My Favorite Autumn Recipes

Season's greetings, my little apple cider donuts!

 My favorite season is here; the season of coziness and cinnamon-scented air. IT'S AUTUMN, PEOPLE! There is nothing I don't love about autumn. The weather gets cooler, the drinks get warmer, the food gets hardier, and the earth is at its physical peak.

Autumn has to be my favorite season for food and drink because it combines the fruitiness of the warm seasons with the richness and spices of the colder ones. The key to making your food autumnal is by including classic autumnal flavors: apples, oranges, cranberries, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, thyme, and sage. You will see all of these herbs, spices, and fruits used in this post!

In these recipes, you will see a variety of 't's incorporated into the measurements. The uppercase 'T's stand for tablespoon, and the lowercase 't's stand for teaspoon.

Without further ado, here are my favorite autumn recipes!

Mind-Blowing Apple Cider

You have not lived until you have tasted this apple cider. This recipe is the perfect mixture of fruit and spices, which makes it the poster beverage for the autumn season. I drink it every year and it never fails to blow my mind!

1 gallon Apple Cider
1 cup Orange Juice
5 Cinnamon Sticks
20 Whole Cloves
20 Whole Allspice

Combine ingredients in large pot over medium heat. Once cider starts to simmer, reduce heat to low and let infuse for 2 hours. The longer you let your cider infuse, the better it will taste! My mom told me that when she makes this cider for a party, she will leave it on the stove over low heat for the whole night.

Orange & Cinnamon Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry sauce is the perfect side dish to pair with hardy autumnal food. The tartness and acidity of the cranberries cut through the richness of the meal, giving it a great balance. It's also super easy to make from scratch!

4 cups (12 ounces) Frozen Cranberries
1 cup Orange Juice
3/4 cup Sugar
1 Cinnamon Stick (Optional)

In a sauce pan over medium heat, combine orange juice, cinnamon stick, and sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves.
Reduce heat to low, add cranberries, and stir.
When mixture starts to bubble, mash the cranberries with spoon or potato masher.
Stir occasionally for 10 to 15 minutes or until sauce is at your desired consistency. Remember that it will thicken as it cools.
Take off of heat and let sauce cool; add more orange juice to loosen it up if needed.

Vegetarian Gravy

Vegetarians, suffer no more! There is no need to go another Thanksgiving without gravy on the table. Here is my favorite vegetarian gravy recipe!

3T. Butter
1 Small Onion or Shallot, finely chopped
1 large clove Garlic, minced
1t. Thyme
1/2t. Sage
2T. Flour or Corn Starch
2 cups Vegetable Broth
1T. Soy Sauce
Salt & Pepper

In a sauce pan over medium to low heat, sauté the onions, garlic, sage, and thyme in the butter.
Once onions are soft and translucent, stir in flour and incorporate thoroughly.
Add in your broth and soy sauce and whisk to combine.
Let mixture bubble until it thickens.
Add salt and pepper to taste.

Pot Pie Filling

I'm a huge fan of pot pies, but once I became a vegetarian, it was super hard to find one without meat in it. The reason this recipe is titled "Pot Pie Filling" instead of a whole "Pot Pie" is because it is actually quite versatile; you could use it as pot pie filling or simply serve it in a bowl with a buttered roll! I've been doing the latter recently, and it's just as good. This recipe makes 2 to 3 pot pies depending on how much filling you squeeze into each one. I promise you it tastes better than it looks!

1T. Butter
1 Large Potato, peeled and cubed
2 Medium Carrots, thinly coined
1t. Salt
1/2t. Pepper
1/2t. Thyme
1/2t. Sage
1/2t. Oregano
1/2t. Celery Seed
1 cup Water
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
2t. Corn Starch or Flour

In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, add all ingredients except for water, heavy cream, and cornstarch.
Sauté the vegetables for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add in water to boil the potatoes all the way through and deglazing the pan if necessary.
In a cup, combine the heavy cream and corn starch and whisk until thoroughly combined.
Add heavy cream mixture into the saucepan and cook until mixture thickens.
Let mixture simmer for approximately 5 minutes before turning off the heat.
Serve in a bowl with a buttered roll or bake it in a pie crust!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

This recipe is rich and delicious, and look at that color! This butternut squash soup is a healthy option for your autumnal menu, and it's still just as filling! The roasting of the squash and the browning of the onions, along with the addition of nutmeg, creates an amazing depth of flavor. This recipe can easily serve 6 people!

1 Large Butternut Squash (about 3 pounds)
1T. Olive Oil
1 Small Onion
3 cloves Garlic, minced
1t. Salt
1/2t. Pepper
1/4t. Nutmeg
4 cups Vegetable Broth
2T. Butter

Halve the butternut squash, lightly oil on all sides, and season with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Roast the squash face down in the oven at 475 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes.
While the squash is roasting, heat olive oil in large soup pan over medium heat. Add onion, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
Cook until onions are translucent, then add garlic. Over low heat, cook until onions develop a golden brown color.
Once the squash is done roasting, remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Using a large spoon, remove the flesh of the squash from the skin and add into the soup pan.
Add in vegetable broth and butter.
Using a hand blender, puree mixture until smooth.

That's it for today's post! I hope you saw a recipe that interested you! If you decide t make any of these recipes, take a picture and send it to me via the 'Contact' tab at the top of the page!

Thank you for reading, and I'll see you soon!
Jordan x

All Right Turns

Hello, my friends!

On my daily drive home from school, I get to take a gorgeous, winding road, lined with trees and dappled with sunlight. This road is about 3 miles long, and for those 3 miles, I feel quite relaxed. When this road comes to an end, I have to turn left onto a very busy road, monitored by only one stop sign. Turning left across two lanes is quite scary for me, and it's been something that has stressed me out since I first learned to drive. I know how to do it, but I dread it when there's not a set of stoplights telling me what to do.

One day while I sat at the stop sign with my left blinker on, the cars zoomed past and I wished that my route home allowed me to turn right everyday instead of left. Turning right meant I only had one lane of traffic to worry about. Then I realized something. If all I ever took was right turns, I'd just go around in circles (or squares) for the rest of my life.

This little realization has taught me that if all you ever take is right turns, you're never going to get anywhere. You must take risks and do the things that scare you in order to get where you want to be. Don't take the easy way out. Face your fears head-on and overcome them. Step out of your comfort zone. Turn left!

I hope you didn't find this post too cheesy! For those of you who live in countries where you drive on the left side of the road, pretend this blog post is titled, "All Left Turns". Replace all the 'right's with 'left's and it should make more sense!

Thank you for reading, and I'll see you all very soon for my first autumn-themed post!

Until then,

Jordan x

What Is College REALLY Like?

Hello, my friends, and welcome to my 100th post!

I just finished my first week of college, and I'm here to tell you all about it.

Monday
Since this past Monday was Labor Day, I didn't have school. I used this free day to organize my schoolbag, clean my room, and take a shower! I wanted to make sure I started the year off fresh and at ease, with a clean and calm environment to come home to.

Tuesday
Tuesday was my first official day of college.

Once I found parking, I was left with 4 minutes to get to a class that I had no idea where to find. On my hopeless trek through the building, I ran into a staff member and asked him if he knew where my room was. He turned out to be the professor of the class I was looking for! By the time I sat down, my chest burned due to how out of breath I was. I was pleasantly surprised by the humor of my first professor.

After the first class, I had an hour to get lunch and work on blog posts. I got a bagel and a coffee from the cafeteria and sat down at a table, waiting for the time to pass.

My second professor of the day is super nice and outgoing. I was assigned two stories to read and a quiz to take, due on Thursday. I finished off the school day with another English class, taught by a very stern and intimidating woman. My professor spent the whole 75 minutes talking about how much harder this class was compared to its prerequisites, which I had been exempt from. Needless to say I was, and am, quite worried!

Wednesday
Wednesday was the first day of my Monday/Wednesday classes. On these days, I have a math class and a communications class. My math class started at 1:00pm, but I came in a little early to work on some homework. Math was really overwhelming. My professor has a thick Russian accent, so the lessons are a little difficult sometimes. I also stupidly forgot to bring paper, so I had to figure out how to create all of those fancy math symbols in an online document. I definitely learned my lesson.

My communications class seems promising, and my teacher gave us M&Ms so it's off to a good start!

Thursday
Thursday was my second day in my Tuesday/Thursday classes, and my last day of school for the week. Because I had been to these classes before, I was a little less anxious trying to figure out how to get there. Once I got to my classes, I'd sit down in the seat I assigned myself and pull out the assignments I'd been working on since Tuesday.

Although I'd only been out of high school for a few months, it felt like I hadn't been to school in years. The campus is huge, the homework is overwhelming, and the material is foreign to me. I still don't know how to get to most of my classes without circling the building a few times, but I'm getting the hang of it! As for everything else, I'm sure I'll manage.

Friday
Time to RELAX!

That, my friends, was my first week of college! Sorry for the long post; I guess this was more of a diary entry than anything else. For those of you who aren't in college yet, I hope this gave you a tiny insight on what's in store for you! For those of you who are currently in college or have graduated, I hope this was somewhat relatable!

My conclusion to what college is really like is quite similar to my hypothesis; college is fun if you put yourself out there (joining clubs, talking to your classmates), and it's not so overwhelming if you just keep up with your homework. If you do those two things, college will be fine! I'll see you later in the month for a non-school-related post!

Until then,
Jordan x

Back-to-School Clothing Haul

Hello, my stylish scholars! I have a very exciting post for you today.

To freshen my wardrobe for college, I did a little shoppin'. The 8 items featured in this post were bought for a total of $80, making them the perfect pieces for a student on a college budget!

Without further ado, let's get to the haul!

First stop, Target! Target is quite expensive for my liking, so I just went there for the basics. I bought a pair of black leggings and two v-necks in mustard and cream-ish. The leggings were reduced from $10 to $7, and the shirts were two for $14. What a deal! All 3 items are from the brand, Mossimo.

After Target, I went to Kohl's and raided the clearance section. I found the softest blue tank top with a lace-up neckline by the brand, So, for only $4.80!

The second shirt I found, also for $4.80, is this gorgeous graphic top. I absolutely love the neckline and shape of this top, and Sam says it accentuates my tattoos!

Although my school year takes place over the autumn/winter, I figure that these sleeveless tops would be great under cardigans as there would be no bunching up.

Onto the jeans!

I was in desperate need of some new pants, and rather than going for plain denim, I decided to go for something a little more fun. I bought two pairs of high-rise jeggings from the brand, So. I bought a grey pair for any 'business casual' outfits I may have to create, and I bought this glorious green pair because it's one of my favorite colors! Both pairs were $17.99 each.

Last but definitely not least, the most gorgeous pair of trousers you've ever seen. These navy and white, vertically striped trousers are by the brand, Candies. They were originally $48, but I got them for only $14.40. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?! It feels too good to be true! These pants aren't a part of my everyday school uniform, but for days where I have to do a presentation or I'm feeling a little sassy, they would be perfect!

That's it for my college clothing haul! I hope this post has inspired you to go out and take advantage of some amazing deals. Sometimes you can find a hidden gem in the sales rack!

Until next time,

Jordan x

What's In My School Bag?

Hello, my babies!

As I briefly mentioned in my last post, I will be starting college/university on the 5th of September. This is a significant moment for me because I see the beginning of university as the beginning of the rest of my life. I am voluntarily going to school, to get a degree, to get a job, to buy a house, to support a family. It's kind of a big deal!

In order to make sure I get that degree, I need to make sure I have everything I need! Today I'm going to talk you through the contents of my school bag.

My school bag of choice is a messenger bag by the brand, Merona. The bag is made of a canvas material with a detachable shoulder strap, faux leather detailing, and magnetic buckles. On the inside, the bag has a cushioned section for my laptop and a decent-sized zipper pocket for all of my loose items. I absolutely love the earthy colors!

Now, onto the contents of this gorgeous bag!

Computer & Charger Cord
My electronic notebook and the cord that keeps it alive!
Expanding File
Having an expanding file is much easier than carrying 5 individual folders around. It's also a wonderful place to keep my snacks.
Daily Planner
Essential for staying organized! I like to write down my assignments, my work schedule, and any events happening in my life.
Textbooks
College classes usually occur every other day. On Mondays and Wednesdays, I'll be carrying my Math and Communications textbooks. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I'll be carrying my English and Philosophy textbooks!
Pens and Pencils
Obviously! I am a lover of all pens; black, blue, even purple if I'm feeling sassy.  I'm not a big fan of pencils though, so if I have to use them, I prefer to use mechanical pencils. They're just a little more fun!

Lip Balm

An absolute essential, especially during wintertime! I always feel much more confident with lip balm on.
Chewing Gum
Let's be honest; sometimes we just don't have time to brush our teeth in the morning. Whether you skipped out on your morning brush or ate a garlicky lunch, gum is a lifesaver.

Hand Lotion
The soap used in school restrooms is really harsh; at least on my little hands. A travel-sized hand lotion can be found in all of my bags, including my school bag!

Tampons
You never know when you or a friend might need one! Plus, it's better to be prepared than to walk around asking strangers for one.
Nail File

You won't need it often, but when you do and you don't have one, it's impossible to think about anything else.

Calculator
Every Monday and Wednesday, you will find a calculator in my bag!

That, my friends, is the contents of my school bag! I hope this post didn't make you cry at the thought of going back to school. I promise school will be alright as long as you stay on top of your work and stay out of drama! I wish you all a school year full of learning, personal growth, and edible school lunches.

Until next time,
Jordan x

A Three-Pronged Fork in the Road

Hello, my wonderful people.

For the first time ever in my blogging career, I failed to upload a post last month. Due to the relaxed, casual nature of my blog, I'm sure nobody noticed; however, I still feel like I've failed myself. My one goal as a blogger was to upload at least one post a month. I had a few posts in the works for July, but I hated them all. I tried pushing myself to write something, but my heart was saying 'no'. I then decided that having a month of no posts was better than having a month of half-assed posts that I couldn't care less about. Quality over quantity, right?

Between working, writing my book, maintaining relationships, and preparing for college, I've had little to no time to blog or film. Not only do I not know what content to make, but I also don't know where to put it.

When I find a topic I want to talk about, I need to decide whether it'd be better addressed as a blog post, as a YouTube video, or as a chapter in the book I'm writing. If I make a profound, life-changing realization, I save it for the book. If I have anything else I want to say, show, or review, I need to decide between the blog or the YouTube channel. I feel that YouTube videos are far more interesting for most people, making them the medium that I tend to lean towards. This basically means that my blog gets shat on.

Today I am here to tell you that from now on, I am going to bring you the highest quality of content, at LEAST once a month. In fact, I'm gonna start right now! If there is anything you'd like me to write about, click the 'Contact' tab at the top of my blog and shoot me a message! Get ready, because your mind is gonna be blown.

Thank you for your time, and I will see you soon!

Jordan x

Life Inspirations

Hello, my babies!

20 days ago, I graduated high school. I have officially been launched into the real world, and I couldn't be happier. Or more overwhelmed.

Although I have a few years of college ahead of me and I'm still living with my parents, it's time to start thinking about life after education. What do I want to do? Where do I want to live? What do I want my living space to look like? What do I want my wardrobe to look like? What kind of car do I want to drive?

I'm not a very decisive person, so I love to look elsewhere for inspiration. Today's post is all about the people, places, and things that I aspire to do/have/be like in my lifetime. Enjoy!

Home Inspiration
Estee Lalonde

Estee is a Canadian, London-based YouTuber. Although our styles don't completely align, Estee is one of my home inspirations because she does a great job of incorporating color into very neutral spaces. We share a love of the accented neutral color scheme, and she has the green thumb that I wish I had! Above I've included a video she made of her favorite bits of her home, and I can't help but agree with her!

Fashion Inspiration
Emily Canham

credit

Emily Canham is a 20-year-old YouTuber who specializes in beauty and fashion. Emily's wardrobe is the perfect mixture of elegant and casual, and even her most laid-back outfits look worthy of a day out!

credit

My go-to outfit is a pair of leggings and a men's t-shirt, out of sheer simplicity. I have a few 'feminine' pieces, but the majority of my clothing is fairly androgynous. Emily does a great job of making feminine clothing appeal to me by including edgy/unisex touches. She also does a wonderful job of including inexpensive pieces in her wardrobe.

Blog Inspiration
Poppy Deyes

credit

Poppy Deyes is a food/travel/lifestyle blogger from Brighton, England. Every picture on Poppy's blog and Instagram is perfectly lit and edited, and they make you feel happy just by looking at them. Every aspect of her photography and blog layout seems to be thought out and precisely placed, which is a skill I have yet to master.

Click here to see what I'm talking about!

Ultimate Inspiration(s):
Zoe Sugg and Alfie Deyes

credit

Zoe and Alfie (a.k.a. Zalfie) are YouTubers based in Brighton, England, and I've been subscribed to their channels for about 5 years now. In those 5 years, their channels have grown massively, which has allowed them to do things that the average twenty-something could only dream of.

Zoe and Alfie are my career, home, fashion, and relationship inspirations for the following reasons:

Both Alfie and Zoe have made making YouTube videos their full-time job, which is something I've wished for myself since 8th grade. They are both authors of several successful books, which is a title I hope to have for myself one day. They recently moved into an absolute mansion of a home in the town that I've been dreaming of moving to for years. They also have the best relationship with each other's families, which is something I hope to maintain with my boyfriend's family. Not only are they a beautiful couple, but they're also beautiful people inside and out. They give as much as they get, and they are regular donators to charity.

Zoe and Alfie's unbelievable success is every aspect of their lives - especially at such a young age - is why they are my ultimate role models.

Click here to check out Alfie's vlog channel, and click here to check out Zoe's vlog channel!

Those are all of the life inspirations I have at the moment! Although I said I was an indecisive person at the beginning of this post, I don't want you to think that I'm trying to be anyone else. I like to think of these inspirations as people that spark an interest within me and expose me to things I never knew I liked.

I hope you enjoy today's post, and I'll see you soon for another one!

Love,
Jordan x

My New Tattoo

Hello, everyone! How are you all?!

My 18th birthday was on the 15th of May, and I decided to celebrate by starting my tattoo sleeve. In today's post, I will be showing you my tattoo and talking you through the reasons I got it.

I've always been a fan of hot bodies and beautiful faces, regardless of the sex of the person they belonged to. However, I am especially fond of the female body and all of the amazing, wondrous things it is capable of. I think women are some of the most magnificent things to ever walk the earth, and I knew I wanted some sort of tattoo to celebrate them. Rather than getting a pair of boobs etched into my skin, I decided to get a portrait of one of the most powerful women I know instead.

My tattoo is a stylized image of Cher, a famous singer. I drew the portrait myself and it now lives on my upper left arm!

Cher became famous in the '60s as a 16-year-old, singing with her boyfriend, Sonny. Throughout Cher's 50 years in the spotlight, she's done everything from singing, to hosting, to acting. I was exposed to Cher's talent - and elaborate costumes - by my mom around the age of four, and as I've gotten older and learned more about the multi-facetted woman, I realized that she might just be the most badass female out there.

Not only was Cher the epitome of natural beauty in her first few decades, but she has the most bold, fiery personality to match. Cher has been known to speak her mind and not take s*** from anybody, and she appears completely unfazed by the opinions people have about her, which is something I wish I was strong enough to overcome. Cher is a nearly perfect example of what every woman should be: strong, confident, independent, and ever-changing.

This tattoo is a reminder to be confident and indestructible. My life is promising and full of possibilities, because I am a woman, and I am capable of anything. 

I got my tattoo done by Samantha Weeks at Serenity Ink in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The tattoo took nearly 4 hours.

Thanks for reading! Until next time,

Jordan x

Things to Not Worry About (Your Future)

Hey, everyone!

I had a mental breakdown last night. It was nothing out of the ordinary, and frankly I'm surprised it didn't happen earlier on in the evening. Although I'm extremely prone to panic attacks, the one I had last night was nothing like my usual ones. This mental breakdown came from a place of sadness and hopelessness rather than extreme nervousness. There was still crying and the complete disintegration of my mind, but rather than shaking and losing control over my body, I just sat there.

I was with my boyfriend last night when I started feeling gross. The past few days had put a bit of a stress on our relationship, and yesterday the negativity kind of added up. My meltdown was brought on by our conversation we had in my driveway after he had driven me home.

We talked about our minor issues, like why I would become so unhappy towards the end of every evening we spent together. (The answer was because I'd get tired and we couldn't find anything to do/watch on Netflix that we were both interested in.)

Opening up this door led me to thinking about other issues within our relationship; issues that weren't even issues yet. I started thinking about our future together, and if our extremely different lifestyles, beliefs, and interests would eventually make us hate each other. Opening up this door led me to opening every other door imaginable. I started to question my future with everything.

Sam suggested that the reason I'm so anxious all the time is because I obsess over the future. Although I think it's important to plan for your future, I realized that he was totally right. I worry about what might happen years from now rather than enjoying the present. I plan for the worst case scenario, which prevents me from being able to relax, which in turn poisons the 'here and now'.

We came to the conclusion that since we are such different people, we give and receive love in different ways. I need way more reassurance than he does. It doesn't necessarily mean our relationship is doomed, it just means we need to adapt to each other.

I still worry about things like where I'll end up, and what I'll be doing with my life, and if the guy I love now is the guy I'll love forever. However, I've realized that worrying about those things doesn't make them any better! Stressing out about your future doesn't stop it from happening. I've also realized that a relationship's success isn't predetermined by the couple's traits or differences; it's determined by your effort and your willingness to make things work. It's about deciding you love each other enough to overcome anything.

Long story short, things only work if you make them work. You'll only figure out what you want to do with your life by doing things. You'll only figure out where you belong by going out and exploring. So go out, make stuff happen, and don't let anything - including yourself - get between you and the things you love.

Until next time,

Jordan x

How's Life?

Hello, babies! I apologize for the lack of blog postage in February. This month has been surprisingly hectic, and I've had no idea what to post. When you've been blogging for 3 years, original ideas are hard to come across.

Embracing my brain fart and my busy life, I decided to make today's post about what's been goin' on over the past couple of months. In this post you will see where I've been, what I've been eating, and who I've spent my time with (mostly Sam). Enjoy! 

On January 3rd, Moose enjoyed one of his favorite snacks. Can you guess what it is?

On January 9th, my mom and I went out for lunch at the smallest cafe I've ever seen. The iced mocha I was drinking was infused with cinnamon and cayenne and called the Heartbreak Hotel. It was AMAZING.

On January 15th, Sam and I celebrated our one month anniversary by taking his dog to the park!

On January 21st, Sam pretended to steer a boat while eating candied cashews.

On February 3rd, my sister drove us all around Wisconsin to pick up her concert tickets.

On February 10th, I experimented with tomatoes and burrata, a mozzarella ball filled with shredded mozzarella and cream.

On February 12th, Sam and I created a pesto pasta dish and watched the Grammys!

On Valentine's Day, I got a new shirt...

... and the cutest letter of all time.

On February 18th and 19th, I vlogged my weekend. Click the video above to check it out!

On February 21st, I figured out that I was 34% Scandinavian and 0% Irish. Who woulda thought?!

On February 26th, Sam and I discovered a cafe in Milwaukee that happens to be the perfect mixture of our personalities; biker hippy!

Today, Sam and I started off the morning with our respective coffees and relaxed on the couch.

Later on in the day, we met up during his lunch break for a quick enchilada in my car!

I hope you somewhat enjoyed looking back on my first two months of the year. To answer the question that I titled the post with, life is pretty darn good! I'll see you soon for my next post! I promise it won't take another month.

Until then,

Jordan x

2017 Bucket List

Hello, my lovely people! I hope you've all had a decent start to the new year. 

2017 is going to be a very big year for me. Over the next 12 months I will be entering adulthood, graduating from high school, and going to college. Between those 3 major life events, I plan to fill my schedule with 'bucket list' activities to make 2017 the best year of my life thus far.

So, without further ado, here's my list of things to do!

Explore My Hometown
I've spent nearly 2 decades living in and around my hometown, but I've only seen what I'm exposed to on my daily routes. This summer before I move to Milwaukee for college, I'm going to take some time to explore my hometown and appreciate where I come from. I'm going to attend the summer festivals, the water shows, and the street fairs. Rather than saying my hometown is holding me back, I'm going to experience what it has to offer and figure out why most people that graduate from my high school decide to stay here.

Vacation with Friends

Parents are great and everything, but there's something about being with people in the same age bracket with similar mindsets that feels extremely liberating. Being with friends gives you the freedom to make your own rules, schedule, and bedtime. Young adults would agree that it gives us a sense of maturity and control over our lives, which - if managed wisely - can make life all the more enjoyable.

This summer, my boyfriend and I plan on going camping, renting a bungalow up north, and possibly going to California. We want to go everywhere our budget will allow us! Like I said in my last post though, over-planning leads to disappointment. I'm going to keep an open mind about our worldly endeavors and remember that the best trips are the spontaneous ones!

Get in Tune with My Body
I'm not sure what this means yet, but I know I'm in way more physical pain than I should be. This year I'm going to listen to my body and take steps towards making myself feel better naturally. I'm going to lessen my reliance on pharmaceuticals such as ibuprofen and try to heal myself with things like meditation, pilates, or yoga.

Get Tattoos

I want to get a few tattoos this year. My sister and I are going to get matching tattoos at some point, and for my 18th birthday in May, I plan on starting my sleeve. You'll have to wait to see what I get!

Grow Out My Hair

Whenever I try to grow out my hair, I get annoyed with it and tell myself I'd look better with it short. This leads to a 6-month period of me looking like a 12-year-old girl if my hair is not perfectly styled, which it usually isn't. This year, I am going to grow my hair out to see if it makes me look any better.

Accept Life
Just yesterday, I decided to indulge in a couple Reese's Peanut Butter Cups that I had been saving for a rainy day. When I opened up my purse to get them out, I discovered that someone had stole them. They were only 89 cents, but it made me SO UPSET. I had bought them with my own money and had been saving them for a desperate time, and they weren't there. Sometimes your candy gets stolen and you just gotta deal with it. Not everything goes the way we want it to, and that's something I'm going to work on accepting this year.

Those are all my goals and ambitions for 2017! Stay tuned to see if I end the year with long hair, a start on my tattoo sleeve, a better mindset, and more worldly experiences!

See you soon,
Jordan x

Lessons I've Learned in 2016

Hello, my wonderful people! 2016 is nearly over, and I honestly couldn't be happier. 2016 has been the most turbulent year of my life, and I found it extremely hard to be happy or believe there was any light at the end of the tunnel. Throughout 2016, however, I have made more progress within my life than I ever knew was possible. From all of the crappy things I've been through in 2016, I've discovered many things about myself, and learned so many lessons that I will carry with me into the new year.

Let's start with a quick summary of my year to revisit some of the big life events that've taken place during 2016.

Brief Run-Down of 2016

January: Rang in the new year with my boyfriend and his family; a very nice month as I recall!

February: First break-up; mentally unstable for the next 7 months due to lack of closure and utter loneliness.

March: Tried to fill void in my life by talking to other guys.

April: Met new boy; started dating.

May: Quit my job; relationship starts starts revealing its flaws.

June: Relationship troubles; losing money because of unemployment.

July: More relationship troubles; becoming depressed due to lack of money and reason to leave the house.

August: Finally ended relationship with troubled boy; got a new job! 

September: Senior year of high school starts; making new friends.

October: Putting myself into more social situations; starting to recognize the positive changes happening in my life. 

November: Life is slowly getting better; got accepted to university!

December: Finally at peace with myself and okay with being a single entity; met a new boy.

2016 Shockers

I never knew how miserable being unemployed could make me. I hate working, but I hate being broke and under house arrest even more. Not being able to work reminded me of my love for travel and experience, which are two things you can't really do without money!

I can't believe I actually figured out what I want to major in at university. I never wanted to continue my education past high school, but it's hard to be successful otherwise in this day and age. In case you're wondering, I'm going to school for journalism, advertising, and media with a sub-major in print journalism!

3 BOYFRIENDS in 1 YEAR?! I didn't even know that many people could find me attractive! With each relationship came its own life lesson, so I don't feel too bad about it. The boyfriend I started 2016 with was my first true love. My second relationship with a military boy that was 3 years my senior was my way of ineffectively coping with the loss of my first love. The third boyfriend, however, is the result of finally loving myself and attracting the right people because of it. He came along when I least expected it; when I had finally found myself and had actually started being okay with being single! Funny how things work out, huh?

Lessons I've Learned

YOU ONLY HAVE YOURSELF
You know those people that say they're always gonna be there for you? They're lying. They have better things to do than listen to your problems and let you cry on their shoulders. You cannot - and should not - rely on anyone but yourself to make you feel better. You are the only person in your life that you will always have. Learn to be your own rock, and your own support system. Even the nicest people can break your heart.

CLOSURE IS NEVER GUARANTEED
Although we'd love it if all relationships ended on good terms, that is not always the case. You must learn to be okay with people refusing to hear you out. If they're not giving you the time of day, that is their problem, not yours. If they're deciding to stay mad at you without giving you a chance to explain yourself, they probably don't deserve to be in your life anyway. Do not let their immaturity eat away at you.

DON'T PLAN
Planning is for the foolish, and it only leads to broken hearts and disappointment. I thought I was one of those ridiculously lucky people that would marry their first true love. My boyfriend and I planned on getting married shortly after our 5-year anniversary in 2020, and moving to England right after that. Don't plan. Let life guide you as you go. Go wherever your heart takes you in the present moment. Don't plan your future before it happens; plan it as you go.

TIME HEALS EVERYTHING
You will never encounter anything in life that you cannot overcome, although living through it may seem impossible at the time. Whether it takes days, months, or years, you will get through it and come out the other side stronger and wiser!

SAY YES
Say yes to the things that scare you. Say yes to new opportunities and new people. Say yes to anything that won't cause you permanent damage. Stepping out of your comfort zone can be extremely terrifying and very awkward at times, but you can sit at home on the couch any other day of the week. Every second that goes by, you are never going to get back. Take advantage of the opportunities you're given! The more you face your fears, the less fearful they are.

FRIENDSHIPS DON'T COME IN CLIQUES
If you would've told me at the start of 2016 that I would spend my summer nights staying up 'til five in the morning with my sisterly soulmate that I befriended a week prior, or that I would become best friends with a group or nerdy teenage boys, or that I would be dating the most wonderful, outgoing guy that couldn't be more different from me in terms of 'cliques' or 'labels', I would've laughed in your face. This year has taught me that friends (and boyfriends) come in disguises, and that some of the best people for you are the ones that are nothing like you.

That just about wraps up my 2016! This year has been the saddest, hardest, most core-rattling year of my life, but I have come out the other end feeling more whole. It sounds weird, but it's true! I feel like I've discovered a part of myself this year. I learned how fragile I actually am, and how much I desperately need the support of myself. I never had to be there for myself in the past, because I always had people to do that for me. This year has taught me the importance of having a strong psychological foundation.

I am going into 2017 with many scars, but every scar with a lesson that I have learned from. As time goes on, those metaphorical scars will fade and I will be left with nothing but the memories of the lessons I've learned.

I wish you all the best of luck in the new year, and I will see you in 2017 with a new post!

Jordan x

What I Got for Christmas 2016

Hey, my babies! I hope you've all had a wonderful holiday season! In today's post, I'm going to show you some of the wonderful presents I got for Christmas this year. I am not trying to brag by any means; I am simply showing you these gifts on the off-chance that there is a young woman in your life that you have no idea how to buy for. If I love these gifts, the young lady in your life is sure to love them too!

As many of you know, I don't shampoo my hair. I stopped using shampoo back in July after attending my best friend's graduation party, and I've never looked back! Although I don't use shampoo, I'll use a cleansing conditioner every now and then if I have places to be or people to see. For Christmas, my parents got me a hair care set from WEN, complete with a cleansing conditioner, a treatment oil, a re-hydrating mask, and a glossing serum. Does that sound fancy or what?!

I've used WEN products in the past and I've loved them, so I'm sure I'll love these too! However, if you'd like me to review any of these products, leave a comment below!

As if my parents didn't get me enough cool things for Christmas, they also bought me a couple of products from the beauty range of one of my favorite YouTubers, Zoe Sugg. Back in 2014, Zoe launched the Zoella beauty brand, and I've been dying to get my hands on some of her products ever since!

From the original Zoella collection, my parents got me the 'Wonder Hand' hand cream. Anyone who knows me knows that I cannot live without lotion, so I was super excited when I received this!

I love everything about this hand cream except for the chunky, black, screw-on cap; I don't feel like it matches the delicateness of the rest of the packaging, but hey, if the product is amazing, who cares about what it looks like?! 

The second Zoella product I received was the 'Kissy Missy' lip balm from her Tutti Fruity collection.

This lip balm has a very blue undertone. I tend to stay away from colors like this when choosing lip products because I find that blue undertone stands out a little too much against my yellow-toned skin. However, I love Zoe so much that I am willing to proudly wear her lip balm regardless of whether or not it suits me!

I didn't take a picture of the box these gorgeous products came in, as I destroyed it in the process of opening it. It's what's on the inside that counts anyway, right? These lash-themed products are from the All About That Lash set from QVC. This set is complete with an eyelash curler, a mini Tarte 'Lights, Cameras, Lashes' mascara, a Mally 'Pretty Perfect' mascara, a mini IT Cosmetics 'Superhero' mascara, and a LashFood 'Phyto-Medic Eyelash Enhancer' growth serum. I think I'm set on eyelash stuff for the whole of 2017!

Again, if you'd like me to review any of these products, leave me a comment below!

My oh my, did I save the best for last.

This seemingly plain device is the HP Sprocket, a.k.a. the coolest thing in the world. Without the use of any ink, this device allows you to print off pictures from your smartphone, on the go! Don't ask me how this thing works, because I have no idea. All I know is that it's a portable picture printer that I now cannot live without! Also, can we take some time to appreciate the copper detailing?

In order to print pictures, you must turn on your bluetooth and download the HP Sprocket app. The app will take it from there! In the picture above, you can see the Sprocket printing off the picture I have pulled up on my phone. All of the pictures are printed on paper with a peel-off back, so they can be stickers if you want them to!

These are some of the pictures I've materialized using my Sprocket. Rather than printing off every picture in my camera roll, I am only allowing myself to print pictures of the things that mean the most to me (i.e. friends, dogs, my boyfriend, and quesadillas).

That's it for today's post! Once again, I am not trying to brag; I am simply showing you these gifts in the hopes of giving you inspiration for what to buy your loved ones, or what to ask Santa for next Christmas!

I love you all, and I'll see you before the end of the year with a final reflection of 2016!

Until then,

Jordan x