OOTD: Ocean Blue.

Dress: The Red Dress Boutique || Headband: Forever 21 || Earrings: Rugged Wearhouse (NC discount store) || Necklace: c/o A-List Greek Designs || Bracelets: Charming Charlie || Ring (Middle): Kohl's || Ring (Pinky): Bought from a beach vendor in the DR :-)  || Bag: Victoria's Secret || Nail polish: Essie Boxer Shorts || Lips: Revlon Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie

      Here is another favorite outfit of mine from the Dominican Republic! I wore this outfit on an evening in the middle of our trip. Earlier that day I had a bad bout of seasickness on a snorkeling trip, so after a restful afternoon I decided that the perfect pick-me-up would be to get all dressed up for dinner! 

      You may recognize this dress, as it has been featured on my blog before! It was the dress that I wore for my 19th birthday last September. North Carolina has had such a cold fall and winter that I haven't worn the dress since, and I thought that it would be the perfect dress to take to the Caribbean! On some of the days that we were at the beach, the water looked literally the exact same beautiful color as the skirt of this dress. 

     I saw this flower headband for sale at Forever 21 a few days before the trip when I was shopping with my friends Shara and Meredith. I think flower headbands are adorable but hard to pull off as looking chic with everyday outfits. But then I remembered that I would be heading to tropical beaches, and I decided to get it! I think that it worked perfectly with this outfit, and I only wish I had worn it more on the trip! It will definitely come with me on future tropical vacations. 

      Stay tuned on Friday for many more pictures from the trip, and my full recap! But before then, tomorrow I will be participating in a really exciting blog link-up that blogger Kate from Teal Vogue is hosting! It involves me selling a couple of items from my closet, and many other bloggers selling items as well! 

     xoxo Miss ALK

My Favorite Trader Joe's Items.

     One of the things that I love the most about going to school in Charlotte is the plethora of grocery stores that are near my college. Popular Southern grocery chain Harris Teeter has the most locations in Charlotte, and while I do like Harris Teeter, it's nice to know that there are other options as well! One of my favorite places to shop at is Trader Joe's. We just got a Trader Joe's in Maine a few years ago, but it is about 45 minutes from my town, so my family didn't go that often. 

      But of course the perk of city living is that grocery stores have more locations, so Trader Joe's isn't hard to find from my school! Besides for the good location, I love the low prices and the wonderful selection of unique food items, so as you can see there are many reasons that keep me coming back to Trader Joe's! I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite dorm-friendly food items that I can only find there. (All pictures from Google Images)

1. Chocolatey Cats Cookies: Fact: I have a HUGE sweet tooth. Other fact: I am still picky about the types of sweets that I eat. I hate a lot of prepackaged treats because of the high levels of both fats and artificial sugars, not to mention all the preservatives!! That's why I prefer homemade treats. But since I lived in a dorm without a kitchen this year, baking is a hobby that's had to be put on hold. So I am always on the search for treat items at the store that aren't terribly bad for you. These adorable cat cookies are exactly that! They are very low in fat, and not super sweet. Just eating a small handful of them satisfies my sweet tooth, as opposed to eating a very large dessert item. And the container that they come in is pretty big, so it lasts me for quite awhile! And they're fairly cheap. Plus did I mention that the little cookies are in the shape of adorable cats?! :-)
2. Vegetable Fried Rice: Other food related fact about me: I HATE most cereals. A lot of popular cereals are just so over-sweetened, if I'm going to eat that much sugar I'd rather have it be through a dessert, not my breakfast foods! I love things like pancakes and bacon, but again, living in a dorm makes these foods impossible for most school days. (And let me just say that when our cafeteria tries to make these things they're usually not that great!) So I am always on the hunt for easy to make breakfast foods that aren't super high in sugar. And I have become obsessed with this vegetable fried rice!! The seasonings in this are absolutely amazing. And it's so easy to make- I just pour some into my bowl and microwave it until it's nice and hot! I also love knowing that I'm eating some veggies at breakfast. :-) Trader Joe's also makes some delicious fried rices with meat in them, but I've found that those don't taste as good when cooked in the microwave. 
3. Reduced Guilt Pita Chips: These are the best pita chips that I've ever eaten! So crunchy, so delicious, and they have much less fat then other popular varieties of pita chips! And they're a good deal, only $1.99 a package! I always have to buy two packages though since I go through them so quickly. And I love to eat them with the next item on this list!
4. Cilantro and Chive Yogurt Dip: If there's on thing you need to know about my food preferences, it's that I LOVE cilantro! It is my all-time favorite herb. I love the smell, the taste, everything about it! I also really like chip dips. But the problem is that most dips are extremely high in bad fats, and also overly salty! But this dip from Trader Joe's is literally perfect. It is filled with the delicious taste of cilantro (and chives!), and also the tangy taste of yogurt, which is the base of the dip. And since it's made from yogurt, it is much lower in fat and sodium then most other chip dips! And it goes perfectly with my favorite Trader Joe's pita chips... this combo is probably my favorite salty snack of late!
5. 100% Natural Fruit Wraps: These are only $0.49 at my Trader Joe's, so a few bucks buys a bunch of these! These have the texture of fruit roll-ups, but the nutrition benefits of real fruit. These make a perfect study break snack and are easy for me to store in my room! 

     So those are my favorite items from Trader Joe's! I'm also a fan of some of their flavored popcorns. And they have some amazing  Indian and Asian frozen food specialties, but those things are better enjoyed when I am home and can be cooked on an actual stove or oven instead of just the microwave. ;-)

     Do you shop at Trader Joe's? What are your favorite things to get?

     xoxo Miss ALK

OOTD: Caribbean Sunset.

Top: Delia's || Skirt: The Red Dress Boutique || Shoes: Antonio Mellanie (bought at Dillard's) || Earrings: Target || Necklace: c/o A-List Greek Designs || Bracelets (Right hand): c/o Urban Peach Boutique || Bracleets (Left hand): Alex & Ani || Lips: L'Oreal Colour Riche Le Glosse in Peach Fuzz 

     Spring is taking its sweet time to arrive in the Carolinas this year, and this whole week is going to be filled with chilly temperatures! Highs in the 40s and 50s, and lows in the 30s at night. Brrr! All of this chilly weather is making me the Dominican Republic. I can't believe that it was just a few weeks ago that I was there- I have been so busy since Spring Break, and I've barely even had time to think about the trip!

     Today and Wednesday I will be sharing two of my favorite outfits from the trip, and on Friday I will be giving the full recap about our vacation. The weather was beautiful everyday that we were there, so I got to wear some of my favorite warm weather outfits! 

     I am obsessed with this beautiful skirt that I am wearing from the Red Dress Boutique. I am honestly not a huge online shopper... I would much rather spend a day out shopping and actually getting to try stuff on instead of buying online. But literally within a day of seeing this skirt on Red Dress's Instagram, I had ordered it! For those of you who don't know, the Red Dress Boutique is based out of Athens, Georgia. They do have a retail store there, but they have a large online presence as well. Ironically the other item that I own from Red Dress is what I'm wearing in my next OOTD from our trip! I think that some of Red Dress's stuff is a bit overpriced, but other items that they sell are quite reasonable. And they have excellent sales a few times a year!

       I paired the skirt with a simple yet bright neon blouse from Delia's, a favorite pair of wedges, and some simple jewelry. I am still loving my Alpha Delta Pi necklace that was sent to me by A-List Greek Designs a couple of months ago!! I was able to wear it a few times on our trip so I'm glad that I packed it. 

     After my dad took these outfit pictures, the two of us headed out to the hotel's dock to watch the sunset! Watching the sun go down every night over the Caribbean Sea was just amazing. After we enjoyed a delicious meal at the hotel's Mexican restaurant!

Mexian appetizers

Delicious Tres Leches cake for dessert! 

     Again, stay tuned for more about my Spring Break in the DR later this week! But tomorrow's post is something that I was inspired to write after the idea came to me while I was grocery shopping... I will be sharing about my favorite foods to get at Trader Joe's! :-)

     xoxo Miss ALK

OOTD: City Chic.

     I'm kind of sad that the outfit pictures that I'm sharing today are the last ones that I have from when my photographer friends Shara and Meredith visited me in Charlotte. I suppose that the good part about this is that I get to start blogging about my recent trip to the Dominican Republic soon, and I can't wait  to blog all about that. But for now, today's outfit! Like with my last OOTD post, I will be sharing a few images from Shara and a few from Meredith, as both girls are talented photographers!

Next three pictures credit of Shara Lynn Photography

Next three pictures credit of Meredith Sledge Photography

Top: old | Pants: Express | Heels: discount shoe store in MA :-) | Purse: Target | Bracelets (Left hand): c/o Urban Peach Boutique | Bracelet (Right hand): jewelry boutique from my hometown | Necklace: Charming Charlie | Sunglasses: LOFT | Lips: Maybelline The Elixer ColorSensational in Nude Illusion 

     

     Again, I am blown away by how beautiful these pictures are!! Shara and Meredith are both so talented. I miss having my "personal photographers" around! ;-) 

      This outfit is one that I planned right around the time that Shara first bought her plane ticket to come visit me... aka way in advance! I knew I wanted to save an outfit like this one for both this location, and for my talented photographer friends!! 

     The top that I'm wearing actually used to be my mom's! I think she got it when I was little, but then it sat in her closet for many years. Although my mom and I don't have the same taste in everything, it is nice that we are of similar clothing sizes so I can steal to bring back to school borrow some things from her! 

     The pants that I'm wearing are from Express, and I bought them on Black Friday a few months ago with the intent of them being internship pants. I love the way that they fit, and I feel that they flatter my shape more then regular dress pants. The only downside to them is that I don't think they are very well made! The first pair that I had got a huge rip down the whole leg only the second or third time that I wore them (and I didn't cut them on anything that would cause a rip or fall, etc). Luckily though Express let me trade the ripped pair in for a brand new pair! So cheers to Express for great customer service. But at over $70 a pair I would have hoped that they would be made with better quality to begin with- so these pants probably aren't something I'd repurchase for that reason.

     Did I mention that I am obsessed with the location of these pictures!! That is the Charlotte skyline behind me. If you would like to see more pictures that were taken at this location, please visit one of my favorite fashion blogs, Southern Curls and Pearls! Blogger Caitlin also lives in Charlotte, and many of the pictures for her outfit posts were taken at the same location. (Found here and here.) Thanks Caitlin for providing me with the perfect place for this photoshoot! :-)

     And lastly, a couple pictures of me and the girls!

Meredith caught in the act!

By the end of the day things were getting silly!! 

Me and my beautiful photographers!! 

     xoxo Miss ALK

Finding joy.

     This is without a doubt the craziest week of the semester for me! Today I have a big French test, and by the weekend I need to have a video that's between one and five minutes filmed and edited for my digital media class. I also have to be in at my internship for an extra day this week, and I have three mandatory sorority events that I need to be at. I had to go to a mandatory meeting for sophomores at my college yesterday, and Thursday is my class advising appointment, so I need to have my schedule in place for the fall. Plus there's my off-campus bible study tonight, and two babysitting jobs later in the week... plus my regular every day stuff! (And more homework that I'm probably forgetting.) Whew!

     Normally a week that's this busy would stress me out to the max, and probably put me in a bad mood. When I get stressed it's often hard for me to stay positive, and the smallest things can upset me. But this week, I'm staying positive. Why? Because I heard the most amazing message on joy this past Sunday.

   

Beautiful flowers at our hotel in the Dominican Republic.

     I have been blessed to find a wonderful church here in Charlotte that I look forward to attending every Sunday. But from Tuesday until Thursday night of last week, I had a terrible headache (probably technically a migraine), and I was still catching up on stuff over the weekend, as well as recovering. Long headaches tend to suck the energy out of you! So I decided to stay in from church this weekend. But I still wanted to hear a message, so I decided to go through my downloaded podcasts on iTunes. Sometimes when I have a free moment I like to browse the religious podcasts on iTunes and download ones that look interesting.

     I found a two part podcast series on joy in my iTunes library. I had listened to part one last summer, but part two was waiting for me. The podcast was apart of the Back to the Bible series, which are podcasts sponsored by Christian radio organization Oneplace.com. Back to the Bible is lead by bible scholar Dr. John Munro.

     This podcast encouraged me so much. I felt like everything that Dr. Munro was saying was exactly what I needed to hear! The key bible verse cited during the program was from 1 Peter.


     "Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy..." -1 Peter 1:8 NIV


     Dr. Munro spent much of part two of the podcast series discussing the difference between happiness and joy. To summarize, happiness depends on circumstances and mood, but joy is something that is more meaningful and something that believers should always be filled with! Just think about it, we are able to have a personal relationship with the LORD of the universe! How amazing is that! He is always with us, and He cares so deeply for us. These are things that I have known now for a long time, but when Dr. Munro said that and then explained how that should be a source of joy for us, something suddenly clicked in my head.

More flowers from the DR.

     True joy is something that I think I need a bit more of in my life. I have always tended to let little things get to me, and sometimes even if one thing goes wrong it can ruin my whole day. Since hearing this message on Sunday, I have been perpetually reminding myself to "find joy" in everything. And so far it's been working! This past Monday was a super long day for me, and it was also raining and 34 degrees out. I am beyond sick of winter weather, and it is getting quite late in Charlotte for temperatures this cold in the daytime!! I also found out on Monday that I was mischarged at a restaurant recently so that is another thing that I have to deal with. But through everything, I managed to have a positive attitude, and I was even able to make time to do a devotion in the midst of the business.

     Both parts of the broadcast on joy that I listened to can be found on the archives for Back to the Bible. You will have to select "November 2013" for the month, and then the program I listened to was "Joyful Living: Be Thankful" parts one and two. This program really touched me, I honestly barely even got into all of it in this blog post!


     My blog has been getting to be a bit more fashion and beauty focussed lately, and those are two things that I love to post about! But I am a Christian, and I never want to let my faith disappear from this blog. I love writing these types of posts as well!

     Also, any prayers for me to get through my crazy busy week would be appreciated!! Seriously, I can't remember the last time that I had a week this crazy. No sophomore slump for me! ;-)


     xoxo Miss ALK