Try-It-Tuesday! A New Book

So, for Christmas, my mom Santa got me Elizabeth Smart's book. It's called My Story. My goodness! I could not put it down. I read it in one night. That maybe, might have involved staying up till 4 in the morning. You can read a preview here. You know you want to!

What I really got out of it was that I should be SOOOOOO grateful for all that I have. Elizabeth Smart got taken from her home, abused in so many ways, and forced to do things I wouldn't wish on an enemy.

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This poor girl was 14 and was taken from the safest place she knew - her own home! I can't even imagine. But through it all, she ultimately made it her goal to do whatever it took to stay alive and keep her family alive - for Brian Mitchell David was a master manipulator. He made Elizabeth believe that if she ever did anything to get away or tell people who she really was, that he would kill her and her family, and that he had friends who would help him do that. He instilled so much fear into here that when an investigator confronted them directly, she looked away from him and didn't say anything, while Brian Mitchell David deceived the investigator away.

Elizabeth managed to think pretty positively through the whole thing, and she remembered that her Heavenly Father had not left her alone, and that (among a few other things) gave her hope. I believe that she was being looked out for. Now, that idea must be hard to understand, considering all the horrible things that happened to her, but reading her book you understand. She was at times, given little miracles. Tender mercies, you could call them. And she felt her grandpa, who had recently passed away, watching over her and guarding her, so that above all, she wasn't ever killed. Seriously, read the book. You'll see! Elizabeth has an amazing perspective!

After 9 months of captivity, starvation, abuse, and even being forced to drink so much that she woke up in her own vomit, she finally returned home. I have to give the girl credit, she was able to deceive her abductor to decided that they should move back to Utah from San Diego, CA. She was recognized relatively quickly as they returned and eventually had the courage to tell a police officer who she really was. And God bless the man who questioned David Mitchell on the bus and asked Elizabeth who she was. I like to think that he would've called the police or something, to let them know that he saw a girl who looked like Elizabeth with two weirdos.

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She returned to her family. That alone is such a blessing! I totally take my family for granted. I love them so much, and I can't imagine life without them. Not even saying goodbye, and not knowing when or if you'll see them again. How horrible! But Elizabeth survived long enough to see them again. And her mother gave her a truly amazing piece of advice when she did finally see them again:

"Elizabeth, what this man has done is terrible. There aren't any words that are strong enough to describe how wicked and evil he is! He has taken nine months of your life that you will never get back again. But the best punishment you could ever give him is to be happy. To move forward with your life. To do exactly what you want. Because, yes, this will probably go to trial and some kind of sentencing will be given to him and that wicked woman. But even is that's true, you may never feel like justice has been served or that true restitution has been made. 

"But you don't need to worry about that. At the end of the day, God is our ultimate judge. He will make up to you every pain and loss that you have suffered. And if it turns out that these wicked people are not punished here on Earth, it doesn't matter. His punishments are just. You don't ever have to worry. You don't ever have to think about them again.

This is the best part -

"You be happy, Elizabeth. Just be happy. If you go on and feel sorry for yourself, or if you dwell on what has happened, if you hold onto your pain, that is allowing him to steal more of your life away. So don't you do that! Don't you let him! There is no way that he deserves that. Not one more second of your life. You keep every second to yourself. You keep them and be happy. God will take care of the rest."

I find it amazing, that Elizabeth didn't need any kind of formal counselling. But she's not the first like that. She did 4 things to help herself. She rode horses. She played the harp. Any time she remembered the bad things that happened to her, she realized that those things made her realize how good she now had it. And fourth, she realized the empathy she now had for those in similar situations. That brought her to start the Elizabeth Smart Foundation. She also helped develop a survivors guide for children in similar situations to never give up and know that there is life after those terrible things have happened.

So go read her book! And become educated about what she has to say! Happy Tuesday and NYE!

Love,

Lo

First World Problems

Today, I'd like to share with you a few of my favourite things! First World Problems. These are ridiculous, but relative to all the good things we have and take for granted, they seem like real burdens. So, please, enjoy.

 and this one...

xoxo,

Lo

Happy Sunday!

I know I usually don't post on Sunday's, but I really love this quote and I wanted to share it with you all. 

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xoxo,

Lo

Fit Friday: Self-Talk

Happy Friday!

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Kay I thought this was hilarious. Hope you all had a fun Christmas and indulged a little...or a lot! Tis the Season!

Today I wanted to quickly talk about self-talk. I think the way you talk to yourself in your head can either make or break you. If you want to get healthy, don't go around comparing yourself to others, saying things like "that person is skinnier than me, that person is more toned than me, etc." That will just send you on a negative downward spiral. It's a common thing, I do it too, but what really helps me is if I realize that I'm talking to myself negatively, and quickly change my thoughts. Start saying things like "I want to be healthier and I'm gonna do it/I'm working on it" - and actually do it! You're self-efficacy and self-esteem will improve, as you prove yourself right! Just change your negative thoughts to positive ones. Having those negative thoughts will only discourage you from loosing weight, or becoming healthy.

Watch this video! It gives a great perspective on talking to yourself like you would a friend. The part I really like starts at 6:04, but the whole vlog is great!

Let me know what you think!!

I also saw this video of Jennifer Lawrence, and I just love her, as I'm sure you noticed here, but this is part of an interview she did with Barbara Walters, and I really liked what she had to say. Enjoy!

Have a fab weekend!

Love,

Lo

Best Online Boxing Day Sales on Travel!

Hey guys!! Hope you're enjoying the holiday season! I sure am. Today I wanted to give you a list of some awesome boxing day sales for all things travel! Travel can be expensive, but if you stock up from sales, it'll be much easier on your wallet. So, without further adieu, here is your list!

1. LifeProof Case for I-phone

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If you plan on travelling with your phone, it's bound to experience some wear and tear. So, to keep your phone safe and secure, this case protects from water, dirt and shock! Right now it's 25% off at REI!

2. Fuji Point and Shoot Camera

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If you want a camera that you can take on adventures and not have to worry about being super careful with, look no further than this baby! It's waterproof to 6m, shockproof, dust-proof, and freeze-proof up to 10 C (14F). The red one is on cheaper at Future Shop, but Best Buy has other colours at the same price.

3.  PSI Wristbands

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These wristbands are worn like a watch, and help to reduce motion sickness! So if you're planning on cruising, or being on the water for a while, these will come in handy! They come in a bunch of other colours and are on for $16.

4. StrikeForce Fire Starter

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This fire starter is so cool! You don't need to bring matches when camping, and you can get it wet! Just wipe the excess water off it it does, and it will work right away to produce a spark. No matches, no problem.

5.  The Best Travel Writing, Volume 10: True Stories from Around the World

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This book is so cool! It's an annual book, written about some of the greatest travel stories from around the world! Good for dreaming, or travelling on the train or plane. It's on for $15.16 at Barnes & Noble. 

6. Inflatable Travel Pillow

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This travel pillow from MEC is on for $8.50! It fills up in just two breaths, and is comfortable for waiting in airports, sleeping on planes and perfect for cross-country trips! Compact and comfortable! 

7. Digital Photo Frame

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These are actually so great! What better way to showcase your travels and adventures than by a continuos slideshow!? It's $30 off at Best Buy!

8. Globe

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I love globes, because they remind me to explore and travel. They also remind me how big the world really is, and how much there is to see! This pedestal globe is 50% off at Chapters/Indigo!

9. Scratch Map

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Kay guys, how cool is this?! I love the idea of hanging up a map and displaying which countries and cities you've been to. Each country is a different colour! It's on for $11 on Amazon!

10. International Traveler USB Card

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USB's are definitely necessary for travel. With 4GB, it can store all your travel documents plus lots of pictures and videos!

Happy Shopping!

Love,

Lo

Merry Christmas!

Happy Christmas!!

Thanks for reading this! Since it is a holiday, I'm flattered that you're willing to sit and read this, when you should be hanging out with the fam! ;) Don't feel too bad, this one's a quickie. I usually post my favourite five things each Wednesday, but since today is Christmas (insert loud clapping and cheering here!!), I have just one favourite thing to share with you. 

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And that thing is Christmas!! Today's the day when we gather with our friends and family, wait in anticipation to open our presents, are eager to see others reactions to the gifts we gave them, and eat a delicious turkey! 

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But I'd like to quickly remind you of the true reason for Christmas. It's to celebrate Christ's birth - not only that, but His life and the example He set for us. Christ gave His life for each and every one of us and showed us how to live perfectly and show charity and love for others. This Christmas season, I challenge you to do at least one kind anonymous act for someone. It could be something as simple as doing the dishes after dinner (without being asked), so your mom - who worked ridiculously hard to make it - doesn't have to. You could also go visit someone lonely in the hospital. The possibilities are endless! Just do something to help another person. You could even just tell someone you love them and give them a hug. That is the true meaning of Christmas. 

Here's a great little video that you should watch! You'll love it.

So, enjoy your gifts and the time you spend with your family, but also remember to be kind and loving. Celebrate CHRISTmas!

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With love,

Lo

Christmas Eve & Try-It-Tuesday!

Happy Christmas Eve friends!! Hope you are all enjoying your holidays. Tomorrow is Christmas!! It's finally almost here! I feel like it's come so fast, and I haven't had enough time to do everything I've wanted to! But I'm really looking forward to seeing all my family and our friends, and spending time with them all. :)

Today for Try-It-Tuesday, I decided to try a new Christmas nail design!

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Super cute, right?! Unfortunately I couldn't find a tutorial, but it didn't seem that hard so I grabbed a few polishes, some supplies, and got to it!

This is what you'll need:

Step 1: Apply a base coat to all of your nails. Paint your nails with two coats of white nail polish

Step 2: Take a wooden stick with a pointed end (or really anything with a point), drop paint on a spot on a paper towel, and dip the point. Draw a line on each nail. *Wipe the paint off the stick after each colour.

Step 3: Drop the red polish on the paper towel and dip. Dot your nails a few times with this colour to your liking.

Step 4: Repeat step 3, but with the green polish.

Step 5: Finish off with a top coat, and clean the sides with a Q-Tip dipped in nail polish remover.

And voila!! Christmas Light Nails!

Step 6: Get someone else to help you with the second side! ;)

I ended up doing my right hand myself, so it's not quite as nice, but really, it never is. So, I'm not too worried.

Happy Christmas All!! :)

Love, 

Lo

Pranks Part III - What's That Smell?

If you haven't been following since the beginning, here's how this prank war started. So, after this happened, we decided to wait it out a little bit. So two weeks went by, and the guys' guards were down, and naturally the timing was perfect. The hard part is getting into their house, and we didn't want to break in or anything! They told us they were having a "little get-together", so we thought
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 we'd swing by and quickly prank them while we were there. Perfect, right? Wrong. We drove up to their house, and a large party was full in motion. 

But, the pranks must go on. So we went inside and quickly hid these. 

(4 of them actually. Frozen. Like my new friends?? They weren't very lively...)

We also grabbed a few feeder fish to distract from the real prank.

They were so cute actually!

So then we hid the dead ones under 2 bathroom sinks, the kitchen sink, and under a couch. We did make sure there was plastic underneath all the fish, in hopes that it wouldn't make a huge mess.

Sadly they found the one under the couch that night, just because they moved them around. And the next day after church, they came home to a stinky smell and found two others. They ended up getting a little upset about it all though, because it ended up getting messy :( and so I told them where the last one was that night. But, we did make their house smell, which was the point. So, was it a successful prank? Debatable.

Happy Monday! (And sorry again for the mess boys!)

Lo

Fit Friday: The Best 10 Fitness Apps

Apps are a wonderful thing. They make life a buttload easier, that's for sure. So, in the name of helping my friends out, I've put together a list of health apps, that I personally (as in, there's no sponsoring here) love!

1. RunKeeper - So this is a genius app that tracks your runs. It talks to you and lets you know how fast you're going, how far you've gone, etc, etc. You can customize it to say whatever you want. It's a great way to track your progression with running too!

You can download it here for free!

2. Lorna Jane - This one is quite similar to RunKeeper, but as lame as this might sound, I think it's prettier. When I post stuff on Instagram, I like to use this one because I want my pictures to look colourful. You also get an Aussie talking to you during your workout, which seems cooler to me. But it's pretty much the same. I alternate between the two.

You can download it for free here!

3. Tone It Up - If you've been following the blog, my instagram, or you've talked with me in the last half a year, you've probably heard me mention Tone It Up. Karena & Katrina are the reasons I started getting into fitness last year. They make it fun and exciting and have an awesome website and community with lots of motivation and information. I've even met a few girls through the community, and they are some of my best friends now! I usually don't like to spend money on apps, but this one is worth it!

You can download it here for $0.99

4. Blogilates - Similar to Tone It Up, this app gives you loads of information, workouts, and forums. I love looking at her Recipes page! It has a calendar too that you can follow along with - one for beginners and one if you're more advanced! Cassey makes seriously awesome workouts. I found her first when I saw a link to a Gangnam Style Workout on YouTube. Plus she's is hilarious.

You can download the app here!

5. Yogify - I first saw this app from a bunch of girls I was following on Instagram. I only recently downloaded it, but so far I'm loving it. It gives you options for strength, balance, and flexibility for levels 1-3. They give you classes that vary between 15 minutes if you only have a little time or are just starting out, to 45 minutes if you're feeling up to it!

Download the app here for free if you'd like!

6. Luminosity - What?? This isn't fitness related? Actually, it is! Your mental fitness. I think it's super important to give your brain things to keep it going and think about, not only because I study psychology, but because it's a well-known fact! Keep your brain smart! Luminosity has some awesome games that make your mind do something active! You can focus on speed, memory, attention, or flexibility (plus a couple others). The app will customize it to whatever you want.

Here's the app for free!

7. 8Tracks - My girl Hibo showed me this app this summer at work. It's good in many instances, but it's awesome for exercising!! I've used this so many times at the gym. Because sometimes you just get bored of your own music, and I don't always have time to update my iTunes library, so this app has saved me. There's nothing worse than going to the gym and having bad or no music to workout to.

Here it is FO FREE! :)

8. Happier - This one, along with Luminosity, isn't a physical fitness app, but I think it's an emotional fitness app. I'm big into positive psychology, and this app is awesome! It's a place where you share your happy moments and you can read and like other users' too! It's a nice place to look, especially when sometimes you feel negativity around you.

This one's also free here!

9. Nike Training Club - This one is so legit! It gives you tons of exercises specific to the area of your body you want to focus. You can also track your progress, which is a great way to keep motivated! The app gives you pictures and videos so you can follow along. The only thing I don't like about this app is how much space it takes up on my phone. Other than that I love it.

Its free right here!

10. My Fitness Pal Calorie Counter - So the reason this is #10, is because I have mixed feelings about calorie counting. For some people, it really works. For me, it did work, but it completely took the fun out of eating for me. It's not cool when you have to count your almonds you guys. It's easy to fall into the trap of being consumed with your caloric intake. So I stopped counting every calorie. That said, I do think it's important to be calorie-conscious. If I'm about to have a treat, I like to look at the calories (among other things, like sugar) and see what a good portion size is, based on that. Then I can play it safe, while still enjoying myself. This app is also great because it has restaurant nutritional information!

You can get it for $0 right here!

 Hope this helps!! Leave some comments below with any questions, etc. Thanks for reading!


Now drop what you're doing and go workout! ;)

Love,

Lo