TWENTY-ELEVEN ROUND UP... PART 1

2012 has already transformed me…into…drum roll please… LUCILLE 2 (Arrested Development reference..come on people!)  So today I discovered that I have benign paroxysmal positional vertigo….yep, that’s exactly how I responded. Basically I’ve been getting real dizzy whenever I lie down. The doctor informed me that tiny crystals have been built up in my ear and they mess up my sense of gravity. (I defs just imagined my ear as being that of the caves where the Fraggles lived…Fraggle Rock…I’m old…)

But instead of boring you with talk of vertigo & crystals…tonight I’m looking back not forward. There is so much to be thankful for. 2011 was a daaaaang good year. A daaaaang, good one. I’ve been blessed beyond belief. Sometimes I just look up and smile like a little kid on Christmas morning. I’ve had years of ups and years of downs. This past year has been one of ups. Now don’t get me wrong, life wasn’t always peachy keen, there were some downs…just those downs seem but a spec when compared with the ups I’ve been blessed with. So over the next couple days I’ll be giving you three main highlights of my life…here’s the first…

Now if you don’t like that mushy-gushy, lovey-dovey, heart sparkling, love..then by all means, stop reading. Wait for tomorrow’s highlight on 2011 Adventures. But if you read this and then puke, don’t complain to me..I did warn you fair and square.

Falling in love was most defs a top highlight of 2011. My goodness. God has gone above and beyond.

See, I’ve been waiting for a while for my M.O.G. I absolutely hate waiting. I am not a very patient person. I can’t even stand waiting at a red light. I knew that I wasn’t going to be alone forever, I knew God had someone for me. I just couldn’t stand waiting for him. Waiting sucks….but somethings are worth the wait.

James was most definitely worth the wait. Funny how we doubt God. I always thought I’d end up with a guy who was ok. Someone who I thought was good looking and loved Jesus but never did I imagine I would end up with someone this great. But that’s how God rolls. He wants to bless his children and He is going to go above and beyond our hopes, dreams and prayers. And that has been the case with James. He is the most incredible man I know. Honestly, I couldn’t have dreamed up someone who is better suited for me. His heart after God’s heart constantly pushes me to grow closer to God. The dreamer inside of him inspires dreams to not only awaken in me but to see them to fruition. He is constantly challenging me to serve God at a greater capacity. He loves me crazily and is not afraid to show that love. Basically, he’s incredible and brings out the best in me. Oh, and he’s flipping gorgeous.

In 2008 after many failed crushes and flings, I wrote a list…

 

The list.

Let me tell you this…God has gone above and beyond anything that I ever prayed about my MOG. And he’s going to do the same for you!!! Do not settle for anything less than God’s will. HE WILL COME THROUGH. I madly wanted to be in a relationship in my early twenties but when I look at it now, I am completely different than I was then. If James & I dated a few years ago it would not have been good times. God knew the timing. He knows the timing for you as well.

The woman in Song of Songs repeatedly warns girls to “not awaken love until the time is right.” God knows the right timing for you. Wait for His peace.

Waiting sucks, but it is SO WORTH IT. Our heavenly Father is going to completely bless your socks off with your moG! Just wait.

Ok, I’ll stop preaching now :) 

So yeeeeah. Falling in love has been incredible. At the end of our night on New Years we read through my journal where I recorded every day adventure/special dates we went on. (One of my favourite dates was kayaking to an island where James built a fire and cooked food he had brought. We spent the afternoon frolicking in the sun.)

It was an amazing time as we reflected on God’s goodness. He is sooooo good.

stay tuned for tomorrow’s post on Adventures..I promise there will not be any mushy-gushy-ness….

xoxo,

s.s.♥.

3..2..1...

HAPPY NEW YEARS!!!!!!!!!!

2011 was the most incredible year of my life. God is SO good. (2011 wind up will be posted tomorrow). I hope you have a fun & safe NYE ringing in 2012! Look forward to 2012 because the best is truly yet to come.

Enjoy this cute vid…

stay gold,

s.s.♥.

p.s. thank you sooooo much for reading! it warms my heart that i get to share my life with you. i hope you find inspiration & that your eyes may be opened to what makes your heart sparkle in your world!

NYE ATTIRE

I gone and done it…got my eyes checked that is…this afternoon to be exact. Now, what does this have to do with New Years Eve attire? Patience, child.

I went to the eye doctor because I’m getting old. My eyes just ain’t what they used to be.

Fun fact about yours truly…I’m partially blind in one eye…I have two scars from this crazy disease I got as a child. The disease is usually found in new born babies & cats. I got it when I was about 9….weird I know. Anyways, the disease attacked my retina and left me with two massive scars that made my left eye pretty much blind. My other eye has taken over my main vision and has been pretty much perfect…except I can’t really read the tv listings and driving at night is a wee bit sketchy…so I went to the eye doctor a year and a half ago to get a prescription. I then got some sweet, ridiculous glasses at a store downtown…today I found out that they messed up my prescription and I’ve been wearing the wrong glasses for two years. Yep. TWO YEARS.

Well moving on…(I promise, I’m getting to New Years Eve attire), at the eye doctor’s today I had a thought… WHAT ON EARTH AM I GOING TO WEAR TOMORROW NIGHT! So I did what I always do when I  have a fashion question…I texted my bff, Rachel. But at that exact moment my eyes were beginning to dilate. aka my pupils were going all crazy town and it looked like I was on some serious drugs. If you’ve ever had your eyes dilated you’ll know you can’t see real well, i.e. can’t read your phone. So I had to get James to read my texts from Rachel and I would type back (yay for blackberry keyboards! betcha couldn’t type blindly with an iphone).

At the end of our texting conversation we had reached the conclusion that 1. I was an idiot for waiting so long to plan my nye outfit. 2. I’d probably just have to scrounge something up from my own closet…

I’m going to a small dinner party with friends. The requirement for my outfit is simple. SEQUINS. Thankfully, I have a few sequin lovelies but if I had more time I’d defs save up for one of these sweet numbers…

all outfits can be found at my pinterest !

What are your NYE plans? and more importantly, what are you going to wear?

Hope you get your sequin on!

xoxo,

DIY: SOCK BUN

If you’re on pinterest or have read any beauty blogs lately, you’ve probably been introduced to the beloved sock bun. This little bugger kept popping up all over my life and at first I was like, "give me some space…you’re too hard to accomplish…i can’t understand that russian girl on that youtube tutorial…" but then a co-worker explained it in detail and I got it. You know when you just get it?  Hot diggity dog, I got it.

It was a beautiful moment. Mainly beautiful, because I found me a new main hairstyle. Seriously, I now rock the sock bun at least 3x per week. It seems a bit hard at first but my advice is…KEEP TRYING! It took me awhile too, and I have lots of annoying layers.

Follow the directions below…

photo cred: my gorgeous bf who i force to take pics of me…aka james liira

Directions:

1. Supplies needed- hair elastic, brush & prepared sock. (Cut off the toe of an old sock and then roll it into a donut..nuff said!)

2. Put hair in high pony tail. Place sock 1/3 up pony tail.

3. Begin wrapping hair around sock. I try to do it tight but not too tight. Tight enough that your hair is wrapped around the sock but loose enough for you to spread it out.

4. Start spreading hair around the sock so it resembles a donut. If you have layers that are sticking out the middle of the donut, don’t fret.

5. Roll the donut up your pony tail. It’ll grow bigger as it rolls. If you have loose layers, tuck them underneath.

6. Ta-da! It’s done! No bobby pins required. For reals.

7. Isn’t she a beauty…(I’m referring to the sock bun, not myself…that would be weird)

8. Have fun with it. Wear it on the right. Wear it on the left. Wear it up high. Wear it down low. And remember…wear it with confidence. Some people may stare, some people may laugh…haters gon hate.

Go forth & rock that sock…bun.

over & out,

s.s.♥.

ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY

Happy Anniversary Baby! No, I am not talking about my incredible boyfriend (our one year will be on April 6th…uhh…in case you were wondering)… I am talking about the other incredible man in my life, the one who is literally attached to my hip every day, the one and only, marc by marc jacobs bag.

Yes, this is an ode to my bag.

Yes, I’m going to tell you about our courtship.

Yes, I know you’re probably thinking how crazy I am.

No, I don’t mind at all.

Yes, I’m going to continue the story, so read on chaps…

December 26th, 2010 was a cold, bleary day. The previous night I had gone over to Vancouver to stay with my lovelies, Rachel & Courtney (RIP to their amazing place in Kits). I had ventured into downtown Van that boxing day by my lonesome because Rachel & Courtney were working. I had set aside some money and had my mind set on getting a marc. That morning I searched and searched and searched. I went to Holts, The Bay & numerous other stores but couldn’t find what I was looking for. Thankfully my main wing woman, Rachel, got off work at 2pm. We walked on over to Aritzia on Robson and alas! the marc jacobs bags were on sale! I flirted for a long time with a few of them but none of them felt meant to be. I left saddened as I had my heart set on scoring a marc.

On a whim, we went into Aritzia in Pacific Centre. Tired and hopeless I wandered over to the front of the store and then…it happened. An employee unwrapped a parcel and placed this sexy, black object on the table…All of a sudden I couldn’t take my eyes off him. I stood frozen as the entire world seemed to move rapidly around me. I slowly walked over to him and boldly picked him up and nuzzled him into my face. I breathed in his wonderful scent of new leather. I then stroked my fingers over his golden zipper pull. My heart sparkled as I opened him up and saw the wonderful black & white marc by marc jacobs graphic print lining. Ahhhhhhhhh, I was in looooooove. And when it seemed as if this perfect situation could not get any better, my eyes glanced upon a big red tag…30% off. YES. Some things are just meant to be.

So here we are, a year into our amazing relationship. Everything has gotten better with time. His leather looks even better than it did at that first glance. He’s always full of insanely, heavy objects (of course I need 4 lipsticks, 3 lip glosses, 3 nail polishes, sock for a sock bun…at all times) yet, not a single stitch has broken on him.

So happy anniversary marc! I do, i do, i do love you!

xoxo,

s.s.♥.

ps. like my bun? that is the ever so famous sock bun…a full tutorial will be up later this week!