he has done videos revolving around the girls and boys of tik tok, which is honestly one of my favorite series of his, and random ideas like Hot Jokes and Cold Dogs, which is a collaboration with one of his friends. They both sit down and try to come up with puns on the spot which can become very goofy and entertaining. Their personalities compliment each other very well and they feed off of each other’s energy so it can get really silly at times. But besides the fact that Kurtis is funny and he puts out quality content, the main reason he is so likable is that he goes on in a way where he points out faulty logic with well thought out and cohesive explanations that support his opinions.  And in doing so, he doesn’t come off as someone who is just trying to spill tea and spread hate. At the end of the day, the majority of Kurtis’s videos are just for comedic purposes so some of the things he says are not serious, but most important is that he always remains respectful and mature and knows where there are limits.

 

 

Photo By Kurtis’s Insta

I honestly can’t describe Kurtis the way I wish I could so if you want to see what I am trying to get across, you should look him up; however, by writing this, I by no means am saying or demanding that you find Kurtis funny. If his humor is not your cup of tea than its not and that is perfectly fine. I do though recommend that you keep an open mind. So if what I have written above is of any interest to any shisters, than you should straight up go and check out his channel. He also recently put out new merch so if you guys binge watch all of his content and enjoyed it as much as I did you may want to become part of Kurtis Town and snatch yourself a YEE YEE (vine reference and repeated joke in his videos) University Crewneck. He also has an ongoing podcast called Very Really Good and it’s gold content! Edited very little, his podcasts are mostly raw content and feel very natural, low-key and have received very good reviews. You can find them on Spotify or iTunes. 

   

Follow him on Twitter or Instagram

Kids! Tips on Interacting with Children

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Hey shisters its been a while, but here I am once again. Over the course of the year I have been learning all about child development and what and how it is to interact with them. Today was my first day ever spending time with kids as I volunteered at a preschool but already I have learned so much! If you are struggling or maybe don’t know how to approach children here are 5 easy tips that anyone can follow. Thank you to Chelsea for these tips at the channel How To Adult. So let’s get started.

1. Kids are human too: It is so easy to use baby talk or talk down to children, but it is important to remember that you can speak to a child the same way you do with anyone else. Kids are human too and they can sense
   

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   when they are not being treated kindly. They also understand more than what they are credited it for. If you ask a one year old child to point to where a ball is, they could tell you so. Speaking properly to children as opposed to baby talk is also beneficial in helping them with their cognitive, language development. Always treat them kindly and remember how good it felt when as a child you were treated with respect by an adult.

2. Play Along: Kid’s play may seem silly and even a little odd at times but to them it is all very fun so play along with them. Find the inner child in yourself and take the opportunity to be silly and make weird faces and do all the crazy fun things that you can’t do around others. Cut loose and
   

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   expand you imagination. Let it run wild! You’ll be surprised of how much fun you can have. A rock can be a mysterious secret treasure! Or a huge pile of dirt a cake, soup and tea!

3. Have Patience: Sometimes it may be too hot, you didn’t get enough sleep, or you have been having a bad day, but remember than none of these things are the child’s fault so do not take it out on them. You as the adult or older person in the relationship have to take in account that you are a role model and what you do is what you are teaching the child to do. Proper coping mechanisms is a very important thing that children are learning in these early years of their lives so it is essential that you guide them co-regulate their emotions and that starts with your behavior. Patience is also of the essence because
   

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   children love repetition. One game can go on forever until a child gets bored with it so all you can do is go with it.  Today for example my kids played sharks for at least 10 minutes straight. What the game essentially was was yelling shark whenever someone “spotted” one and then running for our lives unto a toy boat where we where all safe. Someone would take the wheel and drive really quickly until someone would jump out and “kill” the shark and then we would all be free to presume our trip to the beach. I cannot tell you how many times someone yelled shark and we all had to scramble unto the boat, but it was honestly one of the funniest and silliest games I had played in a while!

4. Speak to them on Eye Level+ Listen: The simple gesture of crouching down will make you look 10 times less intimating and friendly and children will feel much more comfortable approaching you.
   

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   Another important tip is to listen. If someone wants to play hide-e-seek than get the other little ones on board and away you go! If a kid makes a comment acknowledge it even if its random just so that they know that you are paying attention and that they are important. Little kids have so much energy and it can be difficult to keep up with everyone and all their demands but take it slow and attend to everyone one by one.

5. Upon Meeting: Kids need personal space just like adults so when meeting don’t except a kiss or hug right away. Instead a wave hello or high five can do the trick. Let the child get comfortable with you at their pace, you are a stranger remember and you are also bigger and taller than they are.
   

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   If you are meeting a smaller child wait for approval or invitation before you touch a child. They are so adorable I know! But refrain yourself from pinching their cute chipmunk cheeks right away. Give it some time and be respectful of boundaries. Once you have a connection a child may even voluntary hold your hand or hug you.

 

Well that is all I have for you guys. Like always thank you if you stuck around and I hope that you can take a thing or two away from this. =) Until next time.

First We Feast!

Hey sisters so its been in a while since I last wrote something but once again here I am and here we go =) . My blog posts usually are informative and in the past I have given tips to help with new experiences such as traveling and getting a puppy or getting ready for the holidays and gift ideas. Today though I am deciding to do something a little different and give a review of a YouTube channel I really enjoy that goes by the name of First We Feast. 

Photo By Wikipedia

Essentially First We Feast is a channel where “food meets culture.” Mostly known for its celebrity interviews, the channel focuses on interviewing celebs at the same time that they are eating spicy chicken wings that gradually increase on the scoville scale [ a scale that basically shows how spicy a sauce is]. What makes this channel so interesting is the different approach the interviewer, Sean Evans takes. Evans is known for being a webshow producer, interviewer and host as well as for eating the incredibly spicy Carolina Reaper, a pepper that for a while held the title of spiciest pepper in the Guinness World Record. Evans ability to conduct a good interview has been proven multiple times in his YouTube series Hot Ones that lies within his channel First We Feast. Hot Ones interviews consist of eating 10 chicken wings for which one question is asked for each wing. The best thing of the interviews in Hot Ones is that they are not space fillers as some interviews are and we as an audience get to do a deep dive and hear from a different perspective that we have not heard from before. The show is a hit, usually getting millions of views on each video.

* Random Fun Fact: first interview dates back to 1921 and was conducted by Thomas Edison. He wanted to evaluate job candidates’ knowledge.

Photo by First We Feast

Like I mentioned, the channel invites many celebrities those of which have been chef Gordon Ramsey, astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson, artist Post Malone and actors Jeff Goldblum, Seth Myers, Michael B. Jordan, and Natalie Portman just to name a few. The range of guests is widespread and the channel is very interactive with its audience allowing for people to recommend the next guest in the comments below.

The pros to these interviews are that thanks to the producers’ hard work and good research we get to see a new fresh side of celebrities different than the one we are accustomed to and we get to learn a thing or two. Hot Ones really do their research and rarely ask questions that these guests have heard before which prompts guests to think more of their answer and become more engaged in the interview. There is one interview in specific that came to my mind where a celebrity actually acknowledges the extent of the research done for his interview. This guest was Michael B. Jordan. In his interview he said, “Yeah! You do your research,” as he discussed driving Fast and Furious style down the streets of New Jersey. Natalie Portman also had a similar experience where she was also taken back with the amount of research that was done of her early career. Another pro of watching the Hot Ones is simply watching how silly it is to watch a celeb struggle to focus on answering questions while their mouths are burning. However that is also a con because all you can think of is the aftermath of eating all of those spicy chicken wings and the trip they will have when they go to the restroom >o<

Photo by Kiss 103.1

A comparison of Hot Ones interviews to other interviews its simple. Hot One interviews are simple yet intriguing. Although games like Carpool Karaoke, Spill or Fill Your Guts, Charades, or the Whisper Challenge done by interviewers like Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel and James Gordon, are all really fun and give you a good laugh they focus mainly on a celebrity’s  fame and their beef with other people. These games usually try to in some way get gossip from celebrities.  Hosts don’t carry any cruel intentions, its simply media and trying to get views, people doing their jobs but these kind of interviews can sometimes lead to negativity. But in Hot Ones the environment never feels tense or hostile at any moment. The atmosphere is relaxed and you can see guests being really down to Earth and enjoying themselves. Celebs seem very mundane and ordinary and it helps you realize how at the end of the day even our idols are human too. It is also very interesting to see how each personality reacts to the hot and spicy torture of chicken wings!

Photo by Siba Campus

There is one game in specific that I like and its called Explain that Gram and what it is is showing Instagram pictures to celebs that need more context and then asking them to elaborate. Its a easy game that can lead to some very silly stories. Questions also differ and highlight a guest’s accomplishments. For example Evans mentioned Natalie Portman’s degree in psychology and then asked her questions such as  “Does having a psychology background give you any sort of edge in Hollywood?”, “Do dreams matter? Are they significant in any way?” , “What is your take on the psychological toll of social media?”, “Does eating a taco from the top instead of from the side make me a psychopath?” Questions can be serious and funny and interviews are an overall great experience.

Photo by Hunt

Overall impression, this is a great channel and a wonderful interview source! Very authentic and you can see celebs are genuinely happy and having a good time. There is an airiness to which is thanks to Evans who does an excellent job at making guests feel comfortable and thus open up. Interviews are fun and entertaining and on a scale of 1-10 its a 9 if not a 10.  Interviews are fun, simple and fresh and I highly recommend you go and check it out!

 

 

Let’s Begin:Tips to Better your Life

Hey shisters! I hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year! So the last time we spoke I mentioned how important it was to create realistic resolution goals and gave ways of how to do so. In keeping with this train of thoughts I thought why not write about ways in which you can make your day better and so here is the tea. I hope you enjoy and can take something from the list to apply to your day. Provided by the helpful Jeanine Ampola (social media’s listed below) here are 13 manageable ways to better your day:

1. Make Your Bed: This is a painless
   

   Photo by Digs Digs

   and simple action that can no joke improve your day and mood a lot. Not only does it help your room feel put together but it also decreases the temptation to jump back in under the covers and go back to sleep. If you are on the clock and running late than don’t worry about it but think how good it will feel to come home to an already made bed.

2. Restrict Phone Usage: There is no denying how difficult it is, but limiting phone usage especially in the morning can be the difference in boosting your motivation of the day. Instead of allowing yourself to stay in bed for 30 minutes scrolling through your notifications, set a limit of a few minutes and then get up. It’s hard breaking habits but remember that you are in control. Don’t do something you know you will feel regretful about later.
3. Watch a Motivational Speaker Daily:
   

   Photo by Made Magazine

   What better way to feel motivated than to hear a Ted Talk. If you are feeling miserable and can’t find a reason worth getting out of bed than this step is your savior. Sometimes all you really need is a little pep talk of encouragement. There are so many people that dedicate their time to this specific craft. Just click on TED and find something that can be helpful or interesting to you. You don’t need to always force out motivation from yourself, have others give you motivation.

4. Eat Healthy (feel good and look good): Instead of snacking on chips, reach for the bag of almonds. Maybe next time you order a huge burger you know you won’t finish, try the small chicken tenders instead. Start with small changes. For the most important meal of the day try to eat oatmeal with raisins or even a delicious bowl of yogurt with fresh fruit. Take steps however tiny to balance your diet and never force yourself to eat something you dislike. There are many alternatives to get the same value from different foods. Eating well is not only beneficial for your physical health but it clears your mind and body. You feel more energized and motivated.
5. Clean up Room Space:
   

   Photo by Fantastic Cleaners Blog

   Your room is a reflection of how you feel in the inside and if your room is a mess than chances are you are as well. Take a few minutes to clear out the mess. Pick up the clothes from your floor, take out all the dishes on the table, sweep the floor, and dust the shelves. Give yourself more mental freedom by physically giving yourself more room space freedom. Trust me when I say that cleaning and seeing the final result will leave you feeling fresh.

6. Workout Daily: This is a huge turn off for the main reason that it is an activity that requires constant effort and time but I have been in the process of understanding that workouts don’t have to live up to any expectations. It sounds silly I know, but when the word workout comes to mind, what do you picture? Do you see a person working slowly to increase their stamina? Or do you see a very built person, easily going through their reps with their 200+ weights? Or maybe you see neither but the point being said is that we compare athlete’s intense workouts that they took years to achieve to an average person’s. The problem with this is that the two workouts cannot be compared because they are not on the same level. How can a beginner compare themselves to a professional? As long as you are putting effort and your exercise fits your needs, it is a workout. If this is not motivating enough to work out then know that the internet can provide so much. Look up workout videos and exercise from home or inform yourself and then create your own or even yet, sign yourself up for a class and hold yourself accountable for showing up and establishing an uplifting environment.
7. Stick Motivational Quotes Everywhere: Not feeling too hot than stick little memos everywhere. In the fridge, on the bathroom mirror. Know that even if you are knowledgeable (i.e. I have a lot to be grateful for) reminders are always good to help you find your way back from stressful situations. I know that its corny but its incredibly helpful. I personally have a whiteboard where I write myself motivating messages to see as I leave my room.
8. Organize your Day Daily: Don’t end your day feeling that you wasted it so plan it. Planning will help you feel productive, increase your confidence, and make the day seem longer. Remember having a schedule does not require every second to be planned, it is just a sketch of what you want to do so that you can save yourself the time it would take to plan it at the beginning of the day. Take it slow and easy and know that you control your schedule so make it as awesome as you want!
9. Journal/Read Before Bed:
   

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   Take time to unwind at the end of the day. Focus on yourself and not on what is happening elsewhere. Snuggle yourself like a burrito and then read or journal to relive all that stress and anxiety accumulated throughout the day. Crack open something you want to read or write about something you want to. Let go of your worries.

10. Learn Something New Everyday: Do you like trivia? Then download an app and go for it. Maybe sports are your passion and you have been dying to get better at roulette in soccer or achieve the perfect punch in boxing. Then do it. Learn about what you enjoy no matter how big or small.
11. Enforce a Positive Mindset:
    

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    This step takes the most determination and persistence than all the other ones because if changing a mindset from negative to positive was as easy as saying “stop” then I would be jumping with joy right now but reality unfortunately does not work miracles like that. Your mind however holds a lot of power. Stopping yourself from having a negative mindset in a negative situation is impossible. You react logically to feeling unhappy but being in a negative mindset from situations that are not necessarily negative such as waking up, can be where improvement starts. Don’t start the day with the programmed mindset that “today is going to be a terrible day,” I myself am guilty of this but it is crucial to be open minded and not solely depend on your mindset to determine the rest of your yet to be lived day.

12. Go to Bed and Wake Up at the Same Times: If you sleep at 2 am everyday then make it a habit to wake up at the same time everyday too. Sleep is not the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about staying healthy but yet it is one of the most vital components. Fixing you sleeping schedule can literally rock your world! Kid you not. It will be hard at first but once you build a routine you will feel so good and ready to take on everyday. To even further better your sleeping schedule, try and not hit snooze in the morning. Its so hard I know, trust me I struggle on a daily basis with this but pressing snooze only makes you more tired because once you hit snooze and fall asleep again, your brain goes back into another sleeping mode cycle that if you interrupt before it’s up, will leave your brain trying to wake up for 4 hours!
13. Be Patient +Don’t Give Up:
    

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    Don’t be so hard on yourself if you are not successful at accomplishing a goal or sticking through a task. Just remember that you are trying to better your habits so that you can better your day. Giving up is so easy but it will give you nothing but dissatisfaction and desperation. Work hard and most importantly know that progress and results take time. And finally treat yourself! I have said this in other blogs and I will continue to in future ones because it is that vital. Don’t ever make it feel like you are punishing yourself, accommodate to your preferences. And like my sister and I love to say when we are misbehaving, “we are here for a good time not a long time” so make today your day!                                                                                                                                                                                       Social Medias: INSTAGRAM ➳ JeanineAmapola : TWITTER ➳ JeanineAmapola : SNAPCHAT➳ JeanineAmapola : TUMBLR ➳ Jeanine Amapola : FACEBOOK ➳ Facebook.com/JeanineAmapolaYouTuber

New Year New Me! Right?

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After Christmas passes everyone quickly switches gears and begins to prep for the New Year. And what says New Year’s Eve than fireworks, party hats, and… resolutions! A new Year means a new beginning, a new you right? This hope never seems to come true. Every New Year’s I make a list of the things that I want to stop, improve or change but, the exact same thing happens every year. Goals are made, but never met and motivation is at its peak but only for the span of a few weeks and it all continues in a vicious cycle.

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Well an obvious way to think about the situation is to take action. To do what I wrote on my resolution list and get her done. That “I’m going to go from getting only 3 hours of sleep to automatically getting 8 hours of sleep every night from now on” or that “I’m going to get super fit and healthy really quickly when all I have been doing for years is eating unhealthy and siting all day.” Saying these goals out loud sounds silly and most people will think, “well that’s not what I think I say that I want to…” , but unless you are very productive in your life or your goals are to take out the trash more than once a week or go out for a run this Saturday, they are not very realistic. How can we except to go from 0 to 100 in such a small time period? Trying to change habits from one day to another is like climbing a mountain without ever having trained.

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The problem with this view is that because we set unrealistic and (in the time that we want to be able to do it) unattainable goals we are more likely to fail in succeeding and this can be detrimental to our mental health. If we fail to obtain our goals we will see it as an issue that was our fault and take it out on ourselves rather than realizing the extremities we were trying to push through and in response learn from the experience.

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A better way to look at the idea of becoming a new person is to realize and understand that change demands work and determination, but is still very possible and doable. The greatest athletes did not get to where they are by giving up when practice was difficult. Celebrities did not reach their status by accepting failure. Even nature did not obtain its beauty overnight, it evolved over the course of thousands of years to get to its glory today. Change will take more than just one go, but to see your goals through you must take as many go’s as needed. Start small don’t over-complicate it for yourself. You want to become organized then sit down and start a list of items you own, jot down supplies you will need for the job, ask others for help to have encouragement, physically clean your room and look through your belongings, hold yourself accountable by having some sort of reward system, treat yourself once in a while and remind yourself how much your realistic future self will love you. Now go out and make your New Year resolutions for 2019 and remember stay realistic and start small! I wish you the best of luck.

If you need some resolution ideas to inspire or challenge you, here are a few simple resolutions provided by the lovely Lavendaire:

• Explore a hobby: Everyone is creative.
  

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  Don’t seek to be the best artist in the world, but instead seek a way to feed your creative soul. Learn to play an instrument of any kind, maracas, drums, anything! Get into the habit of writing your moods, write poems, learn to paint. Pursue whatever it is that will be your go to when you’ve had a rough day or do when you want to have some fun.

• Break bad habits: Make a list of all the habits that you want to change and then tackle them one by one. Don’t bombard yourself and try to fix all of them all at once. Tell friends to hold you accountable. Create punishments for yourself so that if you don’t follow through you can’t watch that Netflix episode and hopefully learn from your mistake.
• Read 5-10 pages a day: If you want to get more reading done in the year to come, base your goal on reading 10 pages a day rather than the number of books to read to make the task feel less overwhelming. Slow it done and break it up.
• Try listening to Audio books: If you can’t make the time to sit down to read or you lack the motivation to crack open a book but its still a goal of yours to go through more books than last year then tune in to an audio book. You can listen to it while you commute, or while you’re on a jog. It’s easy and a step towards a goal. Check this out → free audible trial (audiobooks) | http://audibletrial.com/lavendaire
• Try something you have been wanting to do: Think of something
  

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  that you have been wanting to do for a while no matter how crazy and google search ways to make it happen. You’ve always wanted to go to a beach island for vacation…rock out at your favorite band’s concert… or go sky diving….then research and make it possible. All you need is a push to start.

• Take control of your fiances: Make a 5 month safety net of money that will cover your expenses by slowly putting some money aside. If you are unemployed then mow the lawn for a neighbor, babysit, tutor, etc. Do something that will give you a source of money. Create a system in which taking money out from your net is not easy to avoid temptation. Think smart and place your money where it will benefit you the most. Check this out→ how to start investing | http://bit.ly/2BLT6JE 
• Invest in yourself: Spend money on things that are more than just for consumption. If you are a photographer buy a better camera or if you are an athlete, better equipment.
• Declutter your closet or space: Split your room into sections and work your way through them. Make a list of weekly tasks and sort out through items and donate some. Check this out→ playlist: decluttering your life | http://bit.ly/2BPpBqs
• Plan an artist day: Pick a day where you take yourself out on a date and have fun. Treat yourself. Check this out→ “artist date” is from The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron | http://amzn.to/2kQ06L7
• Reconnect with an old friend: Don’t attempt to
  

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  catch up with all the people you’ve left behind in the years but instead start by rekindling your connection with a friend and bringing them back into your life. You will feel more connected to others and be more likely to have greater emotional and mental stability.

• Redecorate your space: You’ve been wanting that bean bag for so long. Buy it! Make your space new and don’t wait around for the perfect time because the perfect time is now!
• Volunteer: Seek out non-profit organizations that you will enjoy being apart of to give yourself a sense of community.
• Try stream of consciousness journaling for a week:
  

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  Learning to write down your exact thoughts onto paper will help you clearly see your goals and increase your chances of accomplishing them. Check this out→ how to: stream of consciousness journaling | http://bit.ly/2BnJ7uw

There are many other things that you can do as your New Year’s resolutions that will fit you better according to your lifestyle or preference but remember to seek out improvement of character and not replacement of character. Like always thank you so much if you read through this. I wish you a happy New Year’s and until next time!

Need Christmas Help? Need Present Ideas?

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21 days left for Christmas day. It’s so close yet so far! Are you ready? Have you bought all your Christmas presents? Have you started that present shopping list? Well if you’re in the mist of doing those things or if you have no idea where to start, don’t stress it, in this blog post hopefully you can detract some ideas given by the lovely MissRemiAshten and creative Kaliee Elise. If you wish to follow their YouTube channels I included the link in their names and I will do the same for their social medias. Also a fair warning, any prices listed are not concrete and may not be accurate. If you wish to purchase any of the items that will be listed below remember to do some research. The key is all about finding the right place so although a few suggestions to where to buy items are provided, don’t feel restricted to these. Make it your own way and experience. Okay so let’s get started! 

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  Phone Cases: nice thing to give to a friend who you know loves to constantly decorate their phone or is constantly on it. According to MissRemiAshten you can find very good cases at Victoria’s Secret or Amazon for very agreeable prices. Prices may be as low as $7. Great place to shop for some very aesthetic pleasing, tumbler inspired phone cases: Goodvibes. com. They have a variety of options. Neon colored, girly girl, black Go and check it out!

• Pots: You can go to Target and buy a simple pot for a parent, grandparent, or friend for $12 or you can easily find pot kits that will make the present even more special. Maybe if you want to expand on this idea then you can buy a friend a pot with a plant already inside it. Or if you’re me and cannot keep plants alive if your own life depended on it then definitely check out some miniature succulents. Either way tie a little bow and violià your second present is done!
• Candles: Bath and Body Works is your best
  

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  friend for this idea. You can get candles for $20 or if they are on sale for $10. This is a great present because I for one always struggle to choose what to buy adults so this is a great option to take care of that problem. And who doesn’t like a nice smelling room. This present also has the advantage of being gender neutral so it’s easy to pick for anyone.

• Makeup: Now this one may be a little tricky if you are unfamiliar with makeup brands or if you don’t a person’s personal taste so to solve this problem stay simple. Go to Target or any other general merchandise store and purchase a makeup kit for $15. Kits in these stores usually contain several pieces of eyeshadow, blushes, and bronzers. Elf is an example of an inexpensive brand that can be found in Target and great for a first time makeup user. If you want to be more fancy then you can go to Sephora or Nordstrom Rack and find great prices. These brands have great quality products and you’re bound to find a good deal so go in and grab a kit that’s on sale and you’re set. No sweat. 
• Box Sets: This is a great idea for
  

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  a present because self care products are the most practical. Once again hop into Target or Walmart and buy a box set. Boxes can be bought for $10, depending on where you look, and contain anything from nail polish to razors to shaving cream. For women Caress is a good choice whose box sets include items like pumice stones and loofahs, etc. Or for men Dove’s Men + Care Kit/ Old Spice is excellent. For men sets include deodorants, shampoo conditioner and face wash. And there is another inexpensive gift!

• Perfume: This can be bought at Target, like so many other amazing things for prices anywhere from $30 to $90 depending on the brand of the perfume. You can buy individual bottles or kits that have a travel size bottle and lotion. The choice is yours.
• Spa Set: Another self care related present is a spa set.
  

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  Go to Target and buy a bunch of spa related items that you can throw in a basket and wrap a ribbon around to give to someone. This is a perfect present to give because it’s thoughtful yet easy and simple. Buy hair up towels or shower wraps, which are great because they have an elastic that keeps your towel from falling down once when you have it on. The image on the right is a little silly because it has the little sign in the middle but this image does a good job of displaying the quality of the towels as best as possible. 

• Cooking Items: If you know someone loves cooking then figure out something they’ve been wanting and buy it for them. Do you have a friend that loves cookies and baking? Buy them a bucket of cookie dough. Do you have a chef in the family or food lover in the family? Ask them what kind of utensils they need and give them that as their present. I have on personal experience done this for my Uncle whose been a chef for many years and it was such a great decision. 
• Fuzzy Blankets: I am in love if not obsessed with fuzzy blankets.
  

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  I have more then I need and definitely have no more room for them but I still included them on my wish list this Christmas because they are just so amazing and soft! You can use them to wrap yourself like a burrito and stay in bed all day or wrap them around yourself while you get your job or academic work done. You can toss it on and relax by the window and read a book while drinking some warm hot chocolate. Just picture it, it sounds awesome! And to complete it all add some holiday fuzzy socks. You can purchase high quality fuzzy blankets and socks at any Marshalls, Target or TJ Maxx. Just look at how soft it looks! Imagine falling asleep on it. Imagine how warm and cozy it would be.

  

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An amazing YouTuber by the name of Kaliee Alise created an awesome video of DIY Christmas present ideas and I did’t want to butcher her work because its so well put so if you want to watch that then click on this link 25 DIY Christmas Gifts that People will Love!  So this concludes the list of a few items that you can gift for Christmas. Remember, don’t over stress that people won’t like or be happy with what you give them because at the end of the day you are not required to give anyone a present and Christmas is about spending time with the people you love and care for, not about presents. Like I said I would, here are the links to the girls different social medias: MissRemiAshten ~Twitter:https://twitter.com/missremiashten + Instagram:@missremiashten 

Kaliee Elise~ Twitter: KaileeElise_ +Instagram: Kailee_Elise

Thank you if you stuck through and read this entire thing. I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Until next time!

Thanksgiving is Here!

 

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It’s November and the holiday vibes are beginning to set in. Are you hosting this colorful holiday and have no idea what to do? Here are 3 very simple holiday ideas.

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  Set up a bar~ this classy yet easy task is a great way to establish a relaxed mood and get the party going. Even if you do not drink, letting your guests know that they have the option to is nice. Create a rack from the furniture at your home or buy a cheap container from Walmart or install some shelves, and set up a fancy display of glass and bottles. Maybe even add a few holiday snacks in. If you want to get more fancy here are some options for Thanksgiving Holiday Cocktails: 

~Cranberry Gimlet:

-2 oz citrus vodka

-3/4 oz fresh lime juice

-3/4 oz unsweetened cranberry juice

-1/2 oz agave nectar

-Lemon twist or fresh cranberries

~Juicy Pear Martini:

-4 parts pear vodka

-3 parts pear nectar

-2 parts simple sugar syrup

-1 part fresh lemon juice

-ice

~Fire Brandy Punch:

-1 1/4 cups of water

-1 1/4 of packed dark brown sugar

-2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half

-4 whole cloves

-14 inch long strip orange peel

-2 750 ml bottles dry red wine

-1 cup fresh orange juice

-1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

-4 cups of brandy

-1 whole nutmeg

Other options:  Manhattan, Bourbon Punch, Boozy Maple Orchard, Rosemary Concord Shrub, Frozen Turkey, Cider Spritz, Pumpkin Martini. Recipes here –> Thanksgiving Cocktails

• Have Dessert~ we all know that Thanksgiving equals turkey and mashed potatoes or if you are me then Thanksgiving equals tamales or pozole, but regardless of your preference for the main meal it is key to have something to complete the dish and this is where dessert comes into place. With the beauty that is the internet there are hundreds of recipes that you can look up and follow but here are 5 amazing dishes that the channel Tasty provides:

Picture by Pintrest 

Salted Chocolate Truffles:

 

-Crumble Graham crackers while still inside bag by

-Pour crumbs in a plate and fully crumble large pieces

-Pour 1 cup of mini chocolate chips

-Sprinkle 1/4 tsp of salt

– Put in 1 1/2 cups of marshmallow fluff

– Mix all items into bowl

– Roll all the dough into small balls

– Freeze for 15 minutes

– Dip balls into chocolate pudding

– Add sprinkles of salt

– Chill until served

• Create a Playlist~ last but certainly not least, make a playlist. We have all had that one awkward moment in a family gathering or friend get together where there is sudden silence and everyone feels uncomfortable. Avoid this and put some soft tunes in the background. Because Thanksgiving just so happens to be the only big holiday that has no music specifically for it then just put a list together of your favorite artists and songs. If you want to be more inclusive then go out and research a little bit and find out what kind of music your guests enjoy. If you know little kids are coming to the gathering than put some kid friendly music or if your family only listens to a certain type of genre pop that on, or maybe you are lucky enough and you and all your pals enjoy the same type of jams so then you can have even more fun and put a song playlist together. You don’t have to go the extra mile, the most important thing is that you do what works best for you. The advantage with this tip too is that it can help you set the tone for the evening and it gives you more of a upper hand in organizing the party. The music can be either blaring or background noise, whatever you feel most comfortable with and the best part with all this is that there are so many different apps, devices, and forms of technology that can help you play your music. Whether you chose to spring on a playlist you have on Spotify, use devices like Amazon dot, ask Alexa or decide to use old schooled dvds or records, just remember to play some music and enjoy the event.

If the list above is not enough, jot some thoughts down and don’t over complicate things for yourself. Take out some board games, teach others a few card games. Play Uno and find out who the sneakiest family remember is! Watch a movie, tell stories, do anything!  You icons may have noticed that this blog does not have as much tea as the others and considering previous blogs is very short and the reason is because I don’t want to make the holidays seem like dreadful occasions that you have to be driven crazy over preparing for it. Holidays should be fun and for the most part are, unless you get holiday depression, but that is a whole another story sis. Don’t stress it and after your preparations are all done, relax. Just do it. You are here, you are alive and you going to be able to eat as much as you want without judgement for a good solid day. Make the most of it! I hope that all of you have a lovely Thanksgiving day! Until next time…