Sunday, January 29, 2012

Dress Reveal, Drum Roll Please

Ok ok I've made you wait long enough. I absolutely loved having y'all guess which dress you think I picked and all of you were right, I was shocked and so pleased that y'all agreed and would have picked it for me. So in case you didn't guess and have no idea what I am talking about scroll to the post below this one. I am so pleased with my dress and stunned that all of you guessed correctly that it is the first dress, the blue one.

So now that I know which dress I will be wearing I would love your advice on 
shoes (definitely flats), hair, makeup, jewelry, and a bag. I'm sure I will continue to ask these questions but for now I allow you to quit wondering which dress I chose. Hope you had a great weekend!
dWa

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Prama:Choose the Dress

Sorry for not blogging the past two days but I have been busy and took some time to relax (finally). Well I have some exciting news for y'all! Today, I went prom dress shopping and actually purchased my dress! I had no idea how this process would go considering I have never had to shop for a formal gown and let me just tell you it is overwhelming! I fell in love with quite a few bridesmaid dresses but they would take multiple months to come in. And yes it is early to be looking for prom dresses (prom is on March 30th) but I do not have multiple months to wait for a dress. So after sadly leaving the bridesmaid dresses and entering  into the prom dress world I was shocked. I have never seen so many sequins, cutouts, and slits in my life. There were a whole lot of tacky dresses but mixed in between were some dresses that I loved. So some advice for you is to not be disgusted and leave like I was about to and instead ask for some help from the employees and tell them what you want and what you don't want. I was pretty specific and my dress had to be long, not be bedazzled, and not be strapless. Well the shop did it. I tried on about four dresses that I liked and would look appropriate to attend prom in. I choose one of these three and I am going to be super annoying and make you guess which one I picked! Ignore my facial expressions and the fact that I am in a dressing room.


Which one do you think I chose!? And also which dress is your favorite? Come back some time tomorrow and I will reveal which dress I will be wearing to prom. But for now happy guessing! I can't wait to hear what you have to say!
dWa

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Headbands

Today I have decided to post about an accessory that you can never have too many of. Because my school has a uniform (see post here) headbands are the perfect way to express yourself and hold your hair back! On occasion I do have to take them off towards the end of a day because the spot behind my ears will start to hurt but other than that headbands are one of the most spectacular inventions, and did I mention you can find some REALLY cute ones!? Here are some of my picks for the perfects headbands to accessorize any outfit!
This ivory headband is so cute and wintery and looks super comfortable! It can be found on this etsy page.
This velvet leopard narrow headband is found on the same etsy page and is just the right amount of animal print.
I am loving this sea foam one as well! (again from the same etsy shop listed in the link above)
Ok, to begin I am a huge fan of the preppy clothing and accessories found on the Kiel James Patrick website. How could you go wrong!? Well not only is their clothing adorable but so are their Vickers Leed Headbands. Below are a few of my favorites: 
The rope look on this headband is spot on!
I am pretty positive that I am going to order this one after I finish this post because it is precious. I love the mix of the polka dots and stripes and the colors are cute too!
I am loving the elephants on this one!
This one would look pretty cute with my uniform and I love the braided rope design. And how could you resist the plaid lining on the bottom of all of these!
I have really grown to love needlepoint items especially the belts but since that is not practical for me these headbands are the perfect alternate! They can be found on this etsy shop.
Loving the blue gingham pattern on this one!

Another great place to find cute headbands is J. Crew. By the register they usually have a bunch of cute options and often I can't resist the temptation of putting one on the counter to be purchased. Where do y'all like to search for headbands? I would love to here from you!
dWa

Monday, January 23, 2012

Recap

To begin I have to say thank you, thank you, thank you to my amazing guest bloggers this past weekend! Each of y'all could not have chosen a better topic to write about and I loved reading your posts!

Allie Co: I love the fact that you talked about keeping resolutions and I smiled when I saw it was about workout clothes because I had that as a post I was going to do this week too!

Laura: Your post was exactly what every high school girl needs to hear! I will be printing that post out and hanging it up on my bulletin board as a reminder because all of it is so true!

Emily: I love that you did a post about things to know about the college application process because I know next year it will be my main stress source first semester! All of the dos and don'ts are things I NEEDED to hear and I am so glad that you gave my blog your insight!

This weekend was crazy busy. Friday night my school had its disco/eighties dance and I was very skeptical at first but when a couple of my friends and I got together and decided we didn't care how ridiculous we looked it really was a blast. When we danced I am sure we looked ridiculous especially because of our costumes but it really was a fun time. Here is a peek at what we wore:
eWm, bSh, and dWa


So the next morning it was time to wake up very early after going to bed very late and my soccer team had a day of fun at a camp nearby where we did team building activities and high ropes. The facilitators could not stop talking about how well we communicated and worked as a team and I hope that our encouragement for each other continues through out the upcoming season. We finished up at the camp at around four and I headed home to get showered. After I got cleaned up I went to an event to support my friend in a competition she was in and I thought she did wonderfully! I left the competition early and went back to be with the soccer team for indoor soccer and then we went to eWm's house to spend the night and eat. I ate so much food that night but we had a super fun time. Every girl on the team listed what her individual goal for the season was and her team goal which was a great way to get everyone hyped about the season to come! Then it was time to vote for two more captains to add to our one that we voted for at the beginning of the season. After that we announced our new tradition of having soccer big/little sisters. I was so excited to give my gifts ( I have two) and the girls loved them. I gave my littles matching pajama pants and a cosmetic bag, so that evening we all slept in our matching PJs which was super cute. And to make it better one of my littles is also my girls service club little sister and one of my very best friends, eWm! In all I had a terrific and exhausting weekend that was filled with tons of bonding and new experiences! This week is going to be a rough one so I apologize in advance if I am a bad blogger! 

I know it is mirror image and not very readable but that is A LOT of things to do including tests and due dates, YIKES! But fortunately this weekend I have no plans so I can relax and sleep then, coffee here I come!

Another exciting thing that occurred this weekend was that I was given a blogging award! My very first one!




The Rules for this award:
1-Nominate 15 fellow bloggers. (I picked 5)
2-Inform the bloggers of their nomination.
3-Share 7 random things about yourself.
4-Thank the blogger who nominated you.
5-Add the Versatile Blog Award picture on your blog post.
7 Random Things about Me

I nominate:
Emily from the Wide World of E
Laura at Life of Lu

seven random things about me:
1) I hate having tons of attention on me, I am not the kind of girl who loves the spotlight.
2) I am the proud owner of Crayola's 150 crayon carousel which includes metallic and glitter crayons
3) I love going to the dentist for a teeth cleaning
4) I am pretty positive that when I go to college I want to major in Elementary Education
5) I am not good at math 
6) My eyes (green) have brown specks in them but I say they have freckles in them
7) I am super excited to start looking for a prom dress

I am so thankful that Cori at Everyday Enchanted nominated me for this award!

And one more random thing but, Katie at His Diamond and Mine has a great Marley Lilly giveaway going on right now!!

I hope you made it through this long and random post and I hope you all had a great weekend!
dWa



Sunday, January 22, 2012

College Prep in Your Step by E

Hi everyone! I'm Emily from The Wide World of E! I first want to thank dWa for the opportunity to be a guest blogger! I was so excited to find another blog written by a high schooler! This post will be regarding the college application process. 

As a senior, my fall semester was insane, between essays, college visits, taking a rigorous course load, running events and clubs, sailing regattas, and the list goes on. There are so many things I would do differently but there are so many things I'm happy I did do. Without further ado, here is my Top 5 Dos and Top 5 Don'ts to the college application process. (Just a side note, I have not heard back from every school and am only using examples of my experience because I know those best. I am not saying in any way I know everything, nor that my application was perfect. Just passing along some pointers!)

1. DO: Start constructing your perfect application early.
Start thinking as early as freshman year about what you want your application to say about you. For instance, I wanted mine to show that I was a well rounded, hard working student (my strongest point is not my standardized test scores). Therefore, I started a club in my school that helps kids in Third World countries with facial deformities (Operation Smile!), I showed I took challenging classes, and I lead many different areas of our school. The great thing is, this way, teachers also saw my passion and determination, which they then wrote about in their letters of recommendation. 

2. DON'T: Take the process lightly.
This really wasn't my mistake. Honestly, I was that 3rd grader who was worrying about my college application. Nevertheless, I saw this with my friends. They just figured, "Well, I have good grades, decent scores, and I am in a sport or two. I'll get in wherever I want." Unfortunately, that isn't the case. There are thousands and thousands of applicants to these schools and they want the best! Show them that you are the best! This takes some research, though. And this doesn't mean only ask your parents and friends. Even if they try, chances are, they are a little bias. Do your research. Take out a book or two, search the internet, anything! There is a plethora of information all over; all you have to do is look! 

3. DO: Find what makes yourself unique.
Like I just said, there are thousands of applicants. What makes you stand out? You have to think, the admissions board is trying to build a class. Think of it like an ice cream sundae. They want a little bit of sprinkles, some chocolate fudge, some gummy bears, and a cherry. They don't just want all cherries! Show them that you are original. For example, I emphasized that I live on an island and have a passion for children born with facial deformities and sailing. All three of those things are not exactly ordinary, but the thing is, anyone can do that! You may think your life is boring, but every person is unique. Sometimes, you just need to look. My friend thought she was the most boring person ever and wouldn't get in anywhere. She talked about how her love for astronomy started when she stopped looking down (she is almost 6 feet tall) and started looking up. It was adorable and it made her sound interesting.

4. DON'T: Write your essays last minute.
This is the biggest problem! Everyone writes their essays the week before they are due! This is college people! COLLEGE! I did the same thing, but in my own, OCD, anti-procrastinating way. I wrote an essay 3 weeks before they were due. That was detrimental to me. First of all, you are stressed and when you are under a time crunch, you don't articulate your thoughts in the same way. Make sure that you start early. These essays are crucial to an application! Each essay needs to tell something about you. Try and have it so that each essay says something different. For example, my Common App personal statement was on living on an island and how much of an impact sailing and Operation Smile had on me and for my extra curricular essay, I wrote about my job as a sailing instructor from the eyes of one of my students. Then, for an essay for Notre Dame (most colleges have supplemental essays!), you could write about anything. The title was "Take a Risk," so I wrote about how I can break dance (I was on a crew for a time...). See what I mean? Each told them a little more about me. By the end of all of my essays, they practically knew me.

5. DO: Ask for help.
You don't know you as well as you think you do sometimes. When you have to figure out what to write in an essay, run it by your loved ones. Ask them, "Does this explain who I am and who I want to be?" They know you well! Just make sure they are honest and not trying to boost your confidence. When it comes to the essays, get someone who is good at proofreading to check them over. In my school, everyone asks this one English teacher or this one student in my class who is the most brutally honest editor on the planet. Sometimes, you have to take criticism, but remember, that makes the application better which means you are more likely to get in!

6: DON'T: Just stop once you send out the applications.
Schools are sent your mid-year transcripts. If they see a decline in your grades, they will look at you negatively because they will see that clearly you were only working hard for the grade. Show them that you work hard to learn something and that you are a life long learner. That speaks to admission directors.

7. DO: Prep for the SATs/ACTs.
This was my downfall. First of all, I have problems focusing, so I was already at a disadvantage with these tests. Then, I didn't find time for a prep class. The thing is, though, if I scheduled it right, I could have! I mean, it may have been online, but still, it would have been something. I, instead, just studied from the book. I am super disciplined and I still had trouble accomplishing this. Granted, I went through 4 ACT books, so I did get something done. Another thing, take both the SAT and ACT cold, meaning that you just sign up and go in and take them without studying. See which one you naturally do better at and stick to studying for that one. Flip flopping is never good! Also, you may want to think about doing this at the end of sophomore year so that you can study during the summer following that year and then take the test early junior year. The faster you can finish these tests, the better. 

8. DON'T: Rely on your guidance councilor.
Every person I talk to says their guidance councilor is awful. Mine is one of the most adorable women I know, but I do the bulk of the work. Most councilors do the bare minimum that they have to or they just don't do as much as they should. Therefore, it is up to you to make sure you have a rigorous course list, that your transcripts are mailed out, that your resume is in the right format, that you have the financial aid forms taken care of (start these super early and talk with your parents!), etc. For these reasons, pick up a book on the college application process. It'll give you better guidance than your guidance councilor, generally.

9. DO: Send out thank you cards to everyone that helped you in the process.
This is so important! People loved you enough to take time out of their busy schedules to help you succeed. How nice is that! Make sure that you thank them. Whether it is a card or a gift, it doesn't matter; it is the thought that counts! Make sure these are sent out fairly soon following your due dates. 

10. DON'T: Visit your schools after you get accepted.
Visit them before! You need to see what you like and don't like. I, for instance, thought I loved Columbia University (which is a fabulous school!), but after I stayed there overnight, I realized it wasn't my type of school. If I waited until after I got in (if I got in), then my views may have been altered because I mean, hey, I was accepted. Make sure that you visit before hand because you may find a school that you like and realize why and then apply to schools like it. I did this! I loved the University of Notre Dame, so I began to look at other schools like it. Turns out, I loved Boston College and I just got accepted! Be open to all the possibilities of change but start early!

For tips on college interviews, check out this post

Thanks again to dWa for giving me the opportunity to be a guest blogger for this adorable site. I hope I put some college "Prep in Your Step!" 

Have a great day,

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Guest Post--Things I Wish I'd Known in High School!

Hey friends! It's Laura from Life of Lu! I am super excited to be guest posting here for dWa today, and I have to be honest that this is my first time guest posting...so it's kind of a big deal to me! Yay! So, I've been following dWa for a lil' while, and I love the fact that she's in high school and has SO many amazing experiences ahead of her, which is kind of the inspiration for my post today because I have a confession to make...I've been out of high school a lil' longer than I'd like to claim...but I swear I remember it like it was yesterday!

So, with my small confession out of the way, I'd like to share a few pieces of advice that I wish I'd known when I was in high school, like...

Don't Stress Over the Girl Drama!
Oh, I remember the tears! And the cattiness, and the jealousy, and the drama, and how it felt like your whole life was ruined because your best friend ditched you to hang out with another friend. And maybe someone wise said to you, "You know, after high school, how many of these friends are you really going to stay in touch with?" and at the time, you just couldn't wrap your head around it... but I'm telling you, it's the truth! Of my whole group of best friends from high school, I regularly stay in touch with 5 of them, and those were the 5 girls who were loyal, fun to be around, smart, kind, and uplifting friends to me...and they still are! Don't bother wasting time on friendships that don't build you up...I promise you won't be missing out on much!
Senior Prom!




2 of my bridesmaids were best friends from high school, and the other 3 were apart of the wedding in other ways!
Save Your Money!
This girl was guilty of spending every dollar I earned almost the second it was in my wallet until about my junior year of college when I finally wised up. Yes, I had a super cute wardrobe because of it. Yes, I had absolutely NO savings when I went to college. I would babysit and make bank, but I never really thought about being savvy with my money. If I could go back in time, I'd save half of everything I earned! You just never know when a fun Spring break trip, a cute dress for a function, or a spa day are calling your name! Enjoy it while you can because one day your Christmas presents will be new tires for your car, and your birthday money will go to paying off your credit card bill...then you'll be really glad you saved up some money to spend on yourself!

Don't Rule Out the Nice Guy Sitting Behind You in Geometry Class!
Ok, so that's really specific to me because my sweet husband was that guy sitting behind me in Geometry Class! But, let's just focus on the "nice guy" part...could be the nice guy sitting beside you in class, the nice guy you work with, the nice guy at the gym...your choice! I feel like it's so easy to fall in love with the smooth-talking, good-looking guys who play games with girls and end up breaking their hearts. I dated a few of those guys, and it never ended well, and it didn't for any of my friends who dated those guys either. Pretty much, if your friends and parents don't like the guy, there's probably a good reason! But, there are some realllly nice guys out there who may not be the hottest guy in the world or the absolute most popular who will treat their girlfriends SO well! Think of the John Krasinskis of the world...cute, funny, lovable!  I was not head- over- heels- pick-my-chin-up-off-the-floor  attracted to Kyle when we first became friends, but he was so genuine and nice to me! It wasn't hard to fall in love with him, and it's crazy to say, but I knew, even back then, that he would make a great hubby one day (which he is!) even if we didn't end up staying together past high school (which we did!)... And, he's a way better dresser now and his hair-cuts are way cooler too!

Junior Prom...yikes, my smile!



Worry Less, Dance More!
If I could go back to high school, I would hands down worry less and dance more! I was SO concerned with what everyone else thought of me that I convinced myself not to do a lot of things that I really wish I had done! I was afraid to really dance at parties because I didn't think I knew how. I probably still don't, but I have SO much fun dancing with friends and Kyle at parties and events, and I could care less how I look doing it! I didn't end up trying out for cheerleading because I didn't think I was cute enough and again, didn't think I could dance. I think I would have been a great cheerleader and loved it, but I held myself back.  Don't be that person who's so concerned with what others think that you lose yourself in the process! To quote my loves on Jersey Shore, "You gotta DO you!"

So, there's my two-cents, for what it's worth! I hope you all have a WONDERFUL weekend!

Friday, January 20, 2012

Resolution Motivation.

Hey everyone! This is Allie Co from Creativity & Cardigans, guest blogging for dWa today! This is actually my first guest blog post so I'm super excited! 


This post is all about keeping up with your resolutions this year...in a very preppy way! In case you didn't know, January 17th is National Ditch Your Resolution Day...which means by now most people have given up on losing 10 pounds, eating healthier, spending more time with the fam, etc. 


My main resolution this year is to get into a great workout schedule and get healthy! I've been trying really hard to run every day, but sometimes I need an extra push of motivation! One of the best motivation tools for me is getting new, cute, preppy running clothes!!! 


Here are some of my faves, most of which are on my wish list:
First is this adorable running skirt from Lululemon. I don't know anything more girly than a running skirt with ruffles...and it also comes in bright pink! 
Tervis Tumbler just came out with water bottles in this past week!!! I loveee my pink Camelbak bottle right now...but I've always been obsessed with Tervis! 
I found these running headbands on Etsy from Melissa's Knits. I love the pink and green combo (of course)...but they also come in tons of other cute prints! 
Any thing in Lululemon's signature color, Paris Pink, is also a must! I love this jacket for cold morning runs.


And if you're not into running...you can always get motivated to take a yoga class with these adorable monogrammed yoga mats from Marley Lilly:

Sometimes, all we need is a little motivation to get us back on track...and sometimes that means cute new clothes!

What are your favorite ways to get motivated??? 

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Crowning Jewels

So the other day I did a post on my favorite stationary from etsy and today since I continuously browse etsy I want to share with y'all some of my favorite jewelry finds from there. So here we go:
These Preppy Monogrammed Earrings by Tootlebugs
I need these in my life! They are so cute and unique! These are from tinytokensdesign.
How cute are these mixed metal nautical knot earrings. I need them too. These would be perfect for everyday! They are from harborsidetreasures.
I have been wanting a monogrammed necklace for a while, but unfortunately Santa made other cool gifts for me but this is definitely a staple piece for any preppy girls wardrobe. This can be found at fabuluxjewelry.
This sideways sterling silver cross necklace is going on my valentine list because it would be a perfect daily wear! This one and some of the next ones can all be found at jennijewel's etsy site.
Loving the sparkle in this ring!!  jennijewel
Southern girls love their pearls! KGarnerDesigns
Simple, Sleek, and oh so cute! Hibiscusdays
Yes, another bracelet. But I love that this one has a flower on it! hotmixcold
Another pearl and initial love of mine! Valleygirldesigns
And last but not least...A monogrammed ring! bestnamenecklace


 Oh if only I had 100 babysitting jobs so I could pay for all of these favorites! What are your favorite jewelry finds and shops on etsy? I would love to know your thoughts!

dWa

Monday, January 16, 2012

Neiman Marcus Cookies

This afternoon I spent my day baking! I love baking anything and everything and today it was the infamous Neiman Marcus Cookie. This is not the first time I have made and most definitely will not be the last time. I took this recipe from the blog, The Girl Who Ate Everything. I've seen many variations with this recipe but these even if they aren't the Neiman Marcus Cookie are some stellar chocolate chip cookies. I leave the chopped pecans out and add more chocolate chips to mine but other than that I follow the directions flawlessly. One thing you should definitely know is that you shouldn't cook these any longer than 11 minutes because they will start to get dark on the bottom. This batch turned out perfect! And even better it yielded 74 cookies. Yes, you heard me right, 74! The bad thing about how many these made is that this time I didn't make them with an event to take them to, meaning mom, dad, and I will be at our house with 74 cookies (we are now at 72, mom and I can't resist warm cookies)! Here are two pictures from my baking today! I wish I could share a cookie with each of you so they wouldn't hang out at our house and be so tempting...We are talking 3 trays of gooey goodness

There are the missing two!

dWa

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Stationary

So instead of doing my required reading I am blogging...the reading will get done eventually I hope. One thing growing up that I was always told to do was write thank you notes. Let me tell you, college-bound brother and I were forced to write thank you notes for everything. I used to hate doing it because mine always said the same thing, but over the years I have grown to love it. Until I began attending summer camp, thank you notes were the only time I ever used snail mail, but that too has grown on me. Nothing is better than receiving a handwritten letter. And of course you can't write a letter without cute stationary so below are some of my favorite stationary finds! (this post I'm sure will have tons of pictures)
http://www.etsy.com/listing/75475485/striped-whale-flat-correspondence-note
http://www.etsy.com/listing/73206351/classic-linen-monogram-stationary
http://www.etsy.com/listing/73206351/classic-linen-monogram-stationary
http://www.etsy.com/listing/77756450/personalized-monogrammed-stationery-10
http://www.etsy.com/listing/84477045/personalized-stationery-personalized
http://www.etsy.com/listing/73133929/personalized-stationary-set-of-8-folded
http://www.etsy.com/listing/76353703/custom-stationery-personalized
http://www.etsy.com/listing/90155998/custom-stationary-gift-set-personalized
http://www.etsy.com/listing/65383261/polka-dots-cards-personalized-stationary
http://www.etsy.com/listing/86977166/stationery-set-modern-notecards-monogram

And because notepads are just as practical: 
http://www.etsy.com/listing/86335368/morocco-personalized-notepad
http://www.etsy.com/listing/86329955/personalized-notepads-illustration

And I am convinced I need one of these to personalize/monogram anything and everything else!
http://www.etsy.com/listing/88806504/custom-rubber-stamp-monogram-stamp-wood

As you can see all of these are from etsy. I love etsy because you can personalize and customize a lot of the stationary making it your own. Other great options for stationary can come from anywhere from target to Lilly and every space in between. I love adding new stationary to my collection and would love to here your favorites!
dWa

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