Time flies.

The first semester of my third year at college is almost over. It seems like it just began. I still feel like there is a lot to do until Christmas break, and honestly, I am becoming more overwhelmed everyday.

This week I have a total of five shifts at the lovely McConn Coffee shop. That is a bunch! Thankfully, I have never had more fun at any job I have ever had. And I finally feel comfortable behind the counter.

Plus, Jordan and I have two shifts together this week :-)



I can't complain. I get to smell like coffee all the time.
The bad part is...I drink way more coffee than I probably should. Like today for example...I have already consumed four shots of espresso, one cuban latte, and one cup of fresh brew. (yikes).

Aside from freshly brewed beans, there are so many other good things the Lord is bringing into my life lately. He has been changing my world, and I love it.

I will share more details later...

Benjamin Phillips


His artwork caught my eye.











You can find out more about this artist here.

Photography by George Flattery

My friend George has always been very artistic and creative, but recently he has taken up photography and his stuff is pretty incredible.

I'll share some of my favorites:












If you like what you see, check out his , photography facebook page.

At home in the woods

Jordan and I took a study break to hang out with our friends Josh and Shannon. It was our first time seeing their new house - the coziest little place I ever did see, with a winding gravel driveway surrounded by tall trees.

Shannon was a great hostess as always and made coffee and pumpkin cookies for us.









By the way, Josh is a very talented musician, and he recently released his new album. You can find out more about him on his blog, or just check out his music RIGHT HERE.










We were thankful to get away from campus. It's always a good time with those two.

Another adorable video

I found this on Rockstar Diaries. I was fascinated by it. I don't really know why. It's just really cute.

MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON from Dean Fleischer-Camp on Vimeo.

My friend Tiffany is getting married today! This is my first time being a bridesmaid. I can't wait to see her ceremony up close and personal. Hopefully I don't cry too much.

(I will be posting pictures later)

Enjoy your weekend!

Halloween treat

I found something on Living Locurto that I want to make for Halloween this year. It seems effortless, but still really yummy.

I copied the recipe for you in case you're interested in passing out some owl graham crackers to the kiddies this year.





You’ll need:

* graham crackers
* marshmallows
* chocolate chips
* yellow candy melts
* candy corn

Directions:

1. Cut one marshmallow in half and place both pieces on a large graham cracker (2 stuck together).
2. Put a candy melt on top of the marshmallows.
3. Heat in the microwave for about 2-5 seconds, just enough to make the marshmallows puff up, but not get too hot.
4. Take out of microwave and add a chocolate chip on the yellow candy melt and the candy corn beak while the marshmallows and candy are still warm. Everything should stick together nicely.
5. Let cool and serve! You can make these the night before a party and everything is still very tasty.

Kitty comics!!

Story
of
my
life.










I am amazed at how accurate these are.

1812.

One of my favorite things about Marion is the festival held every year called Mississinewa 1812: Located in a forest with dirt paths, and lined with tents filled of homemade goods. The pioneers sell their specialty items and sleep in their tents all weekend, preparing for the famous war reenactments.

We went on Saturday, and it took us almost two hours just to get in and park. Apparently the festival is much more popular this year. But it was worth it, because I got my cherry almond and lavender tea tree oatmeal soaps, and I had Nellies noodles for dinner.

The most sought after product of the day is always the famous root beer (which is basically just syrup), made in beautiful colored glass bottles of all shapes and sizes. This year I bought a green bottle. I now have a total of four from 1812.

An unborn human being's heart is beating at three weeks.

"Her life was given to her by the grace of God. She shouldn't be walking, but more miraculous still; she should not even be alive. Gianna's biological mother was 17 when she had a saline abortion in her third trimester. Many Americans don’t realize it is legal to have an abortion throughout all nine months of pregnancy. After being burned alive for approximately 18 hours in the womb from the saline solution, Gianna was delivered alive in a Los Angeles County abortion clinic. Her medical records state, "born during saline abortion"...this is what caused her Cerebral Palsy."

'As God would have it, the abortion failed and a beautiful 2-pound baby girl was brought into the world...Imagine the timing! A survivor of a Planned Parenthood abortion arrived in town just days before the Colorado House of Representatives was to celebrate Planned Parenthood's "wonderful" work.'





Her testimony speaks loudly and clearly against the taking away of a child's life through abortion.


Mother Teresa puts it perfectly into words:

"America needs no words from me to see how your decision in Roe v. Wade has deformed a great nation. The so-called right to abortion has pitted mothers against their children and women against men. It has sown violence and discord at the heart of the most intimate human relationships. It has aggravated the derogation of the father's role in an increasingly fatherless society. It has portrayed the greatest of gifts -- a child -- as a competitor, an intrusion, and an inconvenience. It has nominally accorded mothers unfettered dominion over the independent lives of their physically dependent sons and daughters."

And, in granting this unconscionable power, it has exposed many women to unjust and selfish demands from their husbands or other sexual partners. Human rights are not a privilege conferred by government. They are every human being's entitlement by virtue of his humanity. The right to life does not depend, and must not be declared to be contingent, on the pleasure of anyone else, not even a parent or a sovereign."


Gianna Jessen is fighting for humanity and she has the Lord on her side.

People who do not see the darkness and evil in abortion are blinded. The truth is right in front of us, and it is obvious that we need to keep speaking out just as Gianna has been.



"The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being."
Genesis 2:7

fun short films.

I love this video by Jeana Sohn, a blogger, model, and artist who lives in L.A.

You can find some of her artwork HERE.



Here is another video from Vanessa Bruno, a french fashion photographer. You can find her work HERE. The video is starring Lou Doillon, french model and actress.




It's almost Friday!
I am ready for it. This week has gone by too slow.

Spotlight on Style
Hannah and I have started a fashion column for our school newspaper, The Sojourn. We are doing a once a month article for college students, which includes tips and advice about style and fashion. Our first issue was last month, and today we will be working on our October issue.

If you're interested... "5 Fashion Myths From the Past 5 Decades" was what we came up with for September.


1. You can’t wear white after Labor Day

Perhaps one of the most famous fashion myths of all time is hiding away white clothing after the first week of September. Many people associate lightweight fabrics with lighter colors, but white coats and white sweaters will always be in style during winter months. Lighter fabrics such as linen should be avoided in cooler weather.



2. Black, blue and brown must not mix

Mixing these three hues can often get tricky, but that does not mean you have to disregard mixing them. Stick to brighter blues and steer clear of matching these three. If it is hard to distinguish your blacks, blues and browns from each other, avoid wearing them together.




3. Horizontal stripes are making you look horizontally challenged

Many people stick to vertically striped shirts because they think they are more slimming than horizontally striped shirts. A perception expert at the University of New York did a study on this and found that people actually perceive those with horizontal stripes as thinner than those without them.


4. Always match your shoes with your belt (or your purse, ladies)

The trick to myth busting this idea is to stick with hues in the same color family. Like number two, make sure hues are of varying shades.

5. Never mix and match prints

Mixing and matching prints is becoming more and more popular. Whether you’re mixing argyles with plaids or different sized stripes, always keep moderation in mind. If you are wearing mismatched shapes or patterns, make sure some colors of the two correlate and always have a dominant print. If your prints are fighting for attention, you will most likely stand out in a way you didn’t intend to.

It's time to bust out the brown leather.

This past weekend was a fall celebration. My roommate Hannah, along with her boyfriend Santiago, and of course Jordan, came home with me to Battle Creek, Michigan. We wanted a few days of rest, relaxation, and everything that comes with the beautiful fall season.

Before we left, I warned Hannah and Santi of my family's love for cats. I went over the important details like the eight different names for each cat that we have adopted over the years. (They probably think we're crazy)

We packed up and started the drive after classes on Friday. We arrived after the familiar two hour long trip, and we spent time with my family at home. We played a game of tennis on our court, ate a home cooked meal, and had a fire in the backyard. We sat in the living room with my parents while my Dad asked my friends questions as usual.

And Saturday was the perfect day to visit the orchard. We went to Cranes for lunch and homemade apple cider, and of course we picked apples, taking big bites of the juicy Golden Delicious.














Hannah and I took on the baking Saturday evening.
We made baked apples and pumpkin chocolate chip cookies while the boys lounged in the living room....


We didn't need their help. The desserts were all amazing.











To end our weekend, we went to church and had a lazy Sunday watching The Office and The Sixth Sense.


It was a wonderful weekend with crisp Michigan fall weather.
I am always thankful to spend some time at home with my family.