road trip podcasts

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I'm taking a breather from studying for a minute to round-up some of the podcasts I am dying to listen to on my upcoming road trip. I always love hearing about podcasts people adore and I love passing along a good one as well. 

Most of these I haven't listen to yet but they all came highly regarded. If you haven't gotten on the podcast train yet, I propose you hop on and start with these!! 

1. Serial- the golden star of podcasts right now. I liked the first season (definitely got a little bored by episode 6 or so) but I can't wait for this second season!! First episode is out now on Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl! 

2. TED Radio Hour- Do you like TED talks? Are you human? jkjk But we all love TED talks and this podcast rounds up some fascinating discussions. Right now I have saved Headspace, Identities, Growing Up, Brand Over Brain, and Just a Little Nicer. (Obviously a big fan.) They keeps things interesting and unique throughout. 

3. This American Life- I haven't listened to too much from them but some I have saved include The Land of Make Believe and Magic Words. 

4. Relevant- This is a Christian magazine/online website but they interview some amazing people on all types of subjects! The one I have saved is on John Mark and Sarah McMillan Perform because I'm such a fan of his voice. 

5. Stuff You Should Know- They had some really interesting topics up and I chose the one called How Dementia Works. Won't be the lightest of topics but super relevant to my field of work.

6. The Tim Ferriss Show- This was recommended to me and seems to be pretty popular! I have an episode saved where he interviews Jamie Foxx. 

7. Bridgetown- This is my church's podcast page of our pastors sermons each week. Right now I have saved this amazing guest speaker that talked all about the current state of the world and how we cannot live in fear but instead approach our fears about what is happening from a different direction. It's called Identity and Vocation. SO GOOD. 

8. Oh Boy- This is ManRepeller's podcast and I've heard it's another goody! I chose the episodes with Mamie Gummer (Meryl Streep's daughter) and Emily Weiss (founder of Into the Gloss). 

9. Women Of the Hour- This is Lena Dunham's new podcast series and she interviews women on many different subjects. It's really fascinating and it's almost like you're sitting down with friends. 

10. Dear Sugar Radio- This is Cheryl Strayed's podcast all about life, love and relationships of all kinds. If you like her books, either Wild or Dear Sugar, then you will like this podcast. 

You can find all of these on iTunes. :) 

What podcasts am I missing??

Dropping In

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Hey what's up hello

The semester is winding down, the days are shorter and the weather is frigid. I LOVE it. No really. For once in recent memory, it actually feels like December and I get to dress up in warm clothes! It's been raining pretty consistently and I'm realizing rain boots are about the least practical shoes ever, so I've been looking into some duck boots. Well wouldn't you know it, apparently everyone else in the country is also wanting some duck boots about now. I asked for some LLBean boots for my birthday/Christmas and I just found out there is a waitlist of, oh, about 100,000 people. Yaaaaaaay. So basically I could get my boots by March or April. Someone tell me it's worth it!!

In other news, Mount Hood is full of snow, I want to go skiing, and I really need to go grocery shopping. Aren't you riveted? This is life around here folks! I'm incredibly excited for the holidays and getting to spend time with family so for now I'm going to put my head down and hustle!
I almost have a semester of grad school under my belt! Yippee!

Hope your first weekend in December is grand. :)

Why Knot {explore}: Tillamook Forest

 One of the best parts about living in Oregon are the endless amounts of adventures that are SO close to you. Want some waterfalls? Drive 30 minutes east from Portland. Want a lush forest within the city? Walk or hop on public transit to Forest Park. Want a forest a bit more secluded? Drive 45 minutes to Tillamook forest. Want the coast? Drive an hour and a half west (from Downtown). And then there's places like Bend and Eugene or if you want a longer drive, Ashland, all at your fingertips. It's a little more manageable than California because it's a smaller state and it sure is beautiful!

 Before I moved here I started a list of fun places to eat/drink/hike/explore/etc. and I'm slowly making my way down the list and adding more every day. I've done a pretty nice job so far but I love that there are so many more places to explore. If you are thinking of heading up this way, let me know and I'll give you some of my recommendations!!

 My friends and I had the day off for Veterans day last week and we wanted to make the most of it. We realized none of us had explored Tillamook forest yet so we set out for a fun hike! We drove a little longer than we would have liked but the hike was gorgeous nonetheless. I can't wait to explore that forest a bit more in the coming months.

Also, I don't have any good hiking shoes and I didn't want to get my bright blue running shoes dirty so I hiked in my snow boots! I figured they must be waterproof and would prevent me from slipping (everything was wet from a recent rain) and I think they held up just fine! A little heavy to lug around at times but they got the job done! 

There's always something to do here and it makes exploring easy! I still have so many places on my list of things to do/places to eat! I crossed one off last night by going to Luc Lac! There's definitely no shortage of good food here in Portland. 

Where have you gone exploring lately?

These are my reflections

**shout out to Usher via Confessions for the title of this post**

22 feels a lot like this picture most of the time. There's a semi-clear cut path ahead of me yet no end in sight. It's beautiful but also a bit intimidating. There's a tendency to keep walking through to the end but forget to stop and admire the lush green landscape that lies to either side. And I do this a lot. I get caught up in the day-to-day hustle and the endless to do lists and forget to remember my age, the blessings in my life and admire the bright, puffy clouds above me. 

 

I've found I'm getting better at stopping and sending up little prayers throughout the day since I've moved to Oregon because it's fairly easy to do. Just yesterday I was driving to my school observation and the sun was rising above Mount Hood and the city in the most brilliant display of colors. It took my breath away and I sent up a prayer of gratitude. 

Wednesday night I lied in bed so perfectly content and thought to myself, "22 is a pretty fun time!" I have nothing tying me down and I live in an amazing city. Instead of dwelling on what I don't have and growing frustrated, I stood in the moment and thought about all that I DO have and thought about how I should allow myself to have more fun! I'll be 30 soon enough! 

So the path isn't clear but it sure is bursting with beautiful things to admire as I walk my way through.

Master of None

 Are you in need of a new show to binge watch?? No? Well you should watch this anyways! 

Master of None is Aziz Ansari's new comedy (dramedy?) on Netflix and it. is. amazing.

Seriously. I am so sad that there are only 10 episodes because I've gone through them so quickly! 

Aziz gets what it's like being a millennial. I would say this show is the perfect blend of his Tom Haverford character from Parks & Rec and his stand up.

 Each episode tackles a different societal norm or theme from casual dating to losing your friends to babies to appreciating your parents and grandparents. He handles each topic with humor and warmth that makes the show easily lovable. Also, all of the secondary characters are from unique backgrounds and are actually realistic!! Weird! What a thought! Each topic he tackles deals with real life things and not in a Sex and the City way and not as uncomfortable as some Girls episodes are. 

Aziz get's it. Is it cheesy to say that he just understands us in a way that the media has failed to portray??

Some of my favorite episodes are Old People, Parents, Indians on TV and Ladies and Gentlemen. Although Nashville is pretty great too. Some of the episodes are definitely more risque in that I would probably not recommend my parents watch them (or maybe just not with me haha) but the heart of the show is so. darn. good. Also, fun fact, Aziz's real parents play his parents on the show!! And they are so great! 

So what are you waiting for?? If you only have a little time, definitely watch the episodes I recommended. They're safe bets. :) 

Happy streaming!!

Let's Get Real

I kind of despise exercising. I love natural exercising like going on hikes or long walks with no real end in sight but force me to jump on a treadmill and I would rather die. (Ok, that's an exaggeration but stick with me) Lifting weights? Yeah, no. Leaving after a long day to attend an exercise class somewhere? I'll pass. 

And besides going to Italy and gaining a few and having to run off the extra pounds, this has worked for me. (I am incredibly blessed with a great metabolism, which I know is really annoying) But as I get older I know my metabolism will inevitable slow down and it would be nice to nip that in the bud right now. Another thing about my body is that I can't touch my toes and I am basically one big knot. I put on muscle really easily and I'm sure this isn't technical in anyway but I think that easy muscle just piles up in my body and gets stiff really fast! 

SO!

Why am I rambling on about exercise or a lack thereof? 

I am on day 5 of a 30 day yoga challenge through Yoga with Adriene on YouTube and I. Am. Obsessed. My body feels SO good, my back is hurting a little less day-by-day, and I can feel my body slowly loosening up a bit. I definitely can't touch my toes yet but my goal is to do so by the end of 2015! (I work best when I have short term goals and an end in sight!)

I think the point of exercising is to find something that works for you. I know myself and I know that I do not do well when I have to leave the house to exercise. I won't do it! I'm lazy I guess. :) BUT. If I lay a blanket down on my floor, put my computer in front of me and turn on a yoga video, I'll do it! And then I can go back to homework and making dinner without feeling like I used up so much valuable time! 

Have you found what works for you? My roommates run and love it. They just completed a half marathon!! And my sister is working towards a half marathon now as well! But you know, I have no desire to do that. AND IT'S OK! So find what works for YOU and stick to it! Or, you can always start the 30 day yoga challenge with me! 

Let's go!!

Just Messy & Beautiful Humans

The way God orchestrates our lives is pretty neat right? He picks a moment where you assume you know what's going to happen and he totally surprises you. I look back on this past year, a doozy of a year, and I just have to smile at all of the little things he's done for me and the surprises he placed in my path. 

I think back to April, the biggest surprise of them all, when I got into grad school in Oregon. I was so prepared to drop my life-long plans and pick a new life track once I received all of the wait list and rejection notifications. But then a crazy thing happened and I got into one of my top schools and in a state I've always wanted to live in! And now I'm here and absolutely in love with my cohort, my program and this state. 

Then I think back on this weekend. I was so consumed with one event happening and the build up associated with it that I almost didn't notice all of the love surrounding me. Suddenly I stopped and looked around and almost broke down by how loved and cared for I felt. All of these people have known me for 2.5 months or less yet it felt like a family. So the one event I thought was going to be life-changing, actually proved to be something else entirely and my eyes were opened to something even greater. 

I don't know what the next 2.5 months will bring but if they're anything like these last ones, I'm in for a wild ride. Being here in Oregon, reaching out to new people, trusting God, creating community, loving on people, and opening myself up to new experiences and adventures is what life is all about. And how exciting is that? 

We are all just people living our own little lives that are messy, beautiful, sloppy, and imperfect. One person's exterior is never really an indication of their interior. And when we allow ourselves to delve into other people's interiors and live life with them, there's this really special thing that happens called friendship and commitment. 

All of this is to say that I'm eternally grateful for the people in my life right now who show me friendship, love and commitment on a daily basis. Life is better with other messy humans, don't you agree?

To end, here's an excerpt from Brené Brown's TED talk on vulnerability. My friend shared it with our cohort the other day and it's SO good. Watch it HERE:

"But there's another way, and I'll leave you with this. This is what I have found: To let ourselves be seen, deeply seen, vulnerably seen ... to love with our whole hearts, even though there's no guarantee -- and that's really hard, and I can tell you as a parent, that's excruciatingly difficult -- to practice gratitude and joy in those moments of terror, when we're wondering, "Can I love you this much? Can I believe in this this passionately? Can I be this fierce about this?" just to be able to stop and, instead of catastrophizing what might happen, to say, "I'm just so grateful, because to feel this vulnerable means I'm alive." And the last, which I think is probably the most important, is to believe that we're enough. Because when we work from a place, I believe, that says, "I'm enough" ... then we stop screaming and start listening, we're kinder and gentler to the people around us, and we're kinder and gentler to ourselves."

Amen, right? 

Life Update

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Hey there!

Can you believe it's already almost Halloween?? It blows my mind. But at the same time school is in full beast mode over here. I have to actively walk myself through the day-to-day things like locking the front door when I leave or unplugging the coffee pot or else I'll panic later on in the day that I forgot to do so. But, ya know, that's just grad school for ya! And I wouldn't trade the experience or my cohort for anything (though if someone wanted to pay me for this work, I would love that). My friend perfectly described grad school in a nutshell when she said, "My blood type is coffee." #truth I think I have 2-4 cups of coffee a day. I'm trying to work on transitioning to tea during the afternoon. Wish me luck!

Also, Portland has been in full Fall mode lately as well. The leaves are fully changed or about there, the air has a crispness to it, you can kick bundles of leaves on every sidewalk and the clouds are just plain showing off. It's a true wonderland over here! 

What's going on in your neck of the woods? 

The Perfect Weekender Bag

flowers, black stripes, green, gingham, navy, blue stripes, blue bag, monogrammed

Remember last week's post when I said it all stemmed from my sister asking for a bag to take to the beach? Well I originally thought she wanted a "weekender" bag and I went on the hunt for the perfect one only to find out I was wrong. BUT! I gathered together some of my favorite weekender options for everyone anyways. :)

Maybe you are heading off to the mountains for a peaceful weekend or you're going to someplace tropical. Either way, we all need a good weekender to hold our belongings but also look cute at the same time. #priorities

I love the monogrammed white, navy and leather bag on the bottom right but if that price is too steep  (as it is for me), the Target options are also great! I love the striped ones the most but I think that comes as no surprise.

I also bought the navy and leather one in the middle as my assessment bag for school and with a price like that ($25!!!), it can't be beat. It holds a decent amount of things as well!!

Do you have a favorite brand for a good getaway bag?

So you need a new tote bag...

navy, brown leather, left stripes, grey, palms, red, navy and white, right stripes

 First off, can we talk about the name of the picture? It's great, right? haha I had to.

This weekend my sister gave me a mission. She asked for a bag she could bring to the beach, throw her laptop in, maybe a book, and be ready to go. At first I read this as she needs a weekender bag so there's a post coming with all the weekender bags you could ever need on Wednesday :) You can thank her later. I'm just going to call this ~~~bag week~~~! 

Anyways, it was the perfect mission to give my mind a break in between assignments and readings. I looked at my favorite totes and went from there. I have and swear by the Madewell Transport Tote (the brown leather one!) and get compliments on it all the time. It holds a lot and looks cute! My only complaint is that I worry about getting it dirty or messing up the leather. If you want a splurge, go for that one! But speaking of splurges, Target has a new brand Clothe + Stone and they made the red bag above and the stuff is CUTE! Check them out!

The other tote I have and LOVE is the Baggu striped duckbag. This thing is the best. I have traveled with it, thrown it around, packed it to the brim, you name it and it has survived! My only complaint is that it doesn't have a zipper so when you put it in front of you on an airplane, I always worry things will fall out. But it's only $26!! I feel like the striped Baggu carryall (the one on the left) would be a great option for traveling and it's still an awesome price! They also have a backpack version that's adorable!!

Also, the grey leather tote from Nordstrom is all the rage. So many people have this bag because of it's price and it's reversible. When deciding if I wanted the Madewell Transport Tote or not, I saw that most people compare it to the Nordstrom bag. I do have to mention, I didn't want the bag because it had a weird and noticeable smell. Not a leather smell either.... You be the judge of that. 

This is getting long winded but here are some of my thoughts on good totes! I think everyone should have about 2 totes that they love and can switch out. I think having one with a zipper and one without would be ideal. For someone who hates to check my luggage, the zipper for the tote that I shove below the seat in front of me with my little purse, laptop, many miscellanous objects, etc. is key! 

Where is your favorite tote from? Was this helpful? 

(reading this through, it sounds slightly ridiculous to be talking about tote bags this much but you know what, totes are awesome and I'm just going to pretend this isn't trivial. Pretend with me?)

Fall Goals

I think at this point, you know I love Fall. Living in a city with so many trees hasn't helped my obsession either. This whole place is SURROUNDED by trees changing colors and my little heart just leaps with joy!! 

So anyways, I thought it would be fun to put together a little fall to-do list! If you want, let me know what your favorite fall activities are so I can maybe copy you! ;)

1. Go to a pumpkin patch. 

(I'm not the only one who puts things on lists that they've already done right?)

2. Visit St. Helens a.k.a WHERE HALLOWEEN TOWN WAS FILMED

3. Make pumpkin bread with lots of chocolate chips

4. Carve a pumpkin (probably not happening but a girl can dream!)

5. Roast pumpkin seeds

6. Figure out what I'm going to be for halloween and make sure its le-gen-dary

7. Step on as many crunchy leaves as possible

8. Take lots of pictures of the trees as they change colors

9. Sit around a campfire and roast s'mores

10. Watch as many classic Halloween movies as I can (none of the scary ones of course! I'm talkin' Disney Channel ones or Hocus Pocus) 

What's on your list??

Take me to the farm!

 This weekend I went to Sauvie Island, just northwest of Portland, and did one of the best October things someone can do: GO TO THE PUMPKIN PATCH! It was a beautiful fall day with big, puffy clouds above and so many adorable children running around trying to find the perfect pumpkin. (I, on the other hand, was realistic and knew I have about 0 time to carve a pumpkin unless a scheduled event is made so just bought some Trader Joe's pumpkin bread to settle the craving)

 I DROVE THE TRACTOR USED FOR THE HAY RIDES! 

I was in line waiting to get on the hay stacks when the driver asked me, "Do you know who made this tractor?" To which I obviously replied, "Uhh, John Deere?" (#iknowmycountry) and it was right! So I got to drive and let me tell you, this wasn't one of those things where you "drive" and really it doesn't require much effort. Oh nosiree, we took 3 big turns on that thing and at the first turn the man turned to me and said, "Now don't freak out or anything but you need to make a real wide turn and you've got three rows of people behind ya..." No pressure. 

BUT, I did it and the next 2 turns were a piece of cake. :) So much fun!!

I'm so glad I've made friends who enjoy going on adventures to pretty farms and force me to step away from the chaos that is school. I guess you could say I'm #Blessed. 

Did you do anything October-y this weekend? Please say you ate something with pumpkin in it!

Also, PSA: THESE are really freaking yummy.

Procrastination Nation Over Here + Links

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I am full on procrastinating right now. My mind currently sounds like, "You just took two quizzes, take a break! No, Allie. Don't take a break. Must. Keep. Working." (Repeat 10 x's)

It's a fun time up in here. 

Anywho, IT'S FRIDAY! What a week though, amiright? I did some of my first speech and language screenings as a grad clinician yesterday and the kiddos were so stinkin' cute. And then today I went to a retirement community with my cohort as one of our class assignments and I got to hear some amazing stories. This is such a classic example of the scope of an SLP. One day you're with preschoolers and the next you're with 80 year olds.

I better wrap this up quick so I can get back to being productive, so here are some links that I have enjoyed in my other moments of procrastination:: 

1. Anthropologie has a blog (so it's beautiful, obviously) and they feature inspiring women on it. They make beautiful videos to go along with the interview and you can check it out HERE. 

2. A neat ARTICLE on self-care because we all kind of suck at it, don't we?

3. When I go grocery shopping this weekend I plan on purchasing some coconut oil for the first time (I'm soooooooo behind with the times) and THIS ARTICLE shows you how many cool uses coconut oil has. 

4. Oh man you guys. THIS SONG gives me allllll the feelings. It's currently overcast and this song fits in so nicely with that mellow, candle-burning vibe. Also, harmonies. 

5. Are you a fan of the ugly cry? I am. Maybe that's because I have "overactive tear ducts" but I think there's nothing more therapeutic than a good cry. THE VIOLET FOG talked about it on their website and it's hilarious. Also, love their website and the fact that they represent the Bay Area. Woo!

 Ok. I'm done. Have a great weekend!

 

Looking Ahead

People tried to warn me about grad school but until you've experienced it for yourself, you really have no idea. It's a crazy, crazy world. It's so completely different from undergrad that there aren't even words. 

I had every intention of taking great photos along the waterfront this weekend and writing an awesome post. I did one of those things but turned out to not be a fan of almost any of the photos. Way too sunny and bright and ya know, sometimes an idea just doesn't pan out and its' ok!!

Also, I almost had a full blown anxiety attack the other night (so embarrassing) and it got me thinking that I need to get a better grip on my attitude, perspective and schedule. I need to become one with my planner. Aaaaaand get super into yoga.

But all of that is to say that sometimes I need to write a post about how I'm doing alright but just kind of taking it day by day, ya know? And I think the blog is going to show that a bit. I want to be real and honest on here about my experiences in this amazing rose city and about grad school. Right now I am so blessed to have my faith, my family, my friends (new and old) and a comfy and stylish place to call home.

I like blogs and people that keep it real and I'm hoping you do too. :)

(this is just so rambly and awkward so i'm going to end it now before i throw more words on here that barely make sense.)
Happy Wednesday!

Wise Words

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"This Rule points us in a clear direction. Let us treat others with the same passion and compassion with which we want to be treated. Let us seek for others the same possibilities that we seek for ourselves. Let us help others to grow, as we would like to be helped ourselves. In a word, if we want security, let us give security; if we want life, let us give life; if we want opportunities, let us provide opportunities. The yardstick we use for others will be the yardstick which time will use for us. The Golden Rule also reminds us of our responsibility to protect and defend human life at every stage of its development."

-Pope Francis

Here's a little tidbit from Pope Francis' speech to Congress. I absolutely love what he said here. 

Go out and love on one another this weekend. :) 

Fall Dress Code

coat, sweater, plaid, skirt, dress, boots, bag, glasses, sunglasses, purse, lip

Fall is happening all around me at the moment. From non stop school to the leaves changing their colors, fall is coming soon my friends! The mornings are already crisper and the sweaters and jackets are making there way to the front of my closet. I am giddy for chunky turtlenecks like the one above, cozy plaid half tucked into jeans and I'm especially excited to really have a reason to bust out all of my favorite coats.

I inherited a coat like the one above from my grandma and have yet to get it altered. I think that may be on my list of to-do's during winter break aka the next time I have a moment to do anything other than think about speech and language development/disorders.

There's something about the fall palette that is so inviting. The browns, ambers, maroons, navys and forest greens remind me of cozy evenings and candles burning nearby. How fun would that flower bag be to take to farmers markets on the weekend to get your produce for the week? I'll admit I've totally gotten hooked on walking to my farmers market every week to stock up on veggies.

What kind of clothing are you most excited to bust out soon?

A Word of Advice

Today I had one of my professors remind me of something super important and wonderful so I thought I should share. 

Don't be so goshdarn afraid of failure! What's the worst that could happen? And actually think of that ~~horrible~~ thing and realize it wouldn't be that bad. 

Ok now deep breath. I'm reeeeeeally bad about remembering that.

Also, if you didn't know that Ryan Adams re-recorded all of Taylor Swift's 1989 in the style of The Smiths, then you are missing out. GUYS. It's gooooooooooooooood. 

HERE'S a couple of the songs!!

Living a Rooted Life

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On Sunday, the church I go to, Bridgetown, started a new series for the fall and introduced the series for 2016 as well. In his speech, he mentioned how the church will be seeking out a greater sense of creating roots and planting itself within the city of Portland. He went on to explain how this idea of "rootlessness" and lack of commitment to where we are currently placed has run rampant across the Western culture's mindset. Prior to cars or the internet, people stayed where they were and created community with what was around them. 

While I am all for traveling, moving to new places, meeting new people etc. etc., there is something to be said for staying in one place for a while and really placing roots. It goes back to my whole struggle for a "home", which I've talked about quite a bit on here. We were made to create community with one another and the easiest way to do that, is by being around those closest to you. 

As someone who left home in California at the age of 18 to move to Arizona and is now currently living in Oregon, I know a little bit about moving around. Some would say I'm pretty good at it by now. When you're young, you have the community that your parents introduce you to and through the high school you attend. But once you leave that bubble, you are thrust into unknown territory and the only way to make it, in my humble opinion, is to reach out and form your own community. 

It wasn't until I implemented the community aspect into my life in Tucson that I really began to love it there. Once I volunteered within the city, pushed myself outside my limits, found a church I really loved, I was able to feel at peace. But then I moved again. And this time, it was back to my original home that no longer held the same level of community I was used to.  

By the time I moved to Oregon (going on a little over a month now!! Woo!) I knew the first thing I needed to do was to create community. I started going to Bridgetown the first weekend I moved in (luckily my roommate had already checked it out and given it a firm two thumbs up) and instantly pushed my way into a small group. Once school started I began forming community with my cohort and now, a month in, I fully feel like Portland is my home. 

In my book, community is the key to being content. And finding a community that is walking distance or a short drive away is also key. These are the people we will be doing life with! They need to be the ones that see us at our best and worst and in the mundane day-to-day! It's really hard to do that from afar. It can still happen! But it's harder. 

All of this to say, I am a huge fan of creating roots wherever you are. I may only be in Oregon for two years of maybe ten but heck, I'm going to make these years the best ones I can and get to KNOW this city I call home. Once you take that step, the whole world opens up and happiness follows. 

So go put down those roots!!!  

Flowers & Flowers

 My friend Alicia is starting a blog (City & Simplicity!! Her first post is live!!) and so we went out and snapped some photos for her blog and I, of course, had to take some myself. We picked up these sunflowers at the farmers market on the NW side and they worked perfectly with my flowery dress.

How amazing is this castle-like place? I felt like a modern Cinderella hanging out on the steps. 

There are so many amazing places to take photos in Portland. The Alphabet District (in NW Portland) is absolutely adorable and the definition of #goals. I feel like I yell out "GOALS!" to every single apartment complex or home in the area. That's also my new favorite game. I feel like if I throw out my goals into the universe than they will eventually come true. ;)

I'm starting my third week of grad school today and I finally feeling like I'm falling into a routine. The only issue I've run into so far is how I will incorporate exercise into my Monday-Wednesday routine. Between my commute, classes back-to-back, and endless homework when I get home, there really isn't much time. If anyone has some ideas that don't involve a gym, I would be grateful!!

But for now, have a great Monday! 

Why Knot: {Link Up}

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Happy Friday!

There were several things I felt like sharing from across the web so I decided to post them all on here! I always like finding interesting articles, a fun quiz, or a new and amazing song and what fun is it if you don't share? So here we go:

1. I'm attending a documentary screening tonight for the film The Way We Talk. I'm so excited because I'm currently taking a fluency course and this film is all about how stuttering affects a persons life inside and out. I'm fully prepared to cry my eyes out. HERE'S the film's website if you want to watch the trailer! 

2.  I love me some Johnny Cash and Relevant Magazine just featured an article on all of his more spiritual songs. I fully plan on listening to all of these as I work through my to-do list today! Listen HERE. 

3. I went to a Hillsboro Hops baseball game with some of my grad school cohort on Wednesday and we had a blast! Have you ever attended a minor league game near you?

4. I loved this post The Everygirl featured on getting out of a rut. I think we can all use some of these methods when we fall into little funks. Read it HERE.

5. Did you know Ann Taylor Loft has horoscopes now?? I'm obsessed with checking mine every day because it's been pretty spot on so far. August's monthly horoscope was freakish. Check them out HERE! 

Have a great weekend!! 

I think this is the last warmer weekend in Portland (at least I hope so!!) and I can't wait for the colder weather to begin!

 

Perspective

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Lately I've felt like that person you'll see on the side of the road holding coffee, a large bag, folders, talking on the phone, trying to make it down the sidewalk and you just watch from a little ways back wondering when everything is going to fall.

On Friday I dropped one of the items, probably the first of many, and had to learn how to pick it back up and move on. (after a mini meltdown session with mom of course)

On Saturday my balance was firmly back in place. 

Yesterday, with my balance still firmly in place, I felt the nudge to slow down and reflect. 

A couple people in my cohort recently lost loved ones and it sent them entirely off balance. As it would anyone. So while I was over on one sidewalk teetering on the edge because I may have stumbled a bit, they were on the ground picking up their own pieces. And it really put things into perspective.  

Time is fleeting, as we all know. But I feel like I often forget in the daily grind of life. I get so caught up in my (now endless) to-do list and forget to send up a prayer of thanksgiving. It's when you're friends lose loved ones that make you stop and realize how small your problems are. I don't like discounting other people's problems or even my own most of the time because yes, they seem big in the moment. But that's all they are. Momentary concerns. 

With what is going on in Syria and Europe and at home, with my friends stories, I want to get better about constantly giving thanks and appreciating the small, seemingly mundane things. 

I guess this is all to say how important perspective is. Sometimes I need a reminder of that and maybe you did too?

Weekend Recap

 Ok! To start things off, HOW IS IT ONLY WEDNESDAY???

 While I'm reeling from the first few days of grad school, I thought I'd share my adventurous weekend. The Pip's donuts above were actually devoured earlier in the week but they look so adorable and I thought they would start us off on the right foot. :) Also, I'm totally craving some now.

 First things first, I met my parents in Bend on Friday and after eating a delicious breakfast, we drove up to Mount Bachelor and saw Elk Lake and Benham Falls.

 The falls were stunning! I hadn't seen that much rushing water in quite some time because of a drought filled California. It was amazing how the river was so calm just a little further up from the falls and then the falls were so intense! If you're ever in Bend, definitely check out the falls!

 Then, back in Bend, we walked around Mirror Pond and the downtown area. I love how you can walk nearly everywhere in the downtown area! Now that I'm getting so used to walking most everywhere, being able to walk around and explore a city by foot is my preferred method of transportation.

On Saturday we went hiking in the Columbia River Gorge on the Triple Falls hike. It was absolutely beautiful and the forest was incredibly lush. We ended the day at the Multnomah Whiskey Library and Tasty and Alder for dessert. :)

It's been a whirlwind few days and my schedule shows absolutely no signs of slowing down foooooooooor about the next two years. ;)

So, tell me! How's life for you??

Let's Talk about Fall

I think it's no secret that I am absolutely ecstatic for fall. I talk about it non stop and the idea of the leaves changing and the crisper air makes me positively giddy. I haven't experienced a real fall in 4 years so I am long overdue.  I thought I would throw together two outfits that could easily be worn in the fall. I'm on a bit of a Madewell kick so most of these items are from there. When the fall hits, the weather can go from rainy to sunny at the drop of a hat so having two kinds of outfits ready to go is key. This entire weekend consisted of off and on rain, which made me glad I had my lightweight rain jacket to throw on periodically.
What are you favorite kinds of fall clothes?

This weekend I drove down to Bend, Oregon to visit with my parents and their longtime friend and it was a blast! Bend is beautiful and, being a fan of Deschutes Brewery, it was cool to see where it all began. We then adventured around Portland and ate as much delicious food as possible. Now today is my first day of graduate school so if you're feeling like sending out any prayers, I would be more than grateful!!

Happy Monday!