For those of you who don't know, I am a senior in high school. That means that I have been in school for 12 years. Throughout those 12 years I am pretty sure it is safe to say that I have learned some things along the way.


I graduate in May #classof2018 which means that I will soon be turning the page to my next chapter of life. I am excited but nervous to say the least.

Growing up and going through school can teach you a lot of things especially at that age. The ages of 5-18 is prime growing time for a person.

With that being said, I am going to share 12 things that I have learned from these past 12 years.

1. Change is inevitable.
2. The lows in life don't need to trump the highs.
3. Putting others before ourselves is really the only way to live.
4. God is not going to change even when things around us do.
5. We should embrace the small things not just the big.
6. When things don't go as planned it is not the end of the world.
7. Not everyone is on the same page as you and that's ok.
8. Comparison is the enemy's poison.
9. You shouldn't cover up your God-given talents and abilities but instead use them the way He wants.
10. Wanting to improve yourself is not a bad thing. It just means you have the intuition and diligence to do so.
11. Joy and kindness can go a long way.
12. Regularly talking to God and reading His Word is the best decision to make.

How have you grown within the past 12 years? Have you learned anything along the way?

It was really hard to narrow it down to 12 things because there have been so many things that I have learned and I continue to learn new things on a daily basis. I am very thankful for the people that have helped me grow and taught me things along the way. I know that I have a lot more learning to do and I know that within the next 12 years this list will be growing every day. ♥

Hey hey! It's my first fitness post! Who would have thought I would do one? Well I have been trying to make some healthy choices in my life right now and have found a new interest in fitness so after finding a fitness challenge on Pinterest I thought I would share it with you! It was actually shared with me but maybe some of y'all would like to try it out so here it is. There are two portions to it that you could do together or independently. I'll include both of them into one to make it easier.

Disclaimer: I am not a fitness professional nor do I know your fitness circumstances so please consult a pro before embarking on the exercises. Participate at your own risk.

Day 1: 50 squats/20 sec plank
Day 2: 55 squats/20 sec plank
Day 3: 60 squats/30 sec plank
Day 4: rest/30 sec plank
Day 5: 70 squats/40 sec plank
Day 6: 75 squats/rest
Day 7: 80 squats/45 sec plank
Day 8: rest/45 sec plank
Day 9: 100 squats/1 min plank
Day 10: 105 squats/1 min plank
Day 11: 110 squats/1 min plank
Day 12: rest/1.5 min plank
Day 13: 130 squats/rest
Day 14: 135 squats/1.5 min plank
Day 15: 140 squats/1.5 min plank
Day 16: rest/2 min plank
Day 17: 150 squats/2 min plank
Day 18: 155 squats/2.5 min plank
Day 19: 160 squats/rest
Day 20: rest/2.5 min plank
Day 21: 180 squats/2.5 min plank
Day 22: 185 squats/3 min plank
Day 23: 190 squats/3 min plank
Day 24: rest/3.5 min plank
Day 25: 220 squats/3.5 min plank
Day 26: 225 squats/rest
Day 27: 230 squats/4 min plank
Day 28: rest/4 min plank
Day 29: 240 squats/4.5 min plank
Day 30: 250 squats/5 min plank

If you decide to do the challenge I would love to know how you're doing! Tweet me with updates and we can do it together! Good luck! ♥

Do you ever just sit still for a few minutes? Maybe you do some thinking or you just take in the quietness that is around you. I know that for me sitting in the stillness is sometimes all I need.



Let's be real, life can be hectic sometimes a lot of the time. Things to do, places to be, and goals you have set are all examples of some of the things that can make our life a hectic one.

It can be easy to get caught up in the mile-long list of things that need to be done and it can be just as easy (if not easier) to stress ourselves out about said list.

That's where the stillness comes in. Sitting in the stillness can give you that much needed millisecond within your day to sit back and breathe. When you stop moving and relax you begin to realize that those things around you really don't need to take your sanity away from you. You realize that those things truly aren't as important as they may seem.

When you sit in the stillness you also give yourself a chance to listen to what the Lord wants to say. You can have a meaningful conversation without distraction.


One of my favorite verses that I actually have hung up in my room is Psalm 46:10 which reads "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." It is a simple reminder to be still in His presence.

Another one that I really like is Psalm 62:1 "Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him."

The last one that I will share is Exodus 14:14 "The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still."

Hey hey hey! How are y'all? Good? Good. So if you have been following recently then you would have heard that I have been working on a "secret project" for some time now. Well, since the finish line is now in sight and now that I have done more work on it I decided that I will finally announce to you all what it is.

First, a little back story... this idea (and many more) has been in my head for a good time now (try years). About this time last year I really started to do in-depth research into how I should go about implementing it. I spent a long time figuring it all out and spent some late nights typing away at my computer. I have had so many ideas that I wanted to do and I was so excited to begin working on one.

Fast forward to today and here I am. Tying up some loose ends, finishing up some legal stuff, and working on the design and products.

So, if you haven't guessed by now I am opening an online store!! Yes you read that right. I have always dreamt of opening my own business and now I finally am getting the chance too.

Now that you know what it is I'll go ahead and share some info about it. Probably a really important (if not the most important) piece of information that y'all would want to know is the store name. It is going to be Adorned With Delight. We'll be carrying many different categories of items but you can count on things like home decor, jewelry, accessories and so much more.

When will it be launching you might ask! Well, Lord-willing all goes well then our doors should be open in a few months. No exact date is set in stone yet but that brings me to my next point. How can you keep updated with what's going on? Great question. We actually have a Facebook page and an Instagram. Feel free to follow on there and we will be updating you all on what's been going on with the set-up. You can also go to the site here and sign up for emails to be notified of when we launch!

You have no idea how excited I am for this journey and I am so excited to see how the Lord uses this as a point to Him. I have had the "entrepreneurial mindset" (if that's what you want to call it) since when I was around 14 and I have had a ton of ideas that I had wanted to start. Now one is happening and I am really excited to have y'all along on the journey. I hope y'all are excited too.

Lastly I wanted to say that I would really appreciate any prayers of sanity and also of keeping the real reason in view. I truly want to point to His name with this brand. Thank you. ♥

As it is now the new year, resolutions are on the minds of many. Some people even have mantras that they want to focus on throughout the year. For me I've never been much into resolutions or mantras at least not seriously. Yes I've had the "I don't want to drink soda for the year" and the "next year I'm going to workout more" resolutions in the past but they always fell through somewhere along the line.



This year I plan on not setting a specific resolution but instead setting a specific mindset. I'm sure I'll need constant reminders throughout the year but I do want to put effort into sticking with it. I think it is something that is worth it in the long run.

So what is my new year mindset going to be? Enjoying the simple things.

I believe that we are complex creatures with simple joys. Many things can bring us joy-even the small things. Maybe instead of searching for joy I can stop and find that I've been living through it all along.

For me some simple things that I enjoy are sunsets, flowers, good talks, the outdoors, family time, and of course a good cup of hot cocoa. Even photography, drawing, writing, painting, and list-making are some things that I find joy in doing. In all honesty, the list could go on and on.

Instead of ignoring the simple things that I enjoy doing I want to slow down and really find joy in doing those things. To sum it up, I want to find contentment in the little things, not take them for granted, and spend my time doing more of the things that bring me joy so that I can get the most out of life. That is my mindset that I want to bring into the new year.

The second thing that I wanted to talk about in this post was an announcement. I cannot believe that I forgot to mention it but (drum roll please...) I am in a magazine!

I wrote an article for The Glow Mag and was published in last month's issue (December 2017)! The Glow Mag is fairly new and was founded by Adeline Rock of Adeline Rock Media. If you want to learn more about Adeline or The Glow Mag then check out her website here. You can even purchase last month's issue *wink wink*! I am so happy that I got the opportunity to be a part of this. Addie did a great job with putting it all together and it looked great. If you read the magazine then I hope you like it as much as I do. ♥

Tomorrow is the first day of 2018. It will officially be the year that I have been thinking about for a very long time. It is the year that I turn 18, graduate high school, and start college. I also plan on launching my secret project that I have been talking about. Next year, around this time, I can only imagine how I'll be feeling from the crazy year.

Starting with January I wanted to do a full recap of this past year so I can reflect on what all happened and so that I can look back in the years to come. Overall, I think this past year was a great growing opportunity for me and also a great opportunity to do things that I have never done before. I started new things, went out of my comfort zone, and began new chapters of my life.

I will try to add as much as I can but I might be missing a few things considering I am pretty forgetful haha.

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

Howdy! Happy Sunday! I didn't really have a post scheduled for today so I thought it was the perfect time to share a challenge to you and also update you on what I've been working on.


So as I continue to work on this to-be-shared secret project, work, finish my finals for the week, and try to celebrate the holidays as much as I can, I wanted to share a challenge to you. So, as we all know, this time of the year is known for (and with good reason) to be a 'giving' and 'family oriented' season. In honor of that I wanted to challenge all of you (including myself) to go spend time with family and give to others. Sometime before the year is up try to get a loved one and go give to someone else. That could mean donating toys, food, clothing or donating time to someone in need. I personally love that this time of the year is also a reminder of this wonderful gift that we have been given which is known as love. You might not necessarily associate love with a hamburger or a barbie doll but someone out their right now might interpret that act as just that-love.

I don't really know what I want to do yet but I would love to donate to a good cause. I know that in the long run it would be a great thing to do and that someone would truly appreciate it.

The second thing that I wanted to address in this post was a secret project that I have been working on, well, for a very long time. I don't want to give it away just yet as to what exactly it is but, if all works out, I should be able to announce it very soon. I have been researching for I don't even know how long and I am very excited that I have been given the opportunity to work at this. I am pretty sure that y'all will be too.

I know I didn't really give you anything else as to this 'secret project' but it shouldn't be too long before I can share more. I hope you seriously consider my challenge to you and I hope you are excited about what's to come. ♥

Hello! Today I wanted to share another Christmas themed blog post-my Christmas wish list! For a little disclaimer I am not planning on receiving all of these items and I am not sharing this as a 'look at me' or to show off. The sole reason that I decided on writing this is because a) I wanted to be able to give my readers some ideas and b) I personally enjoy these kinds of posts because they do help me with deciding my list as well.


Now that I have explained let's get into the list.

I have officially decorated for Christmas! I was a little bummed that I had to put up my fall decor but nevertheless still very excited for the Christmas decor. I went a little overboard this year considering I have two Christmas trees just in my room but more on that later...

Transitioning from fall to Christmas decor was pretty easy because I pretty much just changed all my fall things out for similar decor but with a Christmas theme. For example, I changed my fall banner out for a Christmas one and my fall flowers to Christmas flowers. I had a lot of fun decorating my room and I love how it turned out. This year was the first year that I really got to decorate a lot so I am so grateful that I was able to this year.

Keep reading to see how I transformed my room into a Christmas-ready environment.


 On my dresser I put these red flowers and bouquet in the vase and also this fa-la-la-la-la decor that I absolutely love. I placed my advent calender next to it and also my frosted cranberry candle.


 Above my bed I hung up this wreath and tied a bow around it. My bow-tying skills are not perfect but I tried.




On my bulletin board I changed out some of the prints for Christmas ones that I also got off of Pinterest.