14 Stay At Home Date Ideas You’ll Want to Try

My boyfriend David and I LOVE to go out on dates. Seriously, we live for margaritas at our favorite local taco shop, trips to the museum or zoo, and Saturday morning brunches. You can probably imagine my concern when I found out we couldn’t go out again for a couple of months due to COVID-19. Luckily for me, David and I were quick to come up with some fun date ideas we could do at home. So, whether you’re social distancing or just trying to save a buck, here are some at-home date ideas my boy and I have loved (and we hope you do too!)

Game Night

Board games are so underrated. Before quarantine, David and I hadn’t even played a single board game or card game together. Now, games are life. Here are our current favorite options for 2+ players!

• Exploding Kittens (seriously our favorite! If you’ve never played, I highly recommend purchasing. We get really competitive and laugh so hard.) – https://www.amazon.com/Exploding-Kittens-LLC-EKG-ORG1-1-Card/dp/B010TQY7A8/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=exploding+kittens&qid=1585600569&sr=8-2
• Mancala – https://www.amazon.com/Mancala-Real-Wood-Folding-Set/dp/B001FA22DC/ref=sr_1_5?crid=1NRR8R6UTZL89&keywords=mancala&qid=1585600650&sprefix=mancala%2Caps%2C190&sr=8-5
• Guess Who Clue Edition (Regular Guess Who and regular Clue work just the same!) – https://www.target.com/p/game-mashups-guess-who-clue-game/-/A-76431683
• Battleship – (we can play this silly classic for hours at a time!) https://www.target.com/p/battleship-game-retro-series-1967-edition/-/A-50696068
• Monopoly – https://www.target.com/p/monopoly-board-game/-/A-52117861
• 3 Up 3 Down Card Game – https://www.amazon.com/Ok2Win-3UP-3DOWN-Card-Game/dp/B01CPQD4YK/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=3+up+3+down+card+game&qid=1586802819&s=toys-and-games&sr=1-1
• Order an Escape Room in a Box or Crime Scene in a box online or from your local Escape Room! (We borrowed ours from a friend!)

Paint and Sip

We aren’t usually an “artsy” couple but we LOVED following along to this couples paint tutorial on YouTube with a glass of wine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-dpSk0-HCU 

Here are our results!

Try a New Recipe

I think the best thing David and I did for ourselves right before social distancing got strict was buy an air fryer from Target. We have had such a blast making new snacks in the air fryer. Not only has it been fun, but it’s been delicious.

Here’s the relatively affordable air fryer we went with: https://www.target.com/p/as-seen-on-tv-powerxl-vortex-air-fryer-3qt-black/-/A-76544201

Also, something just feels right about baking in quarantine. Make banana bread, cookies, and cakes as MUCH as possible.

Cozy Movie Night

Set up some pillows and blankets on the floor in your living room, turn down the lights, grab a glass of wine, and pop-in (or just search for on Netflix because this is 2020) a movie. Preparing in advance for a movie night by making a fort or lighting a lot of candles makes it seem like more of an occasion than an everyday movie night.

Like a lot of ladies out there, I am a big fan of Rom-Coms. David? Not so much. However, it hasn’t been impossible to find a few romantic movies he’ll dig too. Here are a few “romance” movies your boyfriend won’t hate:

• 50 First Dates
• Slumdog Millionaire (Not a rom-com! More like a rom-crime)
• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
• Crazy Stupid Love
• Silver Linings Playbook
• Forgetting Sarah Marshall
• A Star is Born
• Disney’s Live Action Aladdin (Okay I’m reaching here but David loved this movie)

Fondue for Two

David and I had originally planned on celebrating our anniversary at the Melting Pot in Denver. Unfortunately, the Corona Virus rained on our parade… but we picked up fondue at-home kits from them instead! David got me flowers and lit some candles and it was just as romantic (if not more romantic!) than our original plan.

Have a Picnic in your Backyard

If you’re reading this in Spring of 2020 you might not be able to go for a picnic in the park, but who’s to say you can’t have a picnic in your backyard? Get that blanket and basket, pack some sandwiches (or pick up Chick-fil-a…), and get outside!

Go for a Walk

I’m pretty sure I would have gone crazy by now if I couldn’t at least go outside for a walk during this time of social distancing. I think going on walks has become one of our favorite things to do together as the weather warms up. It’s where we have our best conversations and feel our best too.

Take a Personality Quiz and Compare Your Results.

• My personal favorite type of personality test – The Enneagram
  • $12 test https://tests.enneagraminstitute.com
  • Free tests https://www.eclecticenergies.com/enneagram/test or https://www.9types.com/rheti/index.php
  • After you have figured out your types, the Enneagram Institute has a free resource to see how you work in a relationship together: https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/the-enneagram-type-combinations
• Myers Briggs https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test
• Love Languages https://www.5lovelanguages.com/quizzes/

Watch Church Service at Home Together.

This is a date. Don’t @ me.

Do a Puzzle!

Turn on some tunes and pull out a puzzle.

Get to Know Each Other Better by Asking Deep OR Silly Questions.

• So cheesy but I definitely bought us these conversation starter cards for couples. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078RDNFSC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 We haven’t read through them all yet because we can truly spend 15 minutes on one card.
• Would you rather questions https://conversationstartersworld.com/would-you-rather-questions/

Support Your Favorite Local Businesses Together.

Although we can’t go OUT to eat, we can still go out and pick up takeout from our favorite restaurants and coffee shops. This has been something I’ve looked forward to doing every weekend while in “quarantine.”

Take Turns Reading a Book to Each Other.

Just ordered David and I, Love Does by Bob Goff. It’s one of my faves and I wanted to read it again with him!

Just Spend Quality Time Together

All in all, I still miss going out to the movie theater and coffee shops. However, I’m really thankful for all of this quality time I’ve been able to spend with my boy and for this season of “slowing down.”

My friend, formerly known as Moises

When I first arrived at the orphanage in Honduras, I hugged and kissed all the kids as usual and called them all by name. When I came up to Moises I said, “Moises!” and gave him a hug and kiss. He looked up at me with this toothy grin and shook his head and said excitedly, “Oscar David!” I gave him a suspicious look knowing the kids sometimes like to try and trick you by saying someone else’s name but unfortunately for them, I know all their names and there’s no tricking me. I looked at him and said, “No… your name is Moises” he yelled, “NO! Oscar David!” His friends backed him up and told me his name was really Oscar David. Confused I said, “Ok…” and walked away.

Later, I asked my friend Roberto who works at the orphanage why Moises was saying his name was Oscar David. Roberto told me that when Moises first arrived at the orphanage, he was a baby and they didn’t know his name. They called him Moises – after Moses who was drawn out of the river and adopted in the Bible. They recently received Moises’s paperwork and found out his name was actually Oscar David.

After that, I ran back to my friend, formerly known as Moises, and said to him, “Oscar David!” and he smiled his toothy grin. I couldn’t figure out until today why this story was so special to me but then it hit me when I revisited this picture of him. He was so happy and proud to tell me his new name and even happier every time I called him it. I can just imagine how his friends must have celebrated with him when he received his new name. Perhaps they celebrated similarly to how Jesus and his angels will celebrate with us when we arrive to heaven and He says, “Your past is forgotten and I am now calling you, _____”

The meaning of the name, “Oscar David?”

God’s BELOVED spear.

Strong and mighty like King David.

Oscar David.

International Women’s Day/NEDA Week

how you love yourself is 

how you teach others

to love you

-rupi kaur 

🌸

Debated posting some of these pictures for a while. Not because I don’t like them, but because I was afraid they were “too much.”

I was reminded last week of my haunting eating disorder during National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. I was reminded of an 18 year old girl who hated herself and her curves and would do almost irreversible damage to her body for even the slightest difference on the scale. 

We live in a world where we beg women to love themselves and take care of their bodies and then we shame them when they’re confident. 

The truth is, you will be too much for some people. Those aren’t YOUR people.

My prayer for all of you lovely ladies this week is that you will love yourself fiercely. I pray that you won’t dim your light to make others comfortable. I pray that you will be so much and so whole that it will scare them.

Happy #InternationalWomensDay 🌸

Hair Growth/Re-growth Tips

My journery with hair loss…

About a year ago, I realized that I was losing a lot of hair and a few months after that, when my hair situation wasn’t getting better, I assumed it was because I had too much unhealthy hair. I did a major chop over the summer (like 8 inches!) in an attempt to improve my overall hair health. A few months later, my hair loss issue hadn’t gotten better, in fact, it had gotten WORSE. I was losing hair by the handfuls and finding huge hair-balls in my room and bathroom. I PANICKED. In September I made a trip to my Doctor to get some vitamin levels checked and it turned out I had an iron deficiency. I took iron supplements for 2 months and not a single difference was made in my hair loss. I was still losing tons of hair and at this point I was very visibly balding. My doctor felt terrible that she couldn’t diagnose a problem right then and there and sent me to a dermatologist specialist. The dermatologist took a quick look at my head and immediately determined that my hair loss pattern was not nutritional but hormonal (center scalp) and sent me to an OBGYN who almost immediately diagnosed me with PCOS – polycystic ovarian syndrome. After I was clinically diagnosed with PCOS they ran some hormone tests and sure enough my body was producing an unusually high amount of a hormone called Androgen. Androgen, also known as the steroid hormone, is a male hormone that all women carry. This imbalance was causing me to lose my hair as a young female. My two immediate treatments were 1) birth control to level out my hormones with estrogen and 2) women’s Rogaine for new growth.

I’ve noticed a pretty big difference in my hair health the past few months and I’ve picked up a few other tips and tricks on this journey that I think can work for anyone trying to get longer and healthier hair. That being said, here’s some hair tips for you.

Determine any nutritional or hormonal imbalances.

If you are experiencing a serious amount of hair thinning/balding, go see your doctor. I wish I would have before it got as bad as it did! Your hair loss could be as simple as you not getting enough protein, calcium, iron, etc. in your diet or it could be a little more complicated like a hormone imbalance, but still treatable.

Rogaine

I know what you’re thinking right now – ICK! Rogaine!? I’m not 80! You’re probably right (idk maybe you are 80) however, Rogaine WORKS. I don’t recommend just using it if you want more hair because this product is specifically for those experiencing balding.

Biotin supplements

Whether it’s those expensive Sugar Bear Hair gummies (they really do taste good…) or a $6 bottle at target, get you some biotin! I really do notice a difference in how fast my hair length grows when I’m taking biotin v.s when I’m not.

Sugar Bear Hair for $30 @ Ulta

Target gummies for $10 

Stop using shampoos and conditioners full of sulfates and silicon.

Really, stop. You can’t expect your hair to get healthier if you’re not investing a little extra into it. There are NICE drugstore/affordable shampoos and conditioners that don’t have silicone and sulfate in it! I’ll leave some of my curly hair specefic suggestions below. If you don’t have curly hair, don’t panic! All it takes is a walk down the hair care isle. All sulfate and silicone free hair products boldly advertise themselves as so.

• DevaCurl (NOT DRUGSTORE) My absolute fav for my curly hair gals. This will transform your hair.
• Shea Moisture (curly hair types)
• Maui Moisture (curly hair types but they have products for normal hair as well)
• Pacifica Pineapple Curls (curly hair types)
• Not Your Mothers Curl Talk line (curly hair types)

Silk Scrunchies

Whether I’m putting my hair up for bed or on the go, silk scrunchies are the only thing that touch my hair anymore. These never tear my hair out or cause breakage. They also keep my hair from rubbing all over my pillows in my sleep if I remember to throw it up in a LOOSE bun.

Packs of 5 for $8 @ Ulta 

Stop putting your hair up in a towel after you shower.

Ground-breaking, I know. The harsh fibers in towels can cause breakage and damage to your hair! Instead (if you really want to throw your hair up) use a cotton shirt. For my curly gals, apply your stylers immediately after your shower and scrunch with a microfiber towel and then let air dry. If you want to use a diffuser, I recommend using it only after your hair has been 90% air-dried.

Microfiber towel by DevaCurl for $20 @ Ulta

A slightly cheaper Microfiber towel that does the job on Amazon 

Stop brushing your hair.

GASP! Stop brushing!? Yes. Ever notice how much hair comes out in your brushes? Try switching to a comb, or better yet your fingers. I know that detangling with your fingers can be really tricky, especially when you have curly hair, but it’s the least damaging way to detangle and it’s not terribly hard to do if you do it in the shower and use a good conditioner. I try to finger comb unless I have a very stubborn tangle and then I bring out my shower comb. Even then though, I see minimal hair loss. The one little clump I lose in the shower 2-3 times a week (how often I wash my hair) is nothing compared to the huge clumps I used to lose daily in my brushes.

Shower comb for $3 @ Target 

Stop washing your hair everyday.

Please don’t stop washing it completely! Just stop washing it every day. Let your hair and scalp enjoy its natural oils before stripping it away. Dry scalp = breakage. It can also cause product buildup which leads to clogging of the hair follicles. So just become a hippie like me and wash your hair 2-3 times a week. 🙂

 

January Favorites

Hey friends! New year, new(ish) me. Going to start sharing with you all my favorite things every month! Here’s my January faves!

Hair Care

Not Your Mother’s Curl Talk Defining Hair Cream and Sculpting Gel

$7.99 each @ Ulta

I freakin’ love this cream and gel. I went a long time without using styling products on my hair post-shower. Crazy! I use these on my wavy/curly hair as soon as I get out of the shower, first cream then gel. I run these products through my hair with my fingers and then scrunch with a microfiber towel. On non-wash days I re-wet my hair with a squirt bottle and scrunch my hair with both again and it keep my curls looking fresh and bouncy!

 

Skincare

Vitamin E Oil

$4.99 @ Target

I keep this on my bedside table and rub a small amount on my face before bed. I can’t believe how much of a game changer this has been for my dry Colorado skin this winter. I wake up and my skin feels moisturized and glowy. Not to mention, it’s SO affordable. I sometimes even put a little bit on after my showers when my skin feels dry and it immediately makes a difference. I HIGHLY recommend for anyone with dry skin or scalp!

Beauty

Kylie Lip Glosses

$15 @ Ulta or Kylie Cosmetics online

I’ve talked about these before on my insta but I have been loving the Kylie glosses lately! I’ve always been a fan of her liquid matte lipsticks but for the winter those have just been to dry on my chapped lips. These are a great alternative when I want some color. Plus, they are the longest lasting glosses I have ever used, especially the red shade I have! The two I have are Candy K (nude) and Naughty (red).

Book

Chasing the Dragon

My mom got me this book probably a year or two ago for Christmas but it had been on my shelf collecting dust for…. A WHILE. Finally decided to whip it out and I have been thoroughly enjoying it. Long story short, this book is about a woman who moves from her home in the UK (at a 20 years old) to one of the most dangerous, poor, and sinful cities in China. Really amazing read for the Christian missionary.

 

Style

Turtlenecks

I’ve just been loving a good turtleneck lately. Easy, comfy, and makes you look like you really have your life together.

 

Teddy Coat

$22 @ Zaful

Comfy and trendy af! SUPER affordable and good quality!

Health

Yoga

My cousin and I have been really enjoying taking yoga together the past few of months. Stepped it up this month and have been going at least twice a week and it feels great! Never thought I’d be one to like yoga but it’s really quite enjoyable.

Our yoga mats

$25 on Amazon

 

 

Faith

Eat this Book: One Year Bible with Daily Psalm 

Free on YouVersion Bible App

Last week I decided I wanted to complete a Bible in a year plan. Every morning when I wake up the first thing I do is get on my app and listen and read along to my readings for the day. I like this particular plan because it includes a Psalm everyday (this is really nice while I’m reading the wacky Old Testament 😉 )

Yummies

Trader Joe’s Veggie Crisps

Didn’t think I’d like these as much as I did but I’m an ADDICT,  Vegan, gluten-free, and 150 calories in a serving.

Lime Flavored La Croix

Fun fact I HATED La Croix the first time I tried it. Thought all these white people were lying to me because it tasted like hairspray. However, after moving in with my cousin Alyssa (a La Croix addict) I started catching on (aka forcing myself to drink them) and now I’m hooked! The Lime flavor is especially yummy (shout out to my friend Alexia who recommended.)

 

Apps/Social Media

Unfold App – free with in app purchases

Love this app when I want my insta story to look particularly trendy.

T.V/Movies

Friends

Can you believe I waited 23 years of my life before watching Friends. I’ve been ending almost every night with at least 4 episodes. Even got my cousin hooked and we laugh our butts off together every night because of this silly sitcom!

Miscellaneous

Blue Light Glasses

$16 on Amazon

I’ve seen a lot of people on social media with these lately and decided to give them a try. Found a very affordable pair and I was not disappointed! Worth it if you spend a lot of your day looking at your phone or on the computer.

 

Rose Gold Coach Necklace 

I was given this necklace by my dad and his fiance for Christmas and I’ve worn it nearly everyday since. Sweet, dainty, and goes with just about everything.

Also, my bab sister is my favorite.

25 New Year’s Resolution Ideas for Self-Growth + Care

I’m a little late but HEY, we’re only a day into the New Year! I’m not usually one for New Year’s resolutions but this year I wanted to commit to something. I think my long endured singleness is getting ti me.

That being said, here are 25 attainable New Year’s Resolutions that don’t totally suck. Enjoy!

1. Read more. (My personal choice this year. I have small goal of reading 12 books this year. Starting with the book I’ve been meaning to finish the past week…)

2. Call friends more often.

3. Drink more water.

4. Only engage in meaningful relationships.

5. Start sleeping with your phone away from your bed.

6. Start budgeting.

7. Always keep fresh fruits and veggies in the house so you’ll be motivated to eat them.

8. Cook more.

9. Take more baths.

10. Plan a trip with your best pal.

11. Practice another language.

12. Go dancing with your friends more often.

13. Sign up for yoga classes.

14. Find a place you can use your talents to volunteer.

15. Nail down a hair-care/skin-care routine that you love.

16. Spend more quality time with family.

17. Start listening to a Bible in a Year plan on the Bible app every morning or night   before bed.

18. Floss regularly.

19. Buy a new planner and write in all your foreseen events for the year.

20. Become a plant owner.

21. De-clutter your closet.

22. Shop for a new pair of workout sneakers.

23. Get a facial.

24. Reduce cell phone usage by setting time limits for the apps on your phone.

25. Intentionally pray everyday.

12 Unique and Affordable Christmas Gift Ideas

Hey friends! Christmas is right around the corner. I don’t know about y’all but I’m ballin’ on a budget. I have lots of people to buy for every year and I hate to break the bank! Multiple mom’s and dad’s and grandparents and hundreds of siblings. Y’all I can’t handle anymore kids. Selah is my last sibling! IDC if one pops out of thin air they gon’ have to find another sister.

ANYWAYS, If you’re still stumped on what to get your mom, dad, sister, brother, friend, grandma, aunt, cousin, cousin’s cousin, 3rd cousin twice removed, this one’s for you!

For the writer.

A custom journal – $15

I bought these for my mom and I a few Christmas’s ago and she absolutely loved hers. I made hers personal to her and put a lyric from her favorite song, “we will shout to the corners of the earth that Christ is King” and she uses it on all of our mission trips. (This picture is not mine or my mom’s it’s just from the website!)

https://www.etsy.com/listing/252622714/personalized-journal-custom-journal?ref=shop_home_active_13&crt=1

For the jewelry wearer.

A custom family necklace – $30 – $100 depending on the amount of stones

This is obviously a little one the pricey side especially if you’re one of 5 siblings like me (another reason we don’t need anymore kids). However, it’s for the mama. I got my mom this necklace a few years back. Really neat and special!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/211726183/handmade-mothers-necklace-family-tree?ref=shop_home_active_4&pro=1&frs=1

For the Disney obsessed.

Unique floral Mickey Mouse ears – $20ish

Perfect for the Disney lover. My bestie and I each got a pair of these recently to wear to the Food and Wine Festival at Epcot and we were obsessed! And most importantly, everyone told me how wonderful they were all night.

(This is the pair I got, so sorry they are no longer available 😉 )

https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheMouseProject

For the movie watcher.

Crazy Rich Asians on DVD – $15

This was such a good movie! Perfect gift for a friend, mom, or sister. And it’s really quite appropriate so your great-grandma won’t have a stroke!

Buy here

For the cozy and adventurous gal. 

Elephant pants – $20

One year I bought me, my mom, and my sister elephant pants. They were such a hit we’re still wearing them around the house or on mission trips 4 years later! Plus, this company cares about the elephants so it’s a double bonus!

https://www.theelephantpants.com/pages/how-we-help

For the makeup lover.

Kylie Lipkit or just a single Liquid Lipstick – $29 for a kit and $17 for a single. Try and catch them while they’re on sale!

My cousin and I swear by Kylie lippies. They’re our go to gift for each other. The lip kit comes with a liquid lipstick AND liner. The singles are great too and personally, I usually don’t use the liners anyways! Kylie is famous for her Matte colors but I’ve been loving my velvet formulas lately too (especially in the dry Colorado winter.)  I recently bought a matte kit for my bestie’s bday and now she’s a hardcore believer!

https://www.kyliecosmetics.com/collections/lips

For the college kid.

Nutri Bullet – $50

This could really work for anyone. The Nutri Bullet saved my life this year when I moved into a dorm setting after living in the comfort of a real house for 22 years. This is the perfect gift to give to a college kid just getting settled into their apartment or trying to get into a healthier lifestyle (unless of course their using this to blend their pina coladas…)

Buy here. 

For the traveler.

Wall art print – $10 + some for a frame

This is thoughtful and sweet piece of art for any house or apartment! A couple Christmas’s ago I bought the one on the left for my dad (born and raised Puerto Rican) and the one on my right for my mom (a missionary in Honduras). Both a big hit!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/TraciWithaniDesigns

For the photographer.

Instax Mini – $50

I bought this little guy for myself a couple of years back. I don’t use it as much as I used to but it’s still super fun to whip out on special occasions. Super fun, reasonably priced, and perfect for almost all ages!

 

Buy here.

For the kids.

Watch Ya Mouth – originally $20 but currently $10 on Targets website

This game is hilarious and perfect for the whole family. My siblings and I got a kick out of this game last Christmas!

Buy here. 

For the whole family.

The Greatest Showman on DVD – $15

This movie was a big hit this year. My two middle siblings love singing along to this soundtrack in the car so much I was shocked to find out they didn’t own the DVD. Went ahead and bought it for one of my sister’s Christmas gifts but let’s be honest, it’s for me too.

Buy here.

For the sentimental one.

DIY Polaroid Shadow Box – $ depends on the shadow box you find and whether or not you already have an Instax/Polaroid camera!

I did this or something similar to this for my grandparents a couple of years ago. This would work great for really anyone in the family, a friend, or the bae.

For the one who’s always on the go.

Fast food or coffee gift card- $10-$20 or s/t!

I’ve definitely gotten my college brother a Taco Bell gift card or my step-dad a Dunkin Gift card to use on his way to work. Doesn’t sound as thoughtful as some other gift ideas might but it gets the job done and they’ll be thanking ya when they’re hungry.

Some ideas:

• McDonalds
• Chipotle
• Chickfila
• Taco Bell (not for me plz)
• Starbucks
• Dunkin’ Donuts
• Subway (Kind of strange but 1) I’m ghetto, 2) I grew up with a gas station subway right by my house, and 3) my step dad and brother are hard workin’ laboring men who like them some subs)
• Panera
• Panda
• Buffao Wild Wings (not a drive-thru but they do have carry out and wings be bumpin’ in college)

 

 

Healing the Hurt | sexual violence.

Last week I texted my best friend about an idea I had for a blog post. I wanted to interview survivors who were open and willing to tell their story about sexual violence.

The reason I share a lot of my ideas with Alexia is because I know she’ll be honest with me when she doesn’t like something. Sometimes she tells me “no” when I wanted to hear “yes”, “yes” when I wanted to hear “no”, and “lol” when I ask a question and “lol” wasn’t an answer. Long story short, she didn’t like my idea. She said that my idea sounded inauthentic and it was a little hypocritical that I’d expect other people to share their stories but push mine aside. OUCH. But she was right, in a way I WAS hiding behind other people’s stories because that feels a lot safer.

Vulnerability is a quality I admire in others. I love hearing people talk openly about their struggles, turning their mess into a message. Vulnerability is not something that comes easy or natural to most, and it certainly doesn’t come naturally to me. I have made a conscious effort over the past 3 years  to open up about the things in my life that I am not proud of, the things that have hurt me, and the things that are still hurting me, in hopes that someone else can hear it and feel less alone.

If you came here looking for a crazy story, I’m sorry to disappoint you. I think every person deserves the right to share as much or as little of their unwanted sexual encounter(s) as they want. However, what I do want to share with you all is a short list of resources, self-care tips, and coping methods that helped me and that can potentially help you or a friend dealing with sexual violence of any sort.

• You have a choice in who you want to report a crime to. Seek counseling either way. Here are a list of few different Universities and the victim services/advocacy centers they have in place. MOST Universities have these as FREE resources for students. I’m only listing big universities in areas that I know I have friends in, however, other advocacy centers can easily be found by Google-ing the school’s name and typing “Victim Advocacy Center” after.
  • Auburn University – https://wp.auburn.edu/healthandwellness/safe-harbor/
  • University of Florida – http://www.umatter.ufl.edu/sexual_violence
  • Florida State University – https://knowmore.fsu.edu
  • University of Central Florida – https://letsbeclear.ucf.edu
  • University of Alabama – https://www.ua.edu/campuslife/safety/sams
  • University of Georgia – https://safeandsecure.uga.edu/sexual-assault/
• If you’re falling behind in school due to sexual violence, this tip ^ can help you BIG TIME. Accommodations in your classes can make a really messy time feel a lot less messy.
• Tell your close friends and family sooner than later. This is hard. You don’t need to tell all your friends and family but I think it’s best to tell the one’s who you interact with daily. This helped me in that I didn’t ALWAYS feel like I had to explain why I wasn’t acting like myself.
• Don’t immediately try to get back into the swing of things. I won’t speak for everyone but if you act like nothing happened, no matter how minor your encounter may have seemed, you’ll probably crash and burn. Take time off work, from school, from friends.
• Tackle your feelings of shame and guilt. It’s not your fault. It’s not your fault if you froze, if you trusted someone you shouldn’t have, if you were drunk, if you kissed them first. None of this makes it your fault. Period.
• Be careful with media and social media usage. Especially news reports, politics, etc. Protect your heart.
• Do something every day that makes you happy. Cheesy advice but it works. Another good thing about being open and honest with your close friends is they can help you with this.
  • Go get popsicles and walk downtown
  • Go pick sunflowers
  • Go to the pumpkin patch
  • Pet baby animals
  • Go to a baseball game
  • Get a tattoo
  • Go eat at your favorite restaurant
  • Pick more sunflowers
  • Eat cotton candy
  • Go to coffee shops
  • Go to a football game
  • Go visit your family
  • Spend a day in your favorite nearby city (Atlanta ♥)
  • Go to church
• Go to church? ^ Maybe not for everyone, but it was a must for me. I spent many days being angry with God. The first day I returned back to church our pastor ended his sermon with this scripture, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed within us.” – Romans 8:18. I didn’t think this was a coincidence.

 

National Resources for Sexual Assault Survivors and their Loved Ones:

https://www.rainn.org/national-resources-sexual-assault-survivors-and-their-loved-ones

National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800.656.HOPE

 

What to do in Alaska!

Are you planning on going to Alaska? Dreaming of going on a cruise? Wanting to live vicariously through my life? (I hope you like children’s snot and vomit.) Then this blog post is for you!

My family and I went on an Alaskan Royal Caribbean Cruise in July and it was a blast! I decided I should go ahead and write about my favorite things I did while they are still fresh and crispy in my 23-year-old brain. If not for your enjoyment, than for my own later in life. 🙂

Hike.

My brother and I did a short hike through the Tongass National Forest while ported in Ketchikan. I’m pretty sure my brother did a hike every time we got off the ship (like a psychopath) and said it was his favorite part of the trip. One was good enough for me but if you’re a big time hiker/outdoorsmen/someone who probably runs marathons on Thanksgiving, this one’s for you!

Explore the town of Ketchikan.

This was definitely my favorite town in Alaska, maybe the world but idk. Ketchikan was our first stop in Alaska and you can imagine my surprise when I woke up in the morning after a solid 36 hours of cold and dark hibernation and saw this:

Ketchikan was absolutely cute and funky. After our hike my brother and I went back to the ship to eat sad and strange quantities of food and then came back out to explore the town. We fell in love with the groovy-ness and decided some day when we were old and decrypted (maybe like 42 or 43) we would move back and live in a box by the bay.

Go whale watching.

I didn’t think this was going to be my favorite part of the trip. I mean, I grew up by Sea World so like, what’s the difference? However, it was definitely one of my favorites if not my favorite part of the trip. We got on a small boat (kind of like the one from Jaws except colder and equipped with hot cocoa) on the port of Icy Strait Point and headed out.

* Disclaimer: you might get sea-sick and you WILL be cold. It’s apart of the experience.

** disclaimer: My whale photos are a disgrace to the whales so really just enjoy this picture of me looking like a cold potato

Eat Salmon.

If you don’t like Salmon exit my blog right now. (You don’t really have to exit my blog but you should maybe seek therapy.)

My favorite Salmon was at the Gold Creek Salmon Bake in Juneau. Maple and Brown Sugar glaze YAS HUNTY.

Ride a train – White Pass Scenic Railway

Pictures don’t do it justice but I’ll leave ya a few.

Drink coffee, obviously.

Coffee is my favorite part about life after Jesus Christ the son of God (my family comes after coffee.) I enjoyed the funky shops and drinking coffee every day on the ship like it was water.

See the Hubbard Glacier.

400 years in the making and 76 miles long. Nature’s finest.

A delicious soup for delicious people ;)

Hey guys, Christina here. Today I decided to make my all time favorite 15 minute soup recipe for dinner and here I am to share it all with you. This is so easy a cave man could do it.

Do you want to make soup that looks like this?

While looking like this?

Then look no further, delicious people, this soup recipe is for you.

Turkey Kielbasa and Tortellini Soup

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 2 bags of refrigerated spinach tortellini noodles from Trader Joes (Any refrigerated or frozen tortellini noodles will work fine! You want approximately 20oz though)
• 64 oz of low sodium chicken broth
• 28ish oz of diced tomato
• 28ish oz of marinara sauce (or tomato sauce if you want to add your own seasonings!)
• 1/2 a diced onion
• 5ish oz of spinach
• One 13oz turkey Kielbasa
• A few tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese

This ^ will make approximately 6 servings so adjust recipe accordingly.

• (Optional bottle of moscato if you want to feel boujie while you make your soup)

 

First you’ll want to pour all of your chicken broth, diced tomato, and marinara into a large pot. Turn stove to medium/high.

Next you will need to start dicing your onions and cutting your Turkey Kielbasa into thin slices.

After your broth has come to a light boil, pour in both the diced onions and Tortellini.

(Sorry for the lack of diced onion pictures here…)

Turn stove heat to low/medium, cover with lid, and let sit for 2 minutes. If you are using alternative tortellini noodles, adjust cook time accordingly.

After your two minutes is up. Open lid and stir.

Next, throw in your Kielbasa. (Literally throw it in. Stand at least 3 feet away and toss each piece in like Lebron James)

Once you’ve put your Kielbasa in, re-cover with the lid and let sit for another 2 minutes.

Afterwards, put in your spinach and parmesan cheese and stir well. Then, add another dash of parmesan on top because why not?

And WA LA. Dinner is served. You are now a chef. You are welcome.

Enjoy!