Our New Home Pinspiration

I usually forget to embrace my artistic side. I don't feel like I have an eye for design or the ability to pull thoughts out of my head and recreate them in the real world - unless, of course, they are words. Images just don't seem to work out for me.

Recreation, however, is my specialty! If I seem something I like I can recreate it and put a personalized spin on it. It's the way I've learned how to paint and draw some things (I get this trait from my mom, although she is much better at creation than I am).

We're moving tomorrow and Iman said the cutest thing to me on Wednesday (after he made sure that I have no plans to make our guest bedroom PINK. I told him no, but....). "I just want our new place to look like a home."

d'aww. Cue the cuteness vomit!

When we lived together before, Iman had no preference of how the apartment looked. Granted, we had a one bedroom, but we could have decorated. We tried...But now we have ROOMS to play with! We're moving into a 1 bedroom with an inclosed den (aka our guest room/office), a living room and a separate dining room. I'm so excited! It's also all hardwood floors.

This of course has made me Pinterest obsessed (as if wedding planning hadn't). Here are my top picks for each room:

Living Room:

via

via

Truth be told, my living room will probably look nothing like this, but I like the sleekness both of these images have. I like the gray neutral base - although ours will probably be black based off our current furniture - with pops of color!

Dining Room

via

I've never decorated a dining room before but it will probably look something like this. At our old place, our table had foldable chairs so we never sat at the table and junk just piled up. I'm hoping we eat dinner at our new table (thanks Katy!) every night, and I plan on keeping it fresh with some flowers and maybe find a cute runner?

Definitely would not leave plates and cups on the table like this though. Either my cats would demolish them or they would get dusty!

Bedrooms

via

via

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Can you tell we like the color gray? I also am still obsessed with gray + red and gray + yellow combos, despite putting those all over our wedding. I'm a bright color-ed loving gal with an eye for simple design so a dark neutral and a bright accent makes me totally happy. Iman and I share red as our favorite color, and have had a red comforter for as long as I can remember. We may switch to gray, but we will probably stick with a red theme in our bedrooms.

We're going to keep the guest bedroom really simple because we don't want to buy a bunch to decorate and then find out we're pregnant or anything. In his cute moment, he totally started talking about what colors we would do a baby room.

Gah I love that man!

Unfortunately, my super bright color love will have to wait until we have kids. Iman's not a fan of my hot pink and teal combos :P

Anyway, I should probably get back to packing! Happy Friday!



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Remembering a WQ: Maya Angelou

Yesterday, an amazing warrior queen passed away. At the age of 86, Maya Angelou slipped away from this world, leaving many of us missing such an amazing role model.

Instagram was blown up with quotes and images in recognition of her and it made my heart so happy. Truthfully, my influence by her had slipped in my mind and I could not distinguish where that influence came from. I read I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings at a very young age, yet I can still feel as I did when I read it.

Maya Angelou was recognized for her poetry and civil rights work. I revere her more for her ability to overcome the horrors of her childhood. She is a true warrior queen, and I am so thankful that we have public figures and people like her willing to speak out so others do not feel so alone.

I feel this post does not do remembering her justice, but I wanted to ask everyone to take a moment to remember what she stood for and to pass it on to someone who does not know. If you feel like it, you can make a donation in her name to any cause you think she may have supported. Also, there are several public charter schools in her name in D.C. (Maya Angelou Public Charter Schools) that could use a donation.



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WW: Day Of Coordinator

Happy Wedding Wednesday, my friends!

I know you all are dying to see my pictures - believe me, we are too - but they're still not done yet! They generally take 6-8 weeks after your wedding (unless you expediate them). But, today I want to tell you WHY you should have a day of coordinator. Not necessarily that you should pay for the services, but that you should designate someone experienced.

Liz, my day of wedding coordinator, owns Silver Charm Events and works all over Southern California (if you're local) and she completely blew me out of the water. I'm not going to even mention all of the times she saved me before the wedding. We're just talking about the day of stuff.

1) This person is a pro at seating arrangements. They know exactly how to move everyone around so it doesn't look like it's family vs family. Also, All Seated is a big help in this.

2) Last minute vendor details. Liz made sure to handle all of the last minute vendor details so I could spend the week before my wedding doing other fun things - like preparing to have a house full of guests. She even made sure we could check out of one hotel room late, and into another early (so we didn't have to leave all of our stuff in the car).

3) The rehearsal goes quickly. You're going to want someone who isn't afraid to speak up or boss people around. When we all got to the end of  the aisle, the boys had done the opposite of what they were supposed to and I was very frustrated (I didn't realize how hard it was to walk to the back for people to fill in to the front). Liz was able to help them understand.

Happy and Stress-free at the rehearsal dinner! (please ignore my spray tan!)

4) Your day of timeline is going to go perfectly! I'm not even joking. When Liz told me that I had to be done with my hair and makeup by 12 for my 3pm wedding, I thought she was crazy. But by doing that (And allowing an hour for us to all get to the venue that was 15 minutes away), I was not stressed when my makeup appointment started an hour late.

Just playing around with my flower girl :) 

5) You're sure to eat throughout the day. Liz was on top of  the food situation - bringing me a banana / anything to get me to eat before the ceremony. Oh, and at the wedding? Our full plates magically appeared on our sweetheart table as we were about to get up to go to the buffet.

6) They think of and bring everything!! My garter fit just fine when I was sitting down but the moment I started walking it would fall. Miraculously, Liz's assistant had carpet tape which stayed on for a good 3 hours...at which point I was still awkward and it fell down.

7) At the wedding, everything goes so smoothly. I kept thinking Liz was stalking me because I needed to do something else at the wedding, but really, she was just standing close to make sure I didn't need anything! Amazing!

8) The ideas you have in your head come out into reality! I'm really good at having an idea in my head and being unable to produce it. If I see a picture of something else, I can recreate it but I can't make the magic come out of my brain. Liz totally could though.

More to come on these bad boys :) 

9) Everything got cleaned up!!

10) Our wedding couldn't have gone better, and I truly believe that has a lot to do with Liz. Yeah, I might have made awesome decorations and picked awesome songs and kept the party bumping, but we couldn't have gotten there without her help! Not only that, but Liz calmed me down WHENEVER I needed it, even if it was something silly like "Liz, I need to check into my flight! Oh, it isn't in the 24 hour window yet."

So, I'm telling you! Day of Wedding Coordination is going to be the BEST thing you spent your money on. But, if you do decide to do it yourself, Liz has a new book out for that.

Also, she has no idea I'm blogging about her today, so she should be happily surprised.

Do you plan on having a day of coordinator?

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My Writing Process

The lovely Julia @ Miss Trend She tagged me in a post to write about my writing process last week. This is such a fun thing to learn about other bloggers. I hope that I wrote enough to help you if you're ever feeling stuck.

1. What am I working on?
Right now, I am exculsively working on my blog and guest posts! I will occasionally still write articles for Hollywood Music Magazine, but I always feel burnt out if I do too many reviews. I really want to start writing my novel again, but I'm hoping to participate in NaNoWriMo this year.
2. How does my work differ from others of it's genre?
As far as blogging goes, I know that I have a different voice and subject matter than most other bloggers. I really don't like to post the same things, unless it is in a collaboration. If there is something I really want to write about, I may wait to write about it because I don't want my post to get lost in a sea of other posts. I also think that my writing differs because of my journalism background. 
3. Why do I write what I do?
The words I write are all a part of a story - my story or another story that I feel needs to be told. I am compelled to write. My mind starts buzzing and I get it out. I write because I need to write. It clarifies my life. The particular topics that I write are geared toward changing the world because I have an insatiable desire to do so. 
And

4. How does my writing process work?
This depends a little bit on what I am writing. I always have to begin with my introduction or lede, though. I literally am stuck if I cannot figure out how to begin. Sometimes, I begin with my headline and that helps me with my lead, but other times the headline or title comes last. 

I usually write what comes out of my fingers in whatever thought process I am having. I then go back and reorganize in a logical manner. If I know I want to hit certain big points (and for articles) I always map out what I will put in.

For example, an article would look like this:

Lead - Sexy Quote -
Nut Graf -
Quote-
Transition-
Quote-
ETC

I fill in all of the quotes before I write the article because it helps me to write my transitions. Believe it or not, a good news article is led by the quotes, not the other way around. 

Oddly enough, some blog posts and articles come out handwritten, first. 

And that's how I do it! :) The three people I am tagging are:

Tiffany @ Endless Bliss
Emma  @ It's Emma Elise
Paulina @ Color Me Brave

1. What am I working on?

2. How does my work differ from others of it's genre?

3. Why do I write what I do?

And

4. How does my writing process work?

Even if I didn't tag you, I am curious to know you're writing style! Answer these questions (in the comments or on your blog) and make sure to send me the link!!



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I'm Not Crazy

Words spoken by one of my best friends in the midst of one of my biggest anxiety attacks of my life.

Do you ever feel crazy? Literally, sitting there feeling emotions that you know are unfounded but you can't seem to stop. I've found myself literally battling myself, trying to return to reality - trying to find something to ground me.

 I know it isn't normal to get so worked up about many of the things that cause my panic attacks. I know it isn't normal to have paralyzing panic attacks because some stranger saw me walk into a room. I know this.

I also know that it isn't crazy, or abnormal. I know that I am not alone.

The mind is a complex thing and hormones and chemical reactions within our bodies are real. If you've ever taken a psychology class, you know that every bad thing that happens or someone does can be traced back to these reactions.

Most people don't seek treatment, when it would help them tremendously. There is a stigma about going to a therapist, counselor or psychiatrist.

I think it should be completely normal, especially because I believe it helps us to be enlightened. I also believe that birth control pills - however wonderful they are - cause more anxiety in women than normal. I believe that it is caused by an increase in estrogen, and I believe this because I have experienced it first hand.

I have seen the difference in myself between three different types of birth control and no birth control. There is no denying that I have an anxiety disorder or two. I only haven't been diagnosed because I haven't been to the psychiatrist. (It's always been on my list, I've just always found ways to overcome my anxiety and live with it.)

When I was on Yaz, I had a minimum of ten panic attacks a day. My psychologist taught me EFT and it has helped me tremendously. I also switched back to Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo. Which limited my panic attacks to a few times a day, or even once a week. Then I switched to Implanon - a progesterin only implant that lasted for three years. I had less than ten panic attacks in those three years. When the three years was up, I went back to Ortho and, within the last year, noticed an upswing in panic attacks and anxiety again. After the wedding I was planning on finding a new progesterin only birth control, but instead we've decided it is better for me to stop.

Since stopping, I've still had a panic attack, but the hormones are still on their way out of my body. Overall, I feel like a different person. My skin doesn't crawl randomly, and my heart doesn't beat out of my chest unless something happens to cause my adrenaline. It's wonderful.

If you feel like you have a heightened sense of anxiety or panic, especially when it is unfounded (i.e. you're eating an apple and all of a sudden you can't breathe and your heart is pounding for NO REASON), please seek help. Seek counseling and talk to a doctor. They can only help you feel 100% you, if you share with them how you are truly feeling. Some of us have chemical imbalances. Some need to  be treated by medication, and some are less of an imbalance and can be managed without. We all find our ways to cope, and we all ask that others try to understand us.

I'm not crazy, I just have a chemical imbalance.

For more about this topic, Emma at It's Emma Elise talks a lot about her OCD  and General Anxiety Disorder, even answering questions from others. Check it out!

Please do not feel alone in this, I will forever be available to help you through it. Just shoot me an email.



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WW: Invitation Advice

Today, I have a treat for you guys! (Yes, I am still waiting on my wedding pictures...you guys get to patiently wait with me. It will TOTALLY be worth it because my photographer is amazing. Here is her Facebook page.)

I thought you might enjoy some advice on wedding invitations from a professional!

Kristi Charter is an experienced freelance writer with a breadth of knowledge across an array of subjects. Captivated by the wedding industry, Kristi regularly blogs for Wedding Invitation Wording.

When it comes to planning your wedding invitations there are certain considerations you should make and things you ought to do before you can begin. Keeping in mind that your wedding  invites are the first glimpse your guests will have of your wedding and you can never re-do a first impression, you should take your time in planning out your invites. This will ensure that they are exactly how you want them to be and that everything runs smoothly during the ordering process. To help get you started we’ve put together our top tips for what you need to know.

First things first, you need to determine your wedding budget before you begin spending. As part of this you will need to decide what proportion of your budget will be allocated towards your wedding invitations and stationery. Without defining a budget before you begin looking for wedding invites you could end up finding yourself spending quite a bit more than you had originally intended so this is very step important not to skip.

The next stage is to figure out exactly when you want to be sending out your wedding invitations and when you want guests to RSVP by. These key dates will have a bearing on which stationer you select if you find that your chosen stationer simply cannot produce your invitations within the time frame that you need them by. This is because any delays have the ability to throw things completely out of whack. However if you have your dates figured out well in advance you can head to your stationer with plenty of notice allowing them the time to perfect your invites. As with planning anything, you always want time on your side.

Before you can begin your search for your dream wedding cards, you should also know what your wedding theme will be and if you will have a colour scheme. Knowing this will help narrow your scope in searching for invites. By defining your wedding style and also doing some research into invite designs and techniques you will be able to expedite the whole process.

Whether you are opting to purchase your invitations through a traditional brick and mortar store or via an online invitations business it is essential that you first view the quality of the invites they produce before committing to an order. Most online invitation retailers will provide you with an opportunity to order samples of their invitations, by doing this you will be able to closely inspect and feel the quality of the invites. This will also give you the clearest idea of what your final product will look like. Similarly brick and mortar stores will provide you with a consultation to peruse their collection and work out exactly what you want.

In placing an order for your invitations you will need to provide your stationer with your wording. Knowing how you want to word your invitations before you submit the order is vital otherwise you risk stalling the whole process. Your invitation provider should be able to provide you with some wording suggestions and templates if you find you are struggling. Another important aspect to wording your invitations is deciding whether you will be having additional accessory cards such as Reception, RSVP, Wishing Well or Directions Cards. If you won’t be purchasing separate stationery cards you will need to figure out a way to neatly lay out all your information within your invitation. This can affect your wording in terms of length and positioning.
While you might find this quite stressful, your stationer should be able to provide you with a proof of your order so that you can decide if you are completely happy with everything before printing begins. This will give you an opportunity to decide whether or not you do in fact need additional cards as might you find the wording is too cramped on the one card.

In relation to your wording you should also consider what etiquette dictates are the best ways to convey certain pieces of information. Doing some wedding invitation etiquette research is definitely something you should find the time to do before finalizing an order for invites. This is because etiquette guidelines can provide you with information relating to the language you use, appropriate timelines and how to address your invites among others handy tips.

Selecting your dream wedding invitations need not be hard and with the above tips you might even actually find yourself enjoying the whole creative process.

Thanks for sharing your professional knowledge on wedding invitations Kristi!




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May 23: Phone-Free Friday

You guys, I'm going to get real with you, real fast. I mean, I'm always real with you but I'm not always so forthcoming on certain things (like things that are illegal).

I'm a pretty good girl. In fact, in our group of friends I am known as "the good girl" or "the mom." Case and point the other day when something happened, everyone called me - including a friend's mom.

I freak out when I do something illegal...except when it comes to driving. When I drive, I'm usually speeding and, unless someone else is in the car with me, I'm on my phone. I feel so guilty for jaywalking, but not for texting while driving.

One of those things endangers other people, not just myself. One of those things is a distraction.

But I'm attached. I actually, truthfully, find that I pay more attention while driving if I am speaking to another person - even on the phone. It gives me something that I can effortlessly do while focusing on driving - instead of zoning out.

Text messaging, Snapchatting, Instagram-ing...those are bad. So, so bad.

The bad part about all of this is that I'm no stranger to texting tickets. I've received two since California made handsfree driving a law in 2009. To be fair, I was not actually texting when I received the first ticket, but trying to call 911 regarding an accident, but I was on my phone.

 The worst part is that I've had a friend lose her sister in law to a texting accident. She was posting on Facebook when she crashed into a semi and passed away.

You guys! I KNOW THIS IS BAD! It is so dangerous, but I can't stop, unless there is someone else in my car and I'm scared I will endanger them.

I'm going to try my best to stop. I know when I have kids I will stop because I would be freaking out. But whether or not there is another person in my car, I am STILL endangering others.

Do you use your phone while you drive? Please join Brittany @ Everyday Thoughts and I in going Phone-Free while driving this Friday!!

Maybe we can make it a weekly thing...and then an EVERY day thing? I hope so.

Grab the html on her page by clicking above! 

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May Literary Junkies

This month, Color Me a Warrior Queen is sponsoring the #LiteraryJunkies Twitter Chat! We'll be there tonight at 7 PM CT! (Provided I'm not still driving home from work) 

I am excited to join in for my first Literary Junkies, and can't wait to read next month's book! 

Here are this month's questions:

1. What are you currently reading? Tell us about it!

I haven't started a new book yet, but I just finished A Grown Up Kind of Pretty by Joshilyn Jackson. Without giving anything away, it's about 3 generations of women - a grandmother, mother and daughter - who experience some sort of big problem every 15 years. At 15, Big had Liza Little who had Mosey when she was 15, as well. Mosey is now 15 and Big is doing everything in her power to prevent another pregnancy, while caring for Liza Little who had a stroke earlier in the year.

2. Do you judge a book by its cover? What cover elements make you not want to pick up a book?

It depends. If I'm perusing a bookshelf at a store, I generally read every title and pick up a book that way. If it is in a bin where I can see the cover, certain elements catch my eye. Book covers that have too much on them make me feel cluttered so I won't pick them up.

3. Do you participate in any other bookish link-ups? Tell us about them so we can join next time!

Nope!

4. Have you ever watched a movie that was better than its book version? Explain yourself!

I am very particular about books made into movies, as I'm sure most avid readers are. Unlike most people, I refuse to read the book until after I've seen the movie. (It helps that I am behind on my reading list). I know the book will be at least 10x better than the movie and I know that there will be more parts in the book. It gives away the major plot points, but I'm always happy with my decision.

5. Summer is here! Do you read more often during any particular season?

I used to read more during the summer until I got a full time job and didn't have summer vacation anymore. I am hoping to change that this year because I will be working from home. Books + poolside = perfection.

6. What is the worst book you've read this year? Why? 

I don't want to talk about the fact that I've only successfully read and completed one book this year. 

What have you been reading lately? It would be so fun to link up with us!!

_________________________

I'd also like to introduce you to Christine from Life With a Side of Coffee! She's one of my favorite bloggers and co-hosts the Literary Junkies link up!

Blog // Bloglovin // Twitter // Facebook // Instagram // Pinterest

If you were moving and could only pack one medium box, what would you put in it? 

I would pack my straightener, my curling iron, my hair dryer, my make-up and a frying pan.

What is your top tip for someone moving?

I would say to do it a little at a time. Don't wait until the last minute because that never works out. Things get lost or misplaced and you pull an all-nighter the night before moving. I've learned to start packing stuff about a month in advance and if you can, move it a little at a time.

If you could have one room for yourself, what type of room would it be? 

It would be a library. I would have lots of bookshelves and books,. There would be a comfy reading nook and a desk area for blogging and getting things done. 

Be sure to stop over, say hi, and join the link up! 

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Five Little Grins [Week 30]

<a href="http://www.beawarriorqueen.com" target="_blank"><img alt=" 5 Little Grins " height="246" src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/4fb1b81a9b1ad6d17c9317ea03174589/tumblr_mucw6eXUKG1s3gqbyo1_400.png" width="350" /></a> 

We'll go ahead and say it: Most people think Mondays suck / are the worst / should die a fire-y death. I'm sure you get the picture.

We've all had our fair share of bad Mondays and bad Tuesdays and just plain ol' bad days. Instead of focusing on the bad, what if we focused on the good things?

What if we focused on the little things that made us smile today, yesterday, last week? Could our whole attitude change? In time, would we find that we're having more good days than bad?

Cassandra, Paulina and I would love for you to join us on our weekly link up counting at least 5 things that made you smile in the last week. We could start our Mondays on this positive note!

Of course, this is all about encouragement, so hop on over to some other blogs and leave a positive note and make a new friend!
The Rules! (These are really just kind suggestions)

1. Follow your hosts: Cassandra, Raewyn, and Paulina!

2. Link up your post that includes 5-ish things that made you smile in the past week

3. Comment after you link up

4. Go visit some other blogs and make some friends!

5. Have fun, and don't forget to smile!! Boy, do I need this 5 Little Grins this week!! Last week wasn't a bad week, it was just a week filled with stuff and I am happy it is a new week!!  1. Christina Perri was AMAZING and so was my concert day with my partner in crime! We're convinced we'll be the old ladies using our children and grandchildren as excuses to be at shows. 

please ignore my large looking arm/face, gotta love the Selfie! 

2. Blue Apron is delicious and I'm so happy our wedding coordinator gave us a free week

Yes, our potatoes are supposed to  be that color...they're PURPLE potatoes! 

3. I spent Wednesday and Friday with my cousin (and soon to be little miss Peanut).

About to get her baby registering on!! #excitedface 

  4. Beach

5. WE'VE BEEN MARRIED FOR ONE MONTH =]

Snapchat action

Join The Literary Junkies and me tomorrow for their Twitter Chat! Color Me a Warrior Queen is giving away a prize! :) 



p.s. We're going to be hosting a giveaway soon for our blogaversaries! If you would like to co-host, please send an email to me!

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California's On Fire

There's no easy way to say this, but if you've been following my tweets you might have some idea.

California - the promise land - is struggling right now. And it's real. Not in #TheStruggleIsReal but in the way that it is actually real.

Real lives are affected. Real homes. Real businesses. Real pets. Real people.

Today, my students aren't allowed to play outside during their recess. They aren't allowed to do P.E. They may sit in the shade or climb on the jungle gym but any sort of physical activity over walking is strictly prohibited.

The Smog is bad in Los Angeles today, but San Diego is a million times worse. The weather down there is described as Smoke. We're on fire and it's months before our fire season begins.

It's hotter than Vegas. It's hotter than the desert I go dirtbiking. It's supposed to cool down after the weekend, but how many people will be affected by then?

As of this blog post, these are the fires we have raging:

Highway Fire (San Diego) - 500 acres affected, 40% contained
Coco's Fire (San Diego) - 800 acres affected, 5% contained
Tomahawk Fire (Fallbrook & Camp Pendleton) - 6,000 acres affected, CAL Fire is on scene
Pointsettia Fire (Carlsbad) - 400 acres affected, 60% contained
Freeway Fire (Camp Pendleton) - CAL Fire is on scene
Miguelito Fire (Santa Barbara) - 632 acres - 90% contained
River Fire (San Diego) - 100 acres, almost contained
Bernardo Fire (San Diego) - 1,548 acres, 75% contained

These are the BIG fires. There was also a small fire by my house yesterday afternoon; and I drove past a small fire on the freeway Tuesday on my way home from work. When we woke up yesterday morning the Bernardo Fire was the only fire.


Tweets about "#SanDiegoFire"


Many people don't realize that Southern California is a desert. Our expensive green lawns beg to differ. We are paradise, right?

Our summers are usually wonderful until September or October hits. That is when fire season usually begins. The Santa Ana winds pick up and our dry plants light up and we're ablaze.

This year we have had less rain and snow than usual. It hasn't been bad like this in a long time. My dad says the last time it was like this was the late 70s. Before this year, I can't remember hearing radio commercials about California being in a drought. I remember learning how to save water. Every year we here Flex Power commercials reminding us not to use our dishwashers / laundry machines until after 7 p.m. because we don't want black outs. We end up with some brown outs, but California's pretty good at avoiding black outs.

I wish this were an easy problem for us to fix. Of course, there are ways. We could take shorter showers. We could turn off the water while we brush our teeth or do the dishes. We could get water efficient toilets (they are EVERYWHERE in the Netherlands). We could be more drastic (an approach I approve of) and instead of the green grass lawns and parks, we create environment appropriate landscapes.

Please send us your thoughts (and water...jk...well...if you could figure out a way to send us enough). Our fire fighters need all of the help they can get right now as they battle fires and I know I'll be bringing some cookies to the fire station soon.

I've never been evacuated myself but some family members have and my high school boyfriend had our big OC fire in his backyard. But I also know the damage that fire causes from my own house fire.

If you feel like donating, here is a great link to help those displaced by the fires. You can also donate through the Red Cross.



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WW: An Unconventional Honeymoon

Hey guys!

Boy am I glad that today is more of a photo heavy post. If you haven't seen on Twitter, California is trying to kill me via my sinuses.

We pretty much always live in a drought, but this year has been the worst in a long time. It only rained a few times this year and our plants are ridiculously dry. This week it's averaging 100 in SoCal and we've got those Santa Anas blowing all over the place. My sinuses decided today was going to be a day filled with a pounding headache and dizziness.

Luckily, my honeymoon was the complete opposite, although different than most.

A European honeymoon isn't pretty traditional; but spending it with your husband's family members that he's never met is unconventional. But it made for our perfect honeymoon!

We spent a lot of time relaxing, some family time, some time for just the two of us and some epic dance time. Oh, and did I mention that we fell in love with The Netherlands?

They probably are not in order, but I think that makes it more exciting :P

London Heathrow :) 

Omgosh, so bright! 

Groningen is gorgeous! 

Us with Iman's cousins! 

Bicycles everywhere

Inside the law school

This literally was a secret garden. I love it

We didn't go IN because of the long line, but we went to the outside of the Anne Frank Huis

He's a butthead sometimes

Iman is certified to pour beer, now.

King's Day is one of their biggest holidays!

Onesie Moustache Kisses are my favorite

Yes, we got matching shirts for King's Day

We went to visit Iman's little cousins in these outfits and we got so many honks on the street. His 5 year old cousin did NOT like the moustaches

I love this picture of us! 

Basically, we woke up late every day (time change and just relaxing), would eat lunch with his family and decide what we would do for the day! We stayed in Groningen, which was wonderful. It is a student city, so there were a lot of people our age.

In addition to staying with Iman's family members, we stayed our last night at a hotel in Amsterdam.

We went to Amsterdam twice, and it was so much fun! There was so much to see.

We also celebrated King's Day - which was the first King's Day celebration in a long time. Previously, it had been Queen's Day until a king took over.

Our honeymoon wasn't very romantic. As I mentioned above, though, it was perfect for us.

Where are you going on your Honeymoon? Would you ever do something like this? 



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