Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone has a fantastic thanksgiving full of family, freinds, football & lots of yummy food!

I have so much to be thankful for today & every day. Today is simply a good reminder to always be thankful for everything you have - the good and the bad. 

xoxo

Liv

P.s. Watch the blog this weekend - the holiday posts are about to begin!

Keeping Up Appearances

Last week, I almost had a mental breakdown in the union. #truelife 

I was studying for an exam, got distracted by schedule planning and thought about completely changing my major (read: 180 degree flip of my major). There's a lot riding on this semester & last week was not easy. It all hit me as I thought about what my plan B was going to be. 

Thankfully, I had my super awesome roommate H with me & we started talking about the appearance of having it all figured out. Before she started living with me, H thought I had it all together. She thought I had a plan for my life & I knew exactly what I was aiming for. She couldn't be more wrong. 

When it comes to my day to day life, I've pretty much got it figured out. With my weekly to-do lists and not a lot of unexpected change, I can take on the world. But my long term plan? I couldn't tell you. This doesn't mean I don't have a plan at all, I have some general ideas but I would rather see where life takes me. 

I live by the fake till you make it philosophy. If I don't know exactly what I'm doing, it's okay because I assume I'll figure it out on the way. In my mind, life is an adventure & I plan to treat it as such. Whether it's a trip to Europe or a plan to keep my desk clean, a goal is a goal. Sometimes my need for control gets in the way of spontaneity. But I also believe in courage - being scared to death of something & doing it anyway. 

Today's lesson? Have a little faith & a lot of courage. It's okay to not have an exact plan - life has a funny way of working itself out. 

Shop It To Me Glam Giveaway

If you aren't using Shop It To Me for your holiday shopping, you're doing something wrong. If you don't know what Shop It To Me is, check out this post.

Shop It To Me is currently hosting a super glam giveaway for it's members.

And entering is super easy, all you have to do is refer a friend (or six!) and share the Shop It To Me love!

Not a member yet? Sign up now!

Happy Holiday Shopping!



P.S. For official details & rules, see the Shop It To Me blog.

Five on Friday: Things I'm Loving

Doing something a little bit different this week. 5 things I'm seriously loving this week!

theSkimm | I've been a subscriber to the Skimm for a while now & it's my favorite email newsletter I receive! The Skimm and a cup of coffee is the perfect way to start the morning. You'll never be caught unawares with the news again.

Thought Catalog | Sometimes you need a reminder about what's important and some inspiration to readjust your priorities in life. I'm especially loving 18 Things Everyone Should Start Making Time For Again

Tiffany Olive Leaf Band Ring | I saw this on Pinterest this week & fell in love. My name came from Olive (my great-grandmother's name) and it means peace. This would be a great reminder to keep the peace and not freak out over the little things. I also (still) love the Love & Kisses Ring.

Source

I love this quote from Mark Twain. Such a simple concept, but oh so important to remember.

Source

I'll be attempting a french twist for semi-formal tonight. Hopefully it goes well! I love this messy one that is still sophisticated without being super stuffy.

Happy Friday!

What's in my bag for class

I love reading/watching these what's in my bag posts. I think it's so interesting to see what other people see as essential to carry around with them! So today, I'm adding to the fun with my own post.

With my busy schedule, I carry around a tote for class more often than a purse. But I do tend to change bags quite frequently - a symptom of a bag obsession & wanting to carry them all! In any given week I usually carry about 5 different bags, depending on where I'm going. I have three totes I carry to class, a purse and a cross body. 

When I'm going to work or class, I usually carry my Lo & Sons tote. I bought it as a Christmas gift to myself last year and absolutely love it!! Plus a bonus, I'm never worried about getting caught in the rain and having all my notes/technology ruined. 

What's in my bag:

Folder for handouts, lecture slides & homework

Notebooks 

iPad 

Pencil case + Sharpie pens

Headphones 

Chapstick

Mints

Granola bar/snack

Wallet

Sunglasses 

Pretty soon I'll be adding a pair of gloves, especially since we had our first snowfall of the season yesterday!

I'll also keep any novels I'm reading for class (or for fun!) and an umbrella for when the weather turns bad on me.

What do you keep in your bag?

Five on Friday: Vineyard Vines New Arrivals

The other day I stopped by Vineyard Vines to check out their new arrivals. Oh my gosh. So dangerous to my wallet! Now that the weather has gotten colder, I'm on the hunt for some new sweaters. One can really never have too many. Vineyard Vines is spot on with their sweater this season. Paired with layering and statement necklaces - I'm sold. Check out my favorite below:

Plaid Shep Shirt | Whale Isle Yoke Sweater | Holiday Tartan Shirt | Loberster Crewneck Sweater | Cashmere V-Neck Sweater

I really love how Carly (thecollegeprepster.com) styled hers. She looks like she stepped out of the pages of a catalog! 

Also - I'm all about the sock bun. So easy & so chic! It looks super great with the button up under sweater look too. I may or may not be recreating this look tomorrow.

Happy Friday!

P.S. How perfect is the new Vineyard Vines weekender? I've been on the hunt for the perfect one & might have just found it!!